Floor levelling compound applied in a single pumping stage speeds up construction projects, saves money and reduces emissions
Pumping floor levelling compound is a demanding procedure and takes up a great deal of space due to the equipment involved. At the construction site, the areas where levelling compound is to be pumped must be emptied completely, which makes floor levelling by means of pumping a critical part of the construction project. Kiilto carried out floor levelling in a single pumping for its customer, Coflow, a housing construction company. This saved time, money and the environment.
Pump levelling creates an even and strong substrate for the eventual surface material. Special equipment is used to mix and pump the self-levelling floor compound directly in place on site.
“This stage cannot be performed until the roof is in place and earlier work stages permit it,” says Kiilto Sales Manager Eero Katajamäki.
The timing, implementation and drying time of the floor levelling compound are crucial in terms of pumping floor levelling compound, because many other project stages, such as working on the interior, usually have to wait until the floors are dry.
Single pumping shortens construction time
Typically, floor levelling compound is pumped at the construction site in several stages. This puts a strain on construction site planning, as all other work is suspended for the duration of pumping. Kiilto wants to offer its customers the alternative of pumping floor levelling compound to all parts, or a major part, of the site in one go.
“The requirement for this is that the pumping contractor has the capacity to deliver large volumes at a time. At the Coflow site, for example, some 80,000 kg of floor levelling compound was pumped in the course of a single working day. This amount is equivalent to three or four regular pumping sessions,” says Katajamäki.
Coflow is currently building new blocks of flats in Klaukkala, Finland. Coflow’s business goal is to reduce the overall duration of construction projects and minimise their carbon footprint at every stage of construction. At the Klaukkala site, their goal is to build the blocks of flats in seven months from start to finish. Such a tight schedule calls for accurate site planning and optimisation.
“Pumping the floor levelling compound all in one go made planning easier and reduced the amount of work. Kiilto was in charge of the preparation and implementation, while we optimised the construction work before and after pumping. If the pumping had been done in two parts, we would have had twice as much work,” says Jan Lund, one of the founders of Coflow.
Smooth next step with a level surface
In the Isoseppälä blocks of flats, floor levelling compound was pumped in before the partitions were built.
“The benefit of pumping all in one go is that the floor elevation is the same throughout. This reduces the need to make adjustments in later stages. Putting the partitions in place is also easier when the floor surface is level,” says Katajamäki.
“Intermediate cleaning is also easier when the floors are even,” says Lund.
Pumping larger amounts at the same time also has financial and environmental benefits:
“The more floor levelling compound is delivered at a time, the lower the transport emissions and unit costs of the material. Less driving and cleaning of the pumping truck reduces the environmental load and waste,” says Katajamäki.
Carbon receipt for better sustainability
Kiilto’s customers ordering a pumping service in Finland can also get a carbon receipt containing the details of the CO2 emissions involved. This makes it easier to calculate the environmental impact and supports sustainable raw material choices.
“We promote low-carbon construction. We carry out an emission calculation for every site and apply for environmental certificates to indicate the environmental impacts of the construction project. The detailed information about the CO2 emissions included in the floor levelling service makes our work so much easier,” says Lund from Coflow.
Tags:
