Leading Italian render specialist, Fassa Bortolo, has recently finalised a prestigious project for The Duchy of Cornwall, in collaboration with Midas Construction. The project launched in November 2017 after Fassa was recommended by one of its largest applicators to transform the external envelope of the new Nansledan school. A final build design was agreed which saw the structure made from steel frame with block, and a sand and cement render finish that would be painted on completion. As a result, the team specified Fassa’s MS20, a cement-based masonry render, with a roughcast finish and a finishing propriety paint for added durability. The Fassa team worked closely with contractor A P Williams, who offered their technical expertise on window surrounds, demonstrating how the roughcast render would look by spraying MS20 onto a prefabricated mock wall for the Duchy of Cornwall to approve. A roughcast finish provides superior water-resistant properties, something which is considered a priority in Cornwall due to extreme costal weather. Paul Williams of A P Williams raised concerns about applying the render from a scaffold as it could cause “scarring”, which would cause imperfections in the finish. To achieve a look as consistent and even as possible, Genie lifts were brought in to apply the render, enabling the applicators to spray the surface and maintain a perfect finish. This willingness to meet the applicators needs is one of the many examples of the main contractor and the applicator working together to attain the best outcome for the client. The school was handed over on time in two phases, the first in June 2019 and the final  in September 2019. Linden Williams, Fassa’s ASM for the south west comments: “It was amazing just how much time and effort was involved in every stage of the process. Relationships have grown over this project, with all parties including the main contractor, the architect, and our render contractor forging new connections. We’re delighted to have been selected to offer our services to such a prestigious project and are very satisfied with the outcome.” Visit www.fassabortolo.co.uk or call 01684 218 305.

Located along the Vltava river, Prague’s Dancing House is a hotspot for tourists and admirers of architecture. While its sloping structure gives the illusion that the building is dancing, the design offers nothing in the way of structural benefit. But would a building without such an eye-catching design feature gain the same appreciation? Here, Nick Cowley, managing director at exterior cladding and outdoor living product supplier Endurawood, explains how cladding can take building design to new levels. Cladding has been popular in the construction industry for decades. It offers many benefits including thermal insulation, weatherproofing and protection of the building’s structure. Cladding does not support the structure of a building, but instead acts as a second skin to the exterior. The National BIM Library (NBS) categorises cladding into categories such as H10 for patent glazing, H21 for timber weatherboarding and H51 for natural stone slab features. While cladding offers a range of practical benefits, its design potential is often overlooked. All a façade Apart from adding style and colour to a building’s design, cladding can also be used as an architectural enhancement. Building design is important and, particularly for high rise structures, it can be difficult to distinguish one building from the next. Cladding can transform a  usually overlooked building intoan eye-catching display. While cladding is traditionally applied to the entire exterior of the building, it can be used to decorate and accentuate specific areas. A façade is a simple addition that can dramatically improve the appearance of a building. For example, The Center for Wellbeing in Edinburgh, Scotland used timber cladding to create a 3D façade of the organisation’s name, Thistle. The façade creates an exterior that provides a friendly welcome, just like the staff on the inside. Low maintenance Unlike other common exterior finishes such as pebbledash or paint, which can become tarnished from weather conditions, cladding is built to last. As one of the main purposes of installing cladding is to provide a weatherproof barrier for the building, cladding must be able to withstand harsh weather conditions. While some cladding materials are naturally more durable than others, they still require additional treatments to increase their durability. These treatments can vary depending on the material. Aluminium cladding from Endurawood is corrosion, freeze and frost resistant and non-porous. Aluminium reacts with oxygen in the air, which forms a thin layer of oxide on the surface of the material. This works to eradicate corrosion caused by moisture, pollution and mould growth, which reduces maintenance and costs, maintaining the building’s design. Refurb over replace Typically, some building refurbishments require a substantial amount of work when undergoing upgrades. However, minor refurbishments to the exterior can be resolved with cladding. Using cladding to refurb is a quick way to improve the appearance of a building. Building Abseiling techniques allows virtually any job to be carried out by our experienced technicians on buildings or structures without the need for expensive and disruptive methods, such as scaffolding or cradles Cladding is versatile enough to be applied by a homeowner or installer for larger projects and is usually applied with ease, which means it’s ideal for both home and large-scale refurbishments. Without its unique design, it’s unlikely that the Czech capital’s dancing landmark would attract as many tourists as it does today. While architects must always consider the structural performance of building materials, design remains an important consideration. Alongside its weatherproofing and insulation benefits, cladding can help take building design to new levels.

Safeguard Europe’s Dryzone high-performance plasters collection is a range of breathable modern plasters designed to stop salt migration and aid drying on damp walls. All four variants in the plaster range have been scientifically developed and tested to provide excellent resistance to hygroscopic salts whilst providing a highly breathable surface. They have been shown to out-perform both competing renovation plasters and sand/cement renders. The pre-blended plasters – Dryzone Damp-Resistant Plaster, Fast-Set Plaster and Hi-Lime Renovation and Hi-Lime Finishing Plaster – form part of the Dryzone System for replastering after  Dryzone Damp-Proofing Cream or Dryrod Damp-Proofing Rods have been used to create a remedial damp proof course. The plasters are ideal for replacing existing plaster that has already deteriorated (having already also tackled the cause of the damp); or for use in new-build and conversion projects to limit potential damage caused by minor ingress of dampness during the lifetime of the building. They are also suitable for use in other situations where residual damp will be present, such as after treatment for penetrating damp or as part of a flood repair project. These highly effective Safeguard renovation plasters can be applied to walls while they are still damp and, by controlling salt migration and allowing walls to dry out by evaporation, the walls achieve a higher thermal resistance, reducing the risk of future condensation. New to the range is Dryzone Fast-Set Plaster, which cures in around two hours and is suitable where speed of application is crucial, such as where tenants may have to be decanted or where disruption needs to be minimised. It is also ideal for smaller areas, repairs and dubbing out uneven walls. Like its stablemates, Dryzone Damp-Resistant Plaster has a porous structure which controls salt migration, allows walls to dry out by evaporation. However, it  provides enhanced salt protection compared with competing products and is so especially suited for use on highly salt and damp contaminated walls. The Hi-Lime Renovation Plaster and Hi-Lime Finishing Plaster are especially suitable in heritage situations. As, in the presence of rising or penetrating damp, lime plasters can start to fail and are not as breathable, modern hybrid materials such as the Hi-Lime Plaster pairing are far more effective.  Tests have shown the hi-lime plasters allow up to 40% more water transmission than a traditional mix of 3:1 sand and lime and up to 240% more than  3:1 sand and cement over a 14-day period. Dryzone Damp-Resistant Plaster and Dryzone Fast-Set Plaster have been shown, also over two weeks, to diffuse over 80% and 70% more water vapour than 3:1 sand and lime, respectively too. Other properties include a low compressive strength, ensuring that the plaster can easily be removed later without damaging underlying brickwork. The Damp-Resistant Plaster, Hi-Lime Renovation Plaster and Hi-Lime Finishing Plaster also offer conformity to the EN998-1 CE Standard as ‘Renovation Mortars’. With a complete range of renovation plasters within the Dryzone System, Safeguard now offers a complete suite of products to deliver – post-damp cause diagnosis – permanent damp proofing solutions, from preventing moisture ingress through to specialist replastering and mould-resistant decorating materials.