Projects / 4/30/2024

Sandwell Aquatic Centre

Durable and safe surfaces with Mapei systems for waterproofing and installing ceramic tiles

Smethwick

Mapei systems were used in the Sandwell Aquatic Centre (UK) for waterproofing operations and ceramic tile installation. Key products included hydraulic binders, elastic waterproofing mortars, and epoxy grouts, ensuring durability and safety for the center's extensive aquatic and fitness areas.

Revitalizing sports and wellness

After hosting one of the largest international sporting events in the UK in 2022, Sandwell Aquatic Centre opened its doors to sports lovers from all over the West Midlands region in central England. 3 swimming pools (a 50 m Olympic size pool, a 25 m diving pool and a 50 m warm-up pool), 3 rooms for various activities (yoga, Pilates, Body Pump and Body Combat), a sauna and steam bath and more than one hundred indoor cycling stations are available to anyone who wishes to train for a competitive event or simply stay in shape. The complex, designed by Roberts Limbrick Architects, needs to guarantee a high standard of hygiene, durability, resistance and safety for all the various areas, equipment and surfaces. And this is why, when choosing which materials to use, Mapei systems were singled out as being the most suitable to ensure total waterproofing for the pools and sound installation of ceramic tiles in and around the pools, changing rooms and atrium. These solutions enabled more than 35 different types of ceramic tiles, supplied by various manufacturers, to be safely installed over a total surface area of 9000 m² and 6,500 m² of screeds to be created.

The Sandwell Aquatic Centre is a modern sports complex and venue of one of the largest international sporting events in 2022.

Complete systems for swimming pools

Mapei systems were used for the swimming pools, starting from the substrate preparation phase. TOPCEM special hydraulic binder was used to create normal setting, fast drying (4 days) and controlled shrinkage screeds for the three swimming pools, while NIVOPLAN levelling mortar for internal and external surfaces admixed with PLANICRETE synthetic rubber latex was used to level off the sides of the pools. PLANICRETE is used as an admixture to improve the mechanical characteristics and adhesion of cementitious screeds, renders and smoothing layers, as well as to make highly adhesive cementitious bonding slurries.

The horizontal surfaces at the bottom of the pools and around the pools were waterproofed with MAPELASTIC TURBO rapid-drying, elastic cementitious mortar reinforced with MAPENET 150 alkali-resistant mesh: a system that enabled overall operational times to be reduced. The side walls of the swimming pools, on the other hand, were waterproofed with MAPELASTIC SMART two-component, highly elastic cementitious mortar, which in this case too was reinforced with MAPENET 150. This solution provides elastic protection for surfaces, including irregular surfaces constantly immersed in water, while at the same time guaranteeing easy application and high resistance to UV rays.

The horizontal surfaces at the bottom of the pools and around the pools were waterproofed with MAPELASTIC TURBO reinforced with MAPENET 150 alkali-resistant mesh. The side walls of the swimming pools were waterproofed with MAPELASTIC SMART.

Extensive use of KERAPOXY

The ceramic tiles for the bottoms of the pools and for the surfaces around the pools were bonded with KERAQUICK S1 deformable cementitious adhesive, distributed on the UK market by Mapei UK and available on the international market under the name KERAQUICK MAXI S1. The joints were grouted with KERAPOXY epoxy mortar, which was chosen because it guarantees a high level of hygiene and excellent mechanical and chemical characteristics. And it was thanks to these characteristics that the same product was also chosen to grout the joints of the tiles on the sides of the pools, which were bonded with ADESILEX P9 cementitious adhesive because of its high thixotropy: this adhesive may be applied on vertical surfaces without slumping or allowing tiles to slip out of position.

The ceramic tiles for the bottoms of the pools and for the surfaces around the pools were bonded with KERAQUICK S1 with joints grouted with KERAPOXY. Tiles on the sides of the pools were bonded with ADESILEX P9 cementitious adhesive.

A change of waterproofer for the changing rooms

The same solutions as for the swimming pools were also chosen to prepare the walls and floors in the changing rooms: TOPCEM for the screeds and NIVOPLAN admixed with PLANICRETE to level off surfaces. A different system, however, was chosen for the waterproofing work: some of the areas were treated with MAPEGUARD WP 200, a waterproofing and anti-fracture membrane particularly suitable for damp environments and substrates sensitive to moisture; in other areas MAPELASTIC AQUADEFENSE was used, an elastic, liquid membrane suitable for waterproofing damp environments such as bathrooms, showers, laundries, saunas and changing rooms. The expansion joints and corners between the walls and floors were waterproofed with MAPEBAND rubber tape.

In these areas, too, the ceramic tiles were bonded with KERAQUICK S1 on the floors and with ADESILEX P9 on the walls. The joints, on the other hand, were grouted with ULTRACOLOR PLUS fast setting and drying cementitious mortar, ideal for joints up to 20 mm wide. Apart from having anti-efflorescence properties and being water-repellent thanks to DropEffect^® technology, this product is also resistant to mould thanks to BioBlock^®technology, making it the ideal product for use in damp environments. What is more, it is available in an extensive range of colours and has very low emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC). It is thanks to these characteristics that ULTRACOLOR PLUS was also chosen to grout the joints of the tiles on the floor of the atrium, which were also bonded with KERAQUICK S1.

Project information

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Yard

The Mapei specification spanned the main pool, diving pool, studio pool, changing rooms and atrium area.

Location

Smethwick, United Kingdom

Subcategory

Aquatic Centre, SWIMMING POOL

Application

Mapei systems have been used to complete an extensive waterproofing and tiling project at The Sandwell Aquatic Centre in Smethwick, near Birmingham – venue of one of the largest international sporting events in 2022.

Start and finish date

2021/2022

Application Type

Waterproofing systems

Client

Sandwell Aquatic Centre

Contractor company

The Wates Group

Installer companies

P. Plunkett Tiling Contractors Ltd

Architects

Roberts Limbrick Architects