floors/ceilings

Fermacell Flooring and Ceiling systems provide simple solutions to acoustic and fire requirements.

The flooring systems offer a dry screed system solution which provides impact acoustic performance for refurbishment as well as new build and timber frame.

The range of systems we produce not only increase sound insulation but also a dry screed solution to overlay underfloor heating and levelling solutions to uneven floors.

Fermacell’s ceiling systems provide superior acoustic and fire performance to timber and concrete ceilings by using either a resilient bar or a suspended ceiling system, decreasing the airborne acoustic transmission.

Fermacell and Jupiter provide innovative Underfloor heating solution.

A luxury Swanage apartment development by Swan Country Homes is benefiting from a unique solution utilising the Jupiter Ideal ECO underfloor heating system in conjunction with Fermacell Flooring Elements over suspended timber floors.

Fermacell 2E22 25 mm thick Flooring Elements, combined with Jupiter recycled wood fibre heating elements, has created a low-height underfloor heating solution that substantially outperformed the acoustic requirements of Part E of the Building Regulations for separating floors. Not only this, but it has also saved a brick course at each floor level.

Swan Country Homes, developers of the eight elegantly finished 2 bed apartments and two luxury penthouses on Broad Leys, opted for the Jupiter/Fermacell solution in preference to a more complex Robust Detail solution. The latter option required either pipework being installed in between joists and putting a floating floor on top, or laying down a resilient batten, or cradle and batten system with chipboard on top.

This innovative new approach has paid dividends for the developer. Only two overlaid components were needed - dramatically reducing build time and providing the perfect substrate for a multitude of floor finishes; whilst maintaining the thermal transparency required by modern efficient underfloor heating systems.

Pre-completion testing produced acoustic performances which comfortably exceeded Part E requirements. The minimum airborne sound result was 11 dB over the requirement, whilst the minimum impact sound result surpassed the guidelines by 14 dB.

Chris Smith, Managing Director of Jupiter Underfloor Heating, commented: “On the face of it our quote appeared to be more expensive than that of the competitors. However, our proposal required only 55 mm depth compared to the minimum 100 to 145 mm depth needed for the Robust Detail construction. By saving a brick course at each floor level, Swan Homes was able to make substantial savings on build cost.

"We worked very closely with Fermacell on this project in order to come up with an alternative solution to the traditional tried and tested route."

Andrew Richardson, Technical Manager with Fermacell commented: “The Fermacell UFH overlay 2E22 combines the heat transfer benefits of a wet screed system with the speed and installation and flexibility of wooden board systems such as chipboard.

"Fermacell Flooring Elements have a much lower thermal resistance than chipboard, therefore the response time of the heating system is much quicker, and when you turn the heating down – or off – there is minimal delay.

In addition, Fermacell is not an insulator, and so can make UFH systems more efficient – the pipe temperature can be up to 5 degrees lower, saving energy and money."

Mark Swan commented: "Floor heating system components need to be compatible in order to provide an efficient, integrated solution. We certainly achieved that through the joint initiative put forward by Fermacell and Jupiter. Not only did the Fermacell Gypsum Fibreboard enable us to save a brick course at each level of the building, but it enabled us to comfortably surpass the required acoustic sound test standards laid down by Part E requirements."

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