November 2022

Insulation Updates
For further info on all these updates and more, visit www.total-contractor.co.uk
A I M’S FLOOR CAVITY SOLUTION
A I M Acoustic & Insulation Manufacturing’s
Raised Access Floor Barrier is designed to
prevent the passage of fire and smoke through
underfloor cavities.
By subdividing large uninterrupted cavities, the
barrier provides up to 120 minutes insulation and
integrity. It can also reduce room to room airborne
sound through floor voids by at least 50db,
according to A I M.
Incorporating raised access floors as means of
providing space for services, such as electricity and
data cables, is now standard practice in new builds
and refurbishment projects, but the space below
the floor can risk the rapid spread of fire and
smoke.
Cavity barriers are required within buildings to
subdivide a large high risk area into smaller, more
manageable fire compartments. These fire
compartments slow down the spread of fire within
a building allowing time for the occupants to
escape and to provide safe access for firefighting
personnel.
A I M’s Raised Access Floor Barrier is designed for
the subdivision of large uninterrupted cavities. It
has been tested to EN 1366-4 standards and to the
principles of TR31 and provides up to 120 minutes
integrity. A I M provides a range of solutions –
75mm, 100mm and 125mm thick product variants
provide insulation for 30, 60 and 120 minutes
respectively*. It also achieves the Euroclass rating
of A1, non-combustible.
An added benefit of the A I M Raised Access Floor
Barrier is that it reduces airborne sound through
underfloor voids. Acoustic tests to BS EN ISO
10848-2 (2017) show that it can achieve at least a
50db room-to-room airborne sound reduction when
used in-conjunction with a Kingspan Raised Access
floor system.
The A I M Raised Access Floor Barrier is
straightforward to install, both during construction
and retrospectively. When aligned under a partition
it can be used to maintain partition rating. It can
also be used to create a Plenum chamber.
Made from high density Rockwool stone wool
slab, faced with a printed Class 0 impervious foil
on both sides which helps identify the product,
the barrier is available cut to size or in slabs
suitable for cutting on site. It is installed dry with
‘L’ shaped fixing clips. *The access floor and structural
slab should have a fire rating at least that of the barrier.
www.aimlimited.co.uk
STO DELIVERS ON GALWAY HOTEL PROJECT
A selection of Sto products have been used to provide
outstanding thermal performance for a prestigious new
hotel in Ireland.
The company’s StoTherm Mineral M system, Sto-Rotofix
mechanical fixings, Stolit render and StoColor Dryonic X-Black
façade paint have all been used on the impressive new Dean
Hotel which has been built in Galway.
“This was a complex project and we worked very closely with the architect to
develop the ideal insulation solution for the hotel,” explained Sto Account
Manager Gareth Hastings. “Dean Hotels each have a very unique
appearance, and Dublin-based Architects Lawrence and Long wanted to
continue that approach and create a striking chessboard-influenced design
which included various changes of planes and surfaces. Our StoTherm
Mineral external wall insulation system was ideal for this, especially when
combined with our StoColor Dryonic X-Black façade paint which allowed
them to use a very dark coloured render. This wouldn’t have been possible
with many other insulation and render combinations.”
The StoTherm Mineral M system is based on durable mineral-fibre insulation
boards which combine excellent thermal performance with
unrivalled fire protection and a high degree of sound insulation.
They can also be installed without the need for additional
expansion joints, which enhanced the hotel’s chessboard design.
The insulation boards were installed onto both the lightweight
steel frame and cement particle board substrates that were used
in the construction of the hotel. The installation was completed
using Sto’s unique Sto-Rotofix mechanical fixings to create a
drained cavity, and a façade finish that could withstand the high wind
loadings imposed by the hotel’s coastal location. These fixings enable the
insulation boards to be adjusted after installation to accommodate any
surface irregularities. The project was completed with the addition of Stolit
K1.5 render, which offers extremely low water absorption, plus a high
elasticity characteristic that ensures exceptional resistance to mechanical
movement. The surface was then coated with StoColor Dryonic X-Black – a
specialist façade paint, with a micro-textured surface that encourages any
moisture that falls onto the façade to run off rapidly. This prevents the growth
of the micro-organisms that cause unsightly stains by ensuring that the
façade dries quickly. www.sto.com
68 TC NOVEMBER 2022