Wine testing laboratory in Osann-Monzel

The Institut Heidger in the Moselle town of Osann-Monzel is an accredited testing laboratory for wine, spirits, food and environmental analysis. The renowned institute carries out laboratory analyses in a three-storey new building. Due to the large number of laboratory equipment, a flexible, load-bearing floor with footfall sound insulation was required for the large, almost column-free rooms.

codex convinced

with a system solution for hollow floors, where the tiles could be laid with a construction height of only 4 mm.

The client chose ceramic tiles in 30 x 60 cm format as floor covering in the test laboratory, which were to be laid directly on the concrete substructure using the thin-bed method. The cable ducts in the floor had to remain accessible. However, it was also important to prevent sound transmission due to vibrations of the equipment in the 800 m² floor areas. The solution was a codex installation system, approved and tested for this application, with flexible decoupling panels and a footfall sound improvement factor of 14 db.

"With a construction height of approx. 4 mm, this is an excellent example of a slim floor structure with good footfall sound insulation," says building owner Volker Heidger. "To cope with the heavy point loads of the measuring equipment and the weight of transport trolleys, the decoupling panels had to absorb point loads of up to 300 kg. We could also guarantee this," explains Joachim Fülle, Head of codex Application Technology & Product Management.

Released: the structure and approach

The raw concrete surface was first shot-blasted to remove soft, weakly adhering layers. Only a smooth, vacuumed and firm substrate is optimal for the floor structure and the first primer layer with codex Fliesengrund. To achieve an evenly level surface, a thin levelling layer < 1 cm was necessary. The quick-hardening, self-levelling tile levelling compound, codex FM 50 Turbo, reaches readiness for covering after only two hours, so that the tilers were able to install the Uzin Multimoll SoftSonic decoupling panels quickly. Here, the new, particularly reliable and fast setting codex RX 6 Turbo rapid adhesive was used. The installation was carried out with tight joints and offset joints in half-bracing. "The precise cutting out at the 64 inspection openings per floor went well," comments Christian Karen, owner of the tiling company cK-renA in Föhren. "We simply stuck to the joint grid."“ After just three hours, the floor was ready to walk on and the tiles could be laid with the Flex thin-bed mortar codex Power CX 3 and then grouted. Because of the pressure loads of the machines, a high compressive strength of the materials was also important here: the choice was therefore made for the highly durable codex Resist (Adhesive & Grout).

Reliable and coordinated

"Especially for more demanding constructions with high, rolling loads on a double floor, safe and reliable installation systems are required that function perfectly and are precisely matched to the special requirements," explains Joachim Fülle. And tiler Christian Karen adds: "The safe and time-saving work in the system was the decisive factor for me. The cooperation with the customer advisory service of codex worked out excellently. And after more than a year in use, the floor construction has also proven itself. The client is satisfied, appearance and function are right".