Altro delivers adhesive-free solution for college refurb

Altro Wood Adhesive-Free Flooring at the University College of Osteopathy

Altro Wood adhesive-free has been used throughout corridors and treatment rooms at the University College of Osteopathy, London, as part of a major refurbishment. Chosen for its slip resistance and comfort underfoot as well as its stylish yet homely modern feel, Altro Wood adhesive-free also provided a cost-effective, carbon-saving solution to subfloor issues.

The University College of Osteopathy’s Flooring Challenge

The University College of Osteopathy is the largest osteopathic educational institution in the UK, delivering professional training to students from around the world from its busy base in Borough High Street, London. A major refurbishment was needed following a fire which caused extensive cosmetic damage.

The proposed refurbishment proved to be an ideal opportunity to move away from carpet tiles to a more modern, easy-to-maintain flooring finish, and initially, a specification for loose-lay LVTs was put forward. Rob Moore of Woodmoore Flooring takes up the story: “I was one of a number of contractors asked to quote for the job so I made a visit to the site to undertake a survey. It’s an unusual building with lots of angles and not a straight wall in sight! There was also undulation in the subfloor and irregularity in the subfloor panels.

Selecting Altro Wood Adhesive-Free Over LVTs

“Because of this, I felt LVTs were not a good option, and I recommended Altro Wood adhesive-free instead. This delivers the same homely feel without the risks associated with LVTs on an undulating subfloor. I took along some samples and talked through the process and we won the job.”

Benefits of Altro Wood Adhesive-Free Flooring

Altro Wood™ adhesive-free is available in 18 shades, has 14dB sound reduction, a 10-year guarantee and Altro’s one-in-a-million slip-resistance reassurance. It also offers high levels of comfort underfoot providing a safe, durable and decorative solution for busy spaces.

Another major benefit of Altro Wood adhesive-free is that it can be laid over existing substrates so you can weld and walk on the floor the same day. Waste is minimal as you do not need to use a damp-proof membrane (DPM) or adhesive products, reducing unwanted landfill content.

“I can’t recommend Altro adhesive-free flooring enough,” says Rob Moore. “I’ve worked with it for about 12 years now. It started out as an alternative for specific situations – where saving time and process was essential, but having worked with it so much with such good results, I can’t see why anyone would want to stick a vinyl sheet floor.

“Altro Wood adhesive-free was ideal for this job. The subfloor was not in great condition in places and the layout of the building is such that there were so many angles. We freehand fitted the whole job with great results, and delivered a homely feel in a clinical environment.”

Elizabeth Sharma, Head of Estates at the University College of Osteopathy, said: “We are very pleased with the flooring choice. It looks professional and is easy to maintain and keep clean.”

Altro adhesive-free floors are installed using Altro adhesive-free, double-sided, moisture-tolerant tape. The floor edges and joints are secured in place while being installed, coved and welded. The floor can be uplifted quickly and easily and any leftover floor can be used elsewhere.

This can also prove helpful with maintenance which the College discovered when they suffered damage to the refurbished building caused by leaks from the flats above and were able to repair the skirting boards and other areas of damage without the floor being affected. Elizabeth confirms that even after this work, “the flooring still looks like new so we’re very happy with it.”

Sustainability and Cost Savings with Altro Adhesive-Free Floors

Like all Altro adhesive-free floors, Altro Wood adhesive-free delivers huge time and cost savings over traditionally adhered floors as well as up to 50% savings in CO2. Sustainable and with 10% recycled content, 100% of the installed floor can be recycled or reused after use. At the end of its life, the floor can be recycled via a Recofloor collection point and regenerated into useful traffic calming products such as traffic cones.

Find out more about how to save carbon, save time and save money with Altro’s adhesive-free floors at www.altro.com/uk/resources/altro-guides/adhesive-free-floors