Operated by the company Bielefelder Bäder und Freizeit GmbH (BBF), SennestadtBad swimming baths in Sennestadt, a district in the south-east of Bielefeld, is a popular destination especially for clubs, school classes and serious swimmers. The baths have also been designed with the specific needs of people with physical impairments in mind, as reflected in the barrier-free design of its changing facilities, showers and toilets, as well as special pool wheelchairs and platform lift system. In order to further increase the comfort of its guests, the operator commissioned Hedre Fliesen GmbH from Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock to refurbish the communal showers.
New project, proven solution
An effective indoor dewatering solution was to be installed as part of the refurbishment. This solution would, first and foremost, have to withstand a constant, high flow of water and continuous use while also guaranteeing reliable drainage. BBF had already placed its trust in the industrial and kitchen channels manufactured by Richard Brink GmbH & Co. KG back in 2017, when the sanitary and changing facilities were refurbished in the sauna area of ISHARA family baths in Bielefeld. The products meet the highest demands, also when used as shower channels. Made from stainless steel (V4A), they are able to permanently withstand the effects of chlorine. Furthermore, the metal products manufacturer is able to customise individual channels and gratings to cater to on-site requirements and measurements and make them available in just a short space of time. Based on the recent positive collaboration and impressive results achieved in ISHARA’s sauna area, the installers once again opted for the dewatering solution offered by Richard Brink. A total of six channel bodies, each with a length of 2.5 metres, were produced for the project after checking the dimensions of the tile grid and the gratings already in place. Swimming bath gratings (swimming pool grates) made of plastic were used to cover the channels; the bespoke industrial and kitchen channels were manufactured in line with their width and height. This resulted in an inlet width of 205mm and a grate insert height of 23mm. The visible width of the channels measures 245mm while the total width including flange is 325mm.
A watertight seal of approval
The dewatering system was quick and easy to install thanks to the high-quality craftmanship and precise fit of the custom products. The channels were first inserted into the open areas of the floor screed, with cement and an additional layer of flexible adhesive serving as the substrate. Despite the adhesive being optional, it ensures a better connection with the smooth underside of the stainless-steel channel body. The installers then filled in the flange areas and set the channels at flange level. In order to improve bonding between the sealing membranes covered in flexible adhesive and the flanges, epoxy resin was first used as a primer. Before being sealed, the membrane strips were laid with a 10cm overlap. To finish, the tile adhesive was spread over the newly created seal and the tiles were set in place and grouted. “As with the many projects we’ve worked on together in the past, the cooperation with the company Richard Brink was as straightforward and smooth as always. The high-quality stainless-steel products were manufactured to the millimetre and were quick and easy to install. Once again, the work result speaks for itself,” summarised Mark Bauermeister from Hedre Fliesen GmbH.
