South Stack Lighthouse - F. Ball shines in lighthouse refurbishment

The history of a 200-year-old lighthouse has been brought to life with a little help from F. Ball flooring installation products, which have been used to refurbish a popular visitor attraction on the North Wales coast.

South Stack Lighthouse stands just off Holy Island and is the most westerly point on Anglesey. Built to warn passing ships of the perilous rocks that lie beneath it, the 28m-tall lighthouse is still operating today. Visitors to the landmark attraction can see the lamp up close, tour the original engine room, and learn about its history in an adjoining exhibition centre.

Flooring contractors opted for Styccobond F46 adhesive to install Altro vinyl safety flooring throughout the centre’s 100m² display rooms, as well as staff areas, toilets, corridors and kitchen. Extreme weather conditions meant there were logistical challenges, with several attempts required to deliver materials to the remote island via sea and air before contractors could begin work on the job.

The visitor centre subfloor, comprising mostly old wooden floorboards, was subjected to moisture testing using a Protimeter MMS2 in WME mode, the results of which provided readings below the 17% threshold, enabling contractors to proceed with overboarding the subfloor with plywood which was then primed. A finishing compound was used to fill indentations formed by screws used to affix the panels and the joints between them in order to prevent imperfections showing through the final result.

After sufficient time had been allowed for the finishing compound to dry, Styccobond F46 acrylic adhesive was used to secure the vinyl safety flooring. A solvent-free, pressure sensitive adhesive with a high-bond strength, Styccobond F46 is designed to minimise the effect of trowel serrations shadowing through thin vinyl flooring to give an aesthetically pleasing finish. The product dries to a permanent tacky film and it also has an infinite open time, is protected against biodegradation and is suitable for use over normal underfloor heating installations.

A similar process was followed in the toilets, though this time, a concrete subfloor was levelled using a fast-track levelling compound, and capping and coving were installed at wall junctions using Styccobond F60 contact adhesive. The instant bond formed by the adhesive means that it is suitable for securing vertical flooring accessories. It will also withstand normal wet cleaning techniques.

Commenting on the installation, Gary Hughes, Director at Oakwill Flooring, said: “As a business, we pride ourselves on high quality workmanship, using only the best products and suppliers, and if you’re putting down a floor with a 20-year guarantee, F. Ball is the go-to choice. The lighthouse was a challenging job, but we managed to turn mission impossible into mission complete.”