Ocean Marina Pointe Apartments, Mandurah

ARCHITECT: Eames and Associates

Nothing says sophistication like the seamless, mirrorlike quality of polished porcelain. Fixing porcelain requires skill and the right materials as the slightest uneveness (lip) will stand out a mile away.

The vision for Ocean Marina Pointe Apartments was to provide a seaside lifestyle with a touch of sophistication – catamarans, cafes and campari. Not surprisingly the architects of Eames and Associates & Dibstone Group chose Granitogres’ Casalgrande Padana, a 400 x 400mm honed porcelain.

When it comes to the tolerance of the tile itself, with quality porcelain there should be no lippage. The next requirement is that of an even surface – the larger the tile the more critical it is. Therefore, often a sand/cement screed or levelling compound is used to patch up any unevenness in the floor or to ramp up the slab, prior to fixing the porcelain with a suitable tile adhesive.

Due to time limitations, the specification by Project Manager, Steve Maru, called for an adhesive which could be patched up in places without the requirement of a screed.

After careful consideration, ARDEX STS 8 was selected. ARDEX STS 8 unique non-sink, non-slump formulation allows the use of heavy tiles without the risk of the adhesive bed giving way. On balconies and other external areas, ARDEX STS 8 was mixed with Ardion 90 to accommodate movement.

The tiling contractors were delighted to return the next day and find the porcelain exactly the way they had left it – no lip. What’s more, the tilers liked the workability of the product, with Kevin Byron going as far as claiming “STS 8 is the best adhesive on the market to use to lay porcelain.”