'A challenging project, really something for us'

Advice on optimal substrate

TGLS is providing the floor and wall tiling in the new building of Porsche Centrum Brabant in Oisterwijk. But first, the company is looking into the basics: the subfloors.

TGLS previously signed for the tile work at Porsche Centrum Rotterdam. Although the project in Oisterwijk is completely separate from that, there are a number of similarities. Starting with the basics. Director Patrick de Winter: "In Rotterdam, we were given the opportunity to share our knowledge at the beginning of the project. We like to work that way, because regularly it leads to recognizing and preventing potential problems early on. That saves unnecessary costs." TGLS discussed the pros and cons with the Rotterdam construction management. "This allowed them to make an informed choice for the final implementation."

On this new project, TGLS was also asked to advise on issues such as the most suitable subfloor and the best places to apply dilatations. De Winter is happy with the opportunity offered: "By making sure the basis is right, we can tackle problems before they occur. You don't see it, but the subfloor contributes greatly to the quality of the end result."

Large format ceramic tiles

The second similarity between the two projects also concerns a specialty of TGLS: the installation of large-format ceramic floor tiles. Porsche's house style prescribes the formats 60×120 cm and 100×100 cm. With such formats, especially in combination with the heavy load in a car showroom, the flatness of the substrate is crucial. The Nieuwegein tile company is well acquainted with the specific requirements for this type of work: "We work a lot in the automotive sector and also have good contacts within that sector with importers and architects."

'Not a standard project'

Since not all building sections will be finished with tiling at the same time, the building will soon be tiled in phases. The challenge will then be to make the floors fit together seamlessly. Again, something they have extensive experience with at TGLS. "But it's not a standard project," De Winter emphasizes. "That's because of its considerable size." It involves a total of 5,930 m2 of floor tiles and 1,285 m2 of wall tiling, with a lead time of about 6 to 8 weeks. "Porsche is a beautiful brand to work for and we are proud to be able to put this down. It's a challenging project, really something for TGLS."