When the outdoor pool of a 5-star hotel and spa needed refurbishing, architect Monia Allegretti, of Archinterio, turned to Kerakoll for an effective tiling solution.

Pennyhill Park, a 5-star hotel and spa set in 23 acres in Surrey is owned by the group Exclusive Hotels. Having supplied products for many previous projects at the hotel, Kerakoll has built up a tried and trusted reputation with the hotel group and its GreenBuilding philosophy fits well with Exclusive’s eco-friendly approach to business.

After the pool was emptied and all existing tiling to the tank and surrounds were stripped out, the walls were then repaired with Keralevel Eco LR, which allows you to smooth and level the walls and floors of pool tanks for thicknesses up to 25mm.  The product’s long working time makes it perfect for large surface areas and is ready for tiling after just a couple of hours.

Next, all of the light fittings and hydraulic parts that would come in contact with water were sealed with Nanosil Eco- a neutral, non-corrosive silane sealant with a reduced solvent content that comes ready to use.
 
Aquastop Nanoflex Eco, a water-repellent membrane which uses nanotechnology to waterproof, was then applied to the tank walls and floor; whilst all exterior and interior angles were sealed with Aquastop 120 tape and Aquastop AR1, a reinforcing mesh laid over the top, before a second coat of Aquastop Nanoflex Eco was applied.

The most important criterion when choosing adhesives and grouts, especially for the pool tank, is resistance to chemicals in the pool water.  For this reason, Kerakoll’s H40 Eco Tenaflex was specified.  It is completely resistant to alkaline hydrolysis meaning that it will not fail even in constant contact with water, and is therefore ideal for use within the shell of a swimming pool.  It is also high grab but easily adjustable, making mosaics easier to apply.

Cementitious grouts can be attacked by the chemicals in the pool water, so the ivory version of Kerakoll’s Fugalite Bio range of grouts was specified for the thin mosaic tiles that were to cover the pool.  A new generation of water-based reaction resin grouts, they are tough, waterproof and resistant to UV rays, meaning that they will not fade over time even when exposed to sunlight in outdoor pools.  They are also tested hypo-allergenic, making them more pleasant to work with than normal epoxy-resin grouts.

www.kerakoll.com