With some of the UK’s largest housing associations recording increased annual spending on repairs and maintenance of which routine maintenance is the largest expenditure, there is a growing need for housing professionals to make cost savings whilst continuing to deliver excellent services to tenants.

To address the common issues of day-to-day repairs, planned works and unscheduled refurbishments, housing flooring specialist Gerflor has developed dedicated flooring solutions that embody unique technology to dramatically reduce remedial work, fast-track installation and drive down ‘on-floor’ costs, even contributing to longer product life cycle times and lower replacement budgets.

Gerflor invented Gerflor Fibre Technology (GFT) applying the innovation to its residential ≥36/R10 slip resistant floorings meeting HSE guidelines. GFT textile-backed floorings such as Griptex and Texline feature a unique stabilising, waterproof interlayer that in combination with GFT technology address many refurbishment and new build installation problems that housing professionals face.

For example, as up to 35 m2 can be loose laid directly over concrete and most existing smooth floorings, the need for adhesive, screed or latex is generally eliminated. These floorings also automatically absorb small defects beneath to provide a better finish above without the cost of specialist tools and fitters, saving both time and money and allowing contractors to lay up to twice as much m2 per day.

Crucially, as Gerflor’s GFT floorings do not need to be stuck down and come in convenient multiple width rolls, they are quickly installed, easily taken up for refurbishment and simply replaced if in good condition, accelerating both long and short term tenant rental turn arounds.

GFT floorings like Griptex and Texline are also 90% RH resistant and tolerate damp better than glued products. Ideal for where there is a fault in the damp proofing or a damp proof membrane (DPM) has not been installed, they are less likely to trap moisture between the flooring and the subfloor, which commonly causes floorcoverings to fail. Also, glue degradation will not shorten the life of the product.

Significantly, moisture is inherent to new concrete subfloors with residential construction moisture taking around one month to naturally dry for every 25mm thickness of concrete slab. As the moisture rises to the surfaces it can damage glued flooring causing it to lift, curl and bubble. In new build housing conventional, foam-backed residential vinyl is mostly used, however between 50-75% of these installations require remedial work for post-installation issues typically caused by problems like moisture that has not had sufficient time to disperse and property movement as new buildings settle.

Gerflor is a single source supplier of residential and commercial floorings which couple top design with unique technical advantages for all areas within housing. Developed to look good for longer with easy, low-cost maintenance, they include slip resistant, acoustic, cushioned products, safety floorings for wet areas and attractive, high performing products for communal spaces.

Gerflor has a UK base, dedicated housing team, stock holding warehouse and national distribution network. Floorings are manufactured to Gerflor’s environmentally-sustainable, life-cycle analysis policy at ISO 14001 certified production sites using sustainable, responsible raw materials and recycled content. They meet the highest international standards and have the lowest VOC emissions, contributing to good indoor air quality and well being.

Gerflors’ social housing products are detailed in the new ‘Housing in Progress’ brochure.

For copies and further information: www.gerflor.co.uk / contractuk@gerflor.com / 01926 622600