Renovation of an old abbey into a dwelling house

Edilteco participated in the renovation of an old abbey into a residential house with XX®, its light fiber-reinforced mortar, intended for the improvement of thermal insulation (λ: 0,104 W / mK) and for the acoustic reduction of all floor coverings: glued tiles, sealed tiles, floating parquet, glued parquet, laminate, carpet or even soft floors.

Composed of virgin polystyrene beads with a diameter of 2 mm, fibers, additives and an inert hydraulic binder, XX® offers a density of 500 kg / m³ and makes it possible to lighten the structures with a gain weighing around 78% compared to traditional concretes.

Insulating ravoirages, under screeds, catching up of levels, slopes, various fillings, etc., XX® adapts to all construction sites, in individual houses or collective buildings, for new works or renovations.

This versatility also allows the applicator to pump XX® over long distances and at great heights. In addition to its insulating performance and its perfect flatness, XX® admits a covering of the tiling after only 48 hours, without leveling.

Renovation of an old abbey into a dwelling house

When leveling and making coating supports, XX® lightweight mortar is easy to use thanks to its foaming consistency and allows a simple and effective application. All types of floors or supports can receive XX® light mortar if they carry the load to be used and comply with NF DTU 26-2.

The floor or support must be cleaned beforehand of deposits, waste, plaster films or other materials from the work of the various trades. The minimum thickness to be used is 5 cm (no limit in maximum thickness), including beyond any element embedded in XX® light mortar (sheaths, pipes, etc.).

The establishment of the peripheral bands, in resilient materials, is the initial stage. A minimum thickness of 3 mm is necessary in all cases and 5 mm in the case of a heated floor. These peripheral strips will allow the separation, at the periphery, of the part and around all the elements coming into contact with the light mortar (vertical walls, doorframes, pipes, etc.).

Here, the XX® mortar was applied in non-adherent laying, that is to say that the XX® mortar was poured, over the entire support surface, onto a PE (polyethylene) film. The PE film follows and hugs the support perfectly, as well as the angles, so that there is no (empty) air between them. The preparation of XX® can be done with a concrete mixer, a mixer or a pump, as in this case. The traditional mixture corresponds to 1 bag of XX® with 10 to 11 liters of water which must be left to knead for 3 minutes.

The mixture then becomes homogeneous and gray in color. It is advisable not to use more than 60% of the volume of the concrete mixer to obtain a homogeneous mixture. During the first batch, the mixer is dry and the product tends to adhere to the walls, so mix for a little longer and be careful not to add unnecessary water.

The combination of expanded virgin polystyrene beads and fibers ensures perfect homogeneity in the solution. All in flexibility, XX® is easy and uniform to install, without the need for rework. This homogeneity is also distinguished, after kneading, by the gray coloring of the product, the mixture of which is balanced after 5 minutes.

The frothy consistency of XX® allows simple and effective application during leveling. The quality of the mixture is very uniform and remains perfectly constant throughout the construction site. Its fiber composition annihilates the tedious installation of an anti-cracking mesh. For the applicator, it saves additional time in pouring the mortar and ensuring a perfectly smooth and homogeneous finish on the floors.

The duration of use of the mortar after mixing is 30 minutes. The XX® can be pulled out all at once using suitable tools such as a rake, shovel, ruler, etc. It is advisable to use a plasterer's ruler (cutaway) or a traditional ruler that must be tilted so as to use only the angle thereof. This technique prevents the product from sticking to the ruler, allowing a smooth finish without troweling. For a flat and neat surface, it is best to finish with a trowel.

In addition to its insulating performance and its perfect flatness, XX® allows a covering after only 48 hours of the tiling, without leveling. Lightweight XX® mortar dries quickly, away from drafts, sunlight and high temperatures and / or rain during setting. XX® is not intended to remain visible and must systematically receive a floor covering. The mortar surface must first be scanned before applying a leveling compound for soil preparation and the laying of the final floor covering.

All floor coverings are admissible in accordance with industry standards and Edilteco's recommendations (glued tiles, sealed tiles, floating floors, laminate floors, glued floors, carpet, soft floors).

Gluing the tiling is to be done with a C2, C2-S1 or C2-S2 adhesive mortar under certificate “CSTB certified” and jointing with flexible joints.

Quality, simplicity of implementation, reduced application times, perfect finish and versatile product… the advantages are not lacking! With XX®, Edilteco offers professionals a unique and competitive solution and the guarantee of a product with impeccable rendering.

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