When I first went to this Nine Elms project I actually wasn’t sure if Oilcanfinish should bid for it. It was a wonderful area, and the clients gave us a realistic budget to work with, however the obstacles were significant.In total it was 60 Square Meters of decking to be replaced. The project comprised 3 balconies (2 balconies, 1 terrace actually). The flat was on the 9th floor. The parking garage has a 2mt clearance, meaning all materials would be delivered, and all waste had to be moved, not only down 9 stories but also across the rather large underground parking lot and outside the building.

The main two concerns were fire rating and project logistics of materials handling.

A1 Fire Rated Decking

In the post-Grenfell Tower era, Fire Ratings matter. They always should have, but most people ignored them primarily in an effort to reduce costs.Currently, if your project is over a certain height from the ground, it must have an A1 Fire Rating for both the decking, the framing, and the pedastals or supports. The only materials which achieve this rating are Steel, Stone, and Fibre Cement. No timber or composite decking or cladding has an A1 Fire Rating.

The client still wanted a Deck-like appearance, so Porcelain Planks is what we proposed with an Alumimium Subframe. Aluminium decking boards was also a compliant option, however we did not see anything visually appealing, and for this type of property, appearance matters.

Materials Handling and Deliveries/Removals

This was a question of labour. Scaffolding was not an option, and it is too high for cranes, so it meant manually shifting 360 porcelain planks at 15kg each up to the 9th floor in small batches. Same with the much lighter Aluminium Framing all of which was too long to fit into the elevator so each joist had to be cut to fit the elevator, then reconnected into its former length once upstairs. Also, all of the old decking waste had to be bagged and taken down the same way.

Porcelain Decking

We have been watching the market for A1 Fire Rated decking products from different manufacturers of Steel decking but have never found one which looks like it would fit into the properties of our clientele. The appearance of steel decking is industrial, walking on the boards is noisy, and it gets very hot underfoot.

Clients in upper floor flats in Nine Elms, Chelsea, and Battersea and the surrounding areas prefer something a bit more refined and have a certain style expectation, specifically that their interior flooring style is extended outside to their terrace or balcony.

Porcelain is a different story than steel decking as the appearance is consistent with what they already have in their kitchens and bathrooms, but a porcelain decking board, or plank, with a woodgrain finish is the best of both worlds.

Go back to other options for Oilcanfinish Balconies

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