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The installation of the new front facades of the Elsevier building went pretty smoothly, according to company manager Frank Ligthart of Bouwbedrijf M.J. De Nijs and Sons. But it was preceded by a thorough preparation.
'We put a lot of time and energy into the preparation,' says Frank Ligthart. 'Choosing the right materials and the right people to carry it out'. The construction of the new facade is significantly different from the original concrete facade. The new facade consists of timber frame elements, on which a fibre cement plate is mounted. The glazed brick strips were then applied on-site in tile bond using tile adhesive.
'Because the glazed brick strips had to be applied in tile bond using tile adhesive, the obvious choice was to have a tiler do the job. Despite this, we opted for masons: they are more used to working on a scaffold, at great heights. And because it is a meticulous job - you can see if something is skipped right away - they need to feel at ease during the job', says Ligthart.
The dimensioning was crucial: an existing building always deviates here and there. ‘It needs to be as straight as a die,’ the contractor says firmly. 'It used to be even less accurate than it is now. Wood frame construction elements are not all alike to the millimetre. If you then have to turn the corner from the main facade to an existing, maintained longitudinal wall: yes, it can be tricky.
For example, there was the detail with the rainwater drainage, in the niche around the corner. ‘That was also a puzzle,’ laughs Ligthart. ‘It's funny how you forget those awkward moments.’ The final result apparently makes us forget the inconveniences experienced during execution.
The progress of the brickwork was checked regularly, because the air humidity and temperature affect the properties of the tile adhesive. 'We worked according to strict regulations: it was a question of guarantees and safety', says Ligthart. The working conditions need to be good. 'Perhaps even more so with these glazed brick strips', explains the manager. 'The moisture can only escape at the front. That is why we insisted that our adhesive and mortar suppliers use lime-free products.'
The weather gods smiled on us during the project implementation of the north facade, but the south facade 'took a pounding with lots of rain,' says Ligthart. 'Unfortunately, it was then that we noticed traces of lime. The glass washing installation was used to clean the facade again and the result was really great.'
Robichon: 'We were looking for a mixture of colours, because a single colour a monotonous image emerges - that is a complex and lengthy process.'
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