One of the main criteria was to protect the tiles from movement by using stress-relieving expansion joints to create separate tile fields. These move independently from each other, preventing the tiles bulging, cracking, and debonding from the substrate.

Essential protection for specially-commissioned tiles was the driving force behind the floor  installation at a new Porsche car showroom at Bournemouth.

As part of a major rebranding and renaming, the former Chapelgate Motors became the Porsche Centre Bournemouth, and moved into a purpose-built showroom. The 331 square metres of showroom floor were fitted with 400mm x 400mm Black Lava tiles which are specially designed and manufactured exclusively for Porsche dealerships, by Domus Tiles.

The full-bodied porcelain tiles are a simulation of natural granite, and are extremely durable to withstand the cars being driven over them. But to guarantee the long-lasting integrity of the installation, Gary Bude, Managing Director of Elite Tiling, which carried out the work, also recommended additional essential protection from world market-leader in tiling solutions, Schluter-Systems Ltd.

“One of the main criteria was to protect the tiles from movement by using stress-relieving expansion joints to create separate tile fields. These move independently from each other, preventing the tiles bulging, cracking, and debonding from the substrate.

"Schluter-DILEX-KS profiles comprising aluminium-sided anchoring legs with a replaceable rubber movement zone, were installed at set intervals, to take up the surface movement within the tile covering."

As well as protecting from movement with the Schluter-DILEX expansion joints, Elite Tiling also installed Schluter-SCHIENE-A as an edging piece, giving a square-edge protective finish where the tiles abutted carpet.

In addition to the showroom tiling, 150 square metres of Domus yellow tiles were installed in the workshop and valeting bay -- these tiles are also exclusive to Porsche. They have a high level of anti-slip, and relatively light reflectivity.

The Elite tiling touch is also to be found in the customer toilets with a modular system from the Italian Interni range -- architectural vitrified glazed wall and floor tiles with coved skirting.

Elite's team of four, fixed the tiles using BAL Motobond adhesive, completing the installation with BAL grey Superflex grout.

The Bournemouth franchise -- run by Dealer Principal Brian Deeks, and Graham Williams -- was the fifth Porsche showroom that Chelmsford-based Elite Tiling has worked on; the previous four being Reading, Burgess Hill, Northampton and Cambridge.

For more information contact:
Stewart Bint
T: 0116 254 5004
Fax: 0116 254 1222