Balancing form and function with Schlüter-KERDI-BOARD

Headlands Hotel Aquacentre - Learner Pool & Wall 002
730 565 Hamish Kilburn
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Balancing form and function with Schlüter-KERDI-BOARD

Following joining Hotel Designs LIVE as a Product Watch Pitch Partner, Schlüter Systems’ David Villafuerte explains more about KERDI-BOARD, part of the brand’s full waterproofing wetroom system…

Headlands Hotel Aquacentre - Learner Pool & Wall 002

Design creativity within a hotel setting is often a big pull for guests looking for a unique and memorable experience. This is especially the case for bathrooms, wetrooms and spa facilities within the hospitality industry due to relaxation and wellness becoming even more of a priority since the start of the pandemic.

Image credit: Schlüter Systems

Creating something stand-out is not always straightforward to achieve though as there are several factors to consider. Firstly, the substrate used must be suitable for a tile or stone installation. Secondly is the decision of whether to go for a system from one or several manufacturers   and lastly, the products chosen need to be versatile enough to give you full creative control. Thanks to the BBA-certified tile backerboard Schlüter-KERDI-BOARD, the hard work has been done for you so all you need to do is get those creative juices flowing.

Behind the decorations showing the product

Image credit: Schlüter Systems

KERDI-BOARD is part of our full waterproofing system and aids in the creation of bonded waterproofing assemblies with tile or stone coverings. Using a system from a single manufacturer gives you peace of mind that the different components have been designed to work together so you can be safe in the knowledge that your design will stand the test of time.

Image credit: Schlüter Systems

There’s a choice of seven thicknesses of KERDI-BOARD from 5-50mm, which means it can be used to create various design features such as shelves, niches, partition walls and even seats within a bathroom area. Pre-formed shapes such as corners or curves allow you to create custom furniture and features whilst reducing installation time on site. Two recent hotel projects showcased the limitless possibilities on hand when using KERDI-BOARD within a specification.

The Newt in Somerset is a hotel and spa which underwent a major renovation and restoration, particularly within the newly built Barton Spa. KERDI-BOARD was depended on for many different focal points within the spa area, including the vanity units in the male and female changing rooms. The portico around one of the doors in the main spa was a particularly eye-catching element which added character to the space. The durability of the KERDI-BOARD allowed for 20mm Carrara Marble to be easily fixed over for a beautiful and luxurious finish.

Headland Hotel in Cornwall saw a beautiful serpentine wall created for one of the pools, constructed with the help of KERDI-BOARD, and clad with River Stone to give a stunning finish. Due to the versatility required, one of the key products used was KERDI-BOARD-V, the variant created specifically for curved areas. Installed with sealing components Schlüter-KERDI-KEBA and Schlüter-KERDI-COLL, a fully waterproof system was achieved effortlessly and created an eye-catching feature.

As you can see from the above examples of KERDI-BOARD in situ, there are plenty of ways that it can enhance a hotel spa experience at the specification stage. Using the reliable backerboard ensures that both function and form are covered, whilst leaving you plenty of room for creativity – and if you are finding this tricky, our design and technical support is on hand to assist where needed.

Schlüter Systems is one of our Recommended Suppliers and regularly features in our Supplier News section of the website. If you are interested in becoming one of our recommended suppliers, please email Katy Phillips.

Main image credit: Schlüter Systems

Hamish Kilburn / 11.08.2021

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