Park House Stables with Highpave Concrete and Sika Fibres

HORSES COMFORTABLY STABLED BY KENDALLS AND SIKA. 

 

Park House Stables, Kingsclere, is home to some of Britain’s most famous racehorses. Boasting a rich history for training the best in the sport, the stables are also home to licensed trainer, Andrew Balding and his family. 

 

Situated in Newbury, Berkshire, the stables recently replaced an existing gravel track with a 500-meter-long, four-meter-wide, structurally-sound concrete access road. 

 

Kendalls Newbury (part of Aggregate Industries) were called upon, together with Sika to provide a suitable solution for contractor, L J Morrissey Contracts Ltd.

(Image credit - Park House Stables).

The Requirements 

Building an access road at this specific location meant that it needed to cater to both road vehicles, such as cars, vans and trailers and horses. This in turn meant any concrete solution proposed needed to be robust with non-slip properties. 

 

A large part of the project’s requirements was also to benefit the horses' welfare. The animals are very prized by their owners, both emotionally and financially, therefore were of course a key consideration when planning the road. 

 

Kendalls Newbury and Sika worked together to propose a concrete solution to fit the brief which would benefit the stables for years to come. 

 

For the job, L J Morrissey Contracts Ltd were asked to provide a 150mm deep slab containing structural fibre, rather than using traditional reinforced mesh method. This is due to the rising cost in steel fabric together with the reduced construction timeline that comes with using fibre reinforced concrete.

 

The Solution 

It was agreed that Highpave ready-mixed concrete with SikaFiber® Enduro® HPP-50 (structural macro fibres) and Sika® Fibermesh®-150 (micro fibres) together would be the ideal solution for the new access road. 

 

This blend of fibre-reinforced concrete (FRC) is perfect for improving the durability and toughness of concrete and mortar. Fibres in concrete help reduce shrinkage cracks, increase strength, energy absorption and reduce dangerous spalling at high temperatures. 

 

Kendalls Newbury played a key role in supplying the concrete mixture to the contractor, using its expertise to provide more accurate details regarding product volume, answering any questions the contractor had and generally putting the team at ease for the job. 

 

Removing the need for steel mesh meant L J Morrissey Contracts Ltd could work within the road area, with lorries pouring directly at the source and without the need for re-handling, keeping the cost down without the labour needed for steel fixing. FRC is quicker to install in comparison to traditional mesh and the new solution saved time on the job. 

 

Additionally, the use of a cylindrical roller striker to complete the road gave it the rough texture needed to make it non-slip and combat against skidding in icy and wet conditions. 

 

Lee Morrissey of L J Morrissey Contracts Ltd commented: “Overall the road is very strong, a great improvement and the customer is very happy with the result! 

 

“The use of Highpave concrete with SikaFiber® Enduro® HPP-50 and Sika® Fibermesh®-150 meant that we were able to create a road designed for different weather conditions which will also stand the test of time. 

 

“Being able to pour concrete straight into the location from the truck significantly reduced our project time and, as a result, allowed the stables to be back functioning with minimal disruption.” 

 

Robin Warner, Territory Sales Manager at Kendalls Newbury, commented: “As suppliers, we were most pleased to be able to offer a mix that fully satisfied the needs of the client and contractor. 

 

“Working closely with Sika throughout the specification process enabled us to supply the best solution for this application, enabling the installing contractor to produce an effective surface for the client in the fastest and most efficient way.”