It can be extremely tough to find an access floor that looks good yet still provides easy access as required to the areas beneath it. When it comes to flooring, most flooring companies will only consider laying flooring that is meant to remain in place permanently, so they offer designs and materials that are aesthetically appealing. Access flooring has to retain the potential to be removed as necessary, and sometimes on a daily basis. Access floors and ‘good looking’ are two phrases that are seldom found together in the same sentence.
There are also constants that in order for flooring to be able to provide access, the finish is required to be bonded to the floor, plus most access floor panels have to be 600mm square in order to comply with the regular spacing of an access floor grid.
All that might be about to change thanks to a product, designed for use in high spec projects. This product is different. It’s more aesthetically-pleasing by developing staves in oak veneer which actually use magnetism to adhere themselves to steel encapsulated flooring panels. This product allows building designers to achieve the dynamic appearance of a solid timber floor.
Designers with high spec finishes in mind now ask for ‘Attiro’. It’s available in lengths of 1200mm to 2000mm for each stave, and in a variety of widths from 90mm to 200mm. It has a total depth of 17mm (which includes a solid oak veneer panel with a depth of 4mm) and the panels are available in an extensive range of finishes and shades.
Attiro was developed for high specification installations such as high-end educational and office development. The panels can be installed as part of a tenant fit out or a new build wherever steel encapsulated floor panels have been previously installed.
The product has been rigorously tested to ascertain its suitability. It’s also passed strict trials for humidity and temperature change, load bearing abilities, maximum magnetic strength and the panels’ acoustic properties. Attiro also meets environmental requirements – the method of installation means that the panels can be moved and reused as necessary.
Attiro was developed in response to customer demand for more versatility in access floor finishes. The product now enables architects or interior designers to achieve the impression of a timber floor, assembled on a raised access floor, safe in the knowledge that it is serviceable and practical for their client or end user occupant.
Being more cost effective than pre bonded timber panels, Attiro can be installed during fit-out, meaning less chance of damage.
For high spec projects where aesthetics are as important as practicality, Attiro ought to be a real addition.
