The challenge
April 2016 saw the start of an impressive new retail development in Southport town centre, along with the renovation of the adjacent 12,000² multi-storey car park, which included an internal deck over occupied premises and an exposed top deck. Located on Tulketh Street amongst other small retail businesses, the building had remained unused for almost 12 months and had previously been home to a variety of supermarkets. The multi-million pound investment from Sports Direct saw the creation of four units within the existing ground floor of the building, including three retail stores and a state-of-the-art gym.
Due to their experience and knowledge of car park construction, coupled with unsurpassed levels of performance, Triflex were chosen to waterproof, surface and protect the multi-storey car park which lies directly above the store. Working collaboratively with contractor VolkerLaser, Triflex performed extensive on-site testing to establish the various requirements for each level, the condition of the existing substrate to establish which Triflex waterproofing and surfacing systems were needed to deliver the ideal solution.
This testing revealed a number of different issues. There was extensive damage which included severe cracking, blistering and indentations of the existing asphalt. There was significant ponding in areas of the car park and contamination from oil, particularly on the internal deck. The existing substrate was so worn down in some areas that the aggregate underneath was beginning to show through, causing a potential slip hazard.
The solution
Triflex performed core testing which revealed the asphalt substrate of the first level of the multi-storey car park had suffered extensive damage, particularly in one area where there had previously been a bakery directly underneath. The heat created from the bakery below penetrated the roof above causing condensation in the structure, causing the structural topping of the car park to deteriorate and collapse. Once the asphalt and Lytag screed had been removed and a new screed laid, Triflex ProPark was then installed.
Designed for car park decks and ramps over occupied premises and high-risk decks and ramps that are subject to high levels of structural movement, Triflex ProPark is a heavy duty BBA and EN1504-2 certified system, that has an excellent track record and offers maximum protection.
