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Easy to install
“In terms of design, we opted for 3.5 mm norament 926 satura nTx tiles in beige. A few small inlays in various shades of blue set chic accents”, explained interior designer Ulla Uitto. Additionally, nora stairtreads were to give the corridors and classrooms the same harmonious appearance as the stairway. “As far as the type of installation was concerned, we decided on nora nTx, as this ensured that there would be no undesired interactions with the subfloor and that the installation would be completed more quickly than usual”, said Arosarka. This is how installation with nora nTx works: a rubber-based adhesive is applied to the underside of the nora floor coverings and covered with a protective film, which is removed before installation. On site, the first task is to sand the old substrate, vacuum and prime it. After that, you simply cut the new floor covering to size, remove the protective film, align it, smooth it out, roll it and you’re done. The floor is immediately ready for use.
Inlays as a decorative design element
Meritori Primary School has a mathematics and science focus, which needed to be reflected in the interior design. “With the rubber floors, we had the opportunity to create geometric inlays that precisely matched the interior design plans and reflected the spirit of the school,” Uitto explained. Whether complex logos, fonts or characters, the intricate rubber inlays are produced in the factory’s own inlay centre on state-of-the-art cutting machines. Everything is made to order with millimetre precision. An individual installation plan is supplied so that the installation can be carried out quickly and easily.
Outstanding functional properties
It was not just the visual characteristics that won over the people involved in the planning; the functional features of the nora rubber floorings played a major role too. “We already knew from our airport in Helsinki-Vantaa that nora floors are extremely durable and still look good even after a long period of heavy use”, said Arosarka. “Another, important criterion for us was the fact that norament 926 satura nTx is classified as fire toxicologically safe according to DIN 53436.” This means that, in the unlikely event of a fire, the floor does not develop acutely toxic fumes.
In addition, nora rubber floorings are an excellent choice for interiors where floors require easy maintenance. “The hammerblow surface of norament 926 satura nTx is easy to clean, which was also confirmed to us by the maintenance experts”, the architect added. If minor surface damage does occur, the norament tiles can easily be repaired or replaced on site. Also, no coating is needed and the floor retains its good look for many years. This makes it both ecologically and economically beneficial. Finally, norament 926 satura nTx, like all flooring products sold by Interface – including carpets, LVT, rubber sheets and tiles – are certified carbon neutral through the Carbon Neutral Floors™ programme, at no extra cost to customers. nora’s own rubber plant in Weinheim, southern Germany, is continuously working to eliminate or reduce CO₂ emissions and thus further reduce its own CO₂ footprint. Unavoidable CO₂ emissions are compensated by the acquisition of emission-reduction certificates that are used to finance climate protection projects.
“Now that the project is complete, we as designers are very happy with our choice of flooring material”, Arosarka and Uitto both concluded.
