Aquapanel tile backer from Knauf Drywall has a permanent booking at one of London’s premier luxury hotels, where it supports heavy marble tiles in just under 200 bathrooms in the five star accommodation currently under refurbishment. Beck Interiors, main contractor for the refurbishment, agreed to use the 12.5mm fibre-cement board after consultation with Knauf Drywall and the design team. Renowned for its immense strength, even when wet, market-leading Knauf Aquapanel was developed as a drywall solution for wet areas, and is the best safeguard against tile adhesion failures in drywall constructions.

The London hotel’s current two year redevelopment, due for completion in late 2010, will ‘completely reinvent’ the hotel. All eight floors of guest rooms and suites, and the ground floor restaurants and bars, have been reconfigured and redesigned, and a spa-and-fitness suite added in an entirely new rooftop extension.

Beck Interiors is an internationally acclaimed specialist in hotel renovation. Contracts Director André Roberts says 15mm marble tiles have been specified for the hotel’s bathrooms, and Knauf Drywall is confident that Aquapanel’s 50kg/m² carrying capacity will support them. “We have used it in the past and have grown confident with its capabilities,” he says. “It is relatively easy to install, Knauf Drywall assures us that it has good longevity, and it appears to do exactly what it says.”

Drywall subcontractor DT Interiors is installing more than 8,000m² of Aquapanel for the bathrooms – 53 of which are designed as large wetrooms, rather than traditional bathrooms with tub. DT Director Paul Tear says Aquapanel is installed for floor-to-ceiling tiling – and it shapes some intricate detailing including tiled alcoves and stub walls, as well as bath panels. “I’ve worked with Aquapanel on other jobs and it is a good, stable board which is easy to cut and simplifying the installation,” he says. DT Interiors sourced the Aquapanel through Essex-based Penlaw & Co, one of the largest independent drywall suppliers in the south, with five branches. Both Knauf Drywall and Penlaw & Co were closely involved throughout discussions on the specification providing the required technical advice.

Aquapanel Wall Liner is designed for full or part-tiled situations, and provides an exceptionally tough, durable and solid substrate for tiles in wet indoor areas such as swimming pools, leisure centres, changing rooms, toilets, laundries, kitchens – and bathrooms. Knauf Aquapanel is ready keyed for tiling, saving time on site and reducing the risk of costly, inconvenient tile failures. It can also be curved, or finished with Aquapanel Q4 Finish Plaster – giving complete design freedom.

Knauf Drywall manufactures a full range of plasters, plasterboards, insulating laminates, dry flooring, drywall accessories, and metal sections for domestic, commercial and public sector applications. Knauf Drywall pioneered carbon neutral plasterboard in the UK with Knauf Futurepanel. Knauf Drywall also actively promotes recycling from building sites and has a zero waste policy in its energy efficient factories at Sittingbourne in Kent and Immingham on Humberside.

For further information ring the Knauf Drywall Literature Line 08700 613 700 or visit www.knaufdrywall.co.uk

For further information on Beck Interiors, visit www.beckinteriors.com