August 15, 2016

Muralplast’s Perlata finish from the ArmourColor range is being used to overcome a tricky construction problem at a signature City of London development.

Walbrook Square is one of the most significant and highest quality City of London developments for many years. The Foster + Partners design requires curved bulkhead cladding panels to finish off each storey inside an amazing eight level internal atrium, and where the centrepiece is a stunning spiral walkway rising up through the atrium from the ground to level eight.

The cladding must look like highly polished metal but to install and maintain metal cladding would be impossible in this setting.

A team from Lucas has instead developed a modified glass reinforced gypsum (GRG) substrate and is spray applying a Perlata finish from our ArmourColor range. This is a specially developed water- based coating formulated with pearlescent pigments that will provide the correct appearance specified by the design.

The cladding is being fabricated off site, each piece is uniquely coded, sprayed in our spray booth and delivered to site on a just-in-time basis. The cladding is light enough to be set in place like pieces of a jigsaw and can be safely worked on site for the perfect finish.

August 11, 2015

When an overseas buyer, reported to be an avid art collector, stepped in and acquired no less than four floors of a new residential development under construction in Kensington, the chances are he would have very demanding standards of finish for his new London home.

So it proved. He wanted hundreds of expensive, bespoke metal electrical switch plates and sockets to be perfectly finished and match the colours applied throughout his four floor apartment.

A team from Lucas was completing the entire decorations at Holland Green, a luxury development of 56 apartments in three cubic buildings grouped around the proposed new home of the design museum on the southern edge of Holland Park, on the site of the former Commonwealth Institute.

When the buyer’s unusual request came in to decorate all the electrical fittings and make a perfect match with the colour scheme throughout the apartment, Muralplast provided the solution. The Lucas team developed the correct shades of our multi surface paint (MSP) in the laboratory and spray applied the coating to the components in our own purpose-built offsite spray booth to produce the perfectly matched finish required.

The collection of one to five bedroom highly specified apartments was designed by OMA Architects for the developers, Chelsfield Developments and Illchester Estate. The contractor was Mace.

December 02, 2013

The technical services team at Muralplast has developed a striking ultramarine paint for the architects Foster + Partners to decorate the new SSE Hydro entertainment arena at the Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre in Glasgow that has recently opened.

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Foster + Partners who designed the building worked with famous graphic designer Per Arnoldi who wanted major internal surfaces decorated in a specific strong ultramarine colour to create a dramatic effect for visitors. But although this colour has been a long time favourite of artists over the centuries, it is not normally available in large quantities for commercial painting.

A special pigment that produces the required bright, clean, “red” shade of blue originally came from Afghanistan. Our chemists sourced quantities of the pigment from the Far East and mixed it with a perfectly clear vinyl matt base and a special formula of thickeners to produce exactly the right colour for the architects with the correct performance qualities for covering the substrates of the new building.

The result is a stunning visual internal appearance for the arena that complements the design of the building and creates the effect envisioned by the architects. A fine example of Muralplast once again bringing solutions to the building design process.

July 09, 2013

A suite of 11 short technical videos demonstrating the qualities and performance of our range of sustainable surface treatments is now available on the Muralplast website.

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The videos give practical demonstrations of the qualities of our surface treatments such as the protective qualities and breathability of M-Guard, the outstanding adhesive qualities of MSP (multi-surface paint) on a variety of surfaces, the astonishing effects that can be produced with the liquid metal treatments of Metalplast, or the flexibility afforded by Flex Products.

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By making these demonstrations widely available, Muraplast hopes to assist clients and the industry generally with a greater understanding of the technical aspects of our surface treatments that make them so flexible, adhesive, scrub resistant, water repellent and environmentally-friendly. 

May 27, 2013

Lucas’s environmentally-friendly products and services are now on show at our new “Sustainability Pod” which can be found in the Product Gallery of The Building Centre on Store Street in Central London. The gallery showcases a selection of the construction industry’s latest products.

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The pod demonstrates our Muralplast range of surface treatments, their strong environmental performance credentials, and gives examples of the way we applied them on the Olympic Stadium in East London. It also shows how we approach working on high rise buildings and make full use of our logistics centre to sequence supplies and minimise our environmental impact, taking our work on The Shard as an example.

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Details can also be found of how our investment in new technologies helps us to produce perfect fit out and finishing solutions for highly demanding clients like The McLaren Group at its new sports car production facility near Woking.

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Architects and specifiers can now easily find details of our products and services on The Building Centre’s specifinder.com specialist website.

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We are also looking forward to taking delivery soon of our own Lucas branded electric Smart Car, proudly declaring that we are “Setting Green Standards in Fit Out & Finishing”. Lucas project managers will be able to locate both the car and the nearest electric charging points by using the latest mobile technologies and promote our presence at The Building Centre as they drive between projects in central London.

Keep an eye out for it!

April 14, 2013

Muralplast’s accredited seminar on “Sustainable Surface Treatments” for architects, specifiers, clients and contractors is now available online via the Muralplast website.

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The seminar is part of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme for professionals run by Muralplast and is accredited by the Construction CPD Certification Service. A full personalised certificate is available for downloading at the end of the seminar.

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The online seminar is given by Danny Lucas, Executive Chairman and Managing Director. It has been developed by technicians at Muralplast and provides a scientific and practical explanation of three specific sustainable surface treatment systems available from Muralplast. It demonstrates how our treatments have been developed for a wide variety of internal and external surfaces, their many technical properties and the varying environments for which they are suitable.

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The seminar highlights how these sustainable surface treatments provide energy saving, low maintenance, cost effective solutions with a low impact on the environment of the planet.

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To view our online CPD video seminar and get your certificate click on the CPD link on the right to register and obtain your password.

March 03, 2013

Muralplast’s key involvement in the transformation of Birmingham’s New Street Station has expanded further just as the rebuilding programme reaches its halfway point.

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We have been working for the delivery partner and principal contractor Mace, advising the architects and specifiers on the most appropriate surface treatments to use in this major rebuilding project. As a result MSP, our multi-surface paint, has now been used on 15 new elevator pits as well as the car park ceilings at New Street. This follows on from the earlier widespread use of MSP for “blacking out” the concrete soffits, pipework and metalwork exposed above the suspended, sculpted ceiling in the new station.

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MSP is a water-based surface treatment with very high adhesive qualities. It is flame repellant and our advisers produced a bespoke formula to meet the exacting standards required for Network Rail Section 10 specifications.

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In April, the station will “switch over” when the existing concourse and entrances which have been in use since the 1960s will close and passengers start to use the first half of the new station concourse. Over 140,000 passengers use New Street every day making it the busiest station outside London and the busiest interchange station in the UK with a train departing every 37 seconds.

September 11, 2012

A specially developed Muralplast finish is once again being applied at Bluewater Park near Dartford in Kent by a decorations team from S. Lucas, this time for the refurbishment of the Wintergarden fast-food and family dining village inside the shopping centre.

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We originally developed the bespoke faux stone finish at the behest of Bluewater’s American architect, Eric Coombe. Eric had a very firm idea of what the centre should look like when it was built in 1998. He was delighted that we could develop a modern, bespoke water-based finish and apply it in a traditional way with sponges and badger brushes to all the communal area internal walls at the shopping centre.

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The process gave Bluewater the unique look and feel he envisioned, its striking architecture and innovative retail design setting it apart from other shopping destinations. It was Europe’s largest shopping centre when it was built.

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The refurbished Wintergarden is due to re-open shortly after the 12-week redecorations programme.

August 13, 2012

Muralplast MSP has been applied by Lucas Fit Out to all the structural steelwork in the stations at either end of the Emirates Air Line, the UK’s first urban cable car system that crosses the Thames in East London.

The white glass-clad steelwork is an architectural feature of the stations and of the gondola store, and was required to be spotlessly finished for the opening of this exciting new transport link.

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Lucas Fit Out was already working for the contractor Mace on the Transport for London project, carrying out the complete internal fit out, including screeding the front and back of house areas in both stations and laying Granazzo floor tiles to the public circulation areas and platforms and undertaking specialist joinery in the stations.

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However, the construction programme took its toll on the original surface of the steelwork so the team was asked to come up with a treatment solution – and quickly. The answer was to specify Muralplast MSP which has a single coat application, is quick-drying and has the highest environmental and health and safety performance ratings.

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Lucas Fit Out quickly assembled a painting team with a proven track record of operating under pressure at the McLaren Production Centre, and working intensively 24 hours a day in shifts over four days, completed the very challenging, high-level task on time.

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Now the scheme is scheduled to open shortly, a month before the Olympics, carrying passengers 90 metres above the Thames between the North Woolwich peninsula and the Royal Docks.

June 25, 2012

Muralplast’s multisurface paint (MSP) proved to be a key factor in earning S. Lucas a “very highly commended” accolade at the Painting and Decorating Association’s Trophy Awards 2012 in the Industrial category.

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The award was given for S. Lucas’s complex decorations programme at the new McLaren Production Centre (MPC) at Woking. The team completed a succession of packages at the £40 million Foster + Partners designed MPC, applying specialist resin floor treatments as well as other decorative and protective treatments to various parts of the building including the main production halls.

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However, one of the most challenging tasks was to treat all high level steelwork within 10 days in the main paint shop whilst the car production line continued its pre- production commissioning programme. To achieve this, Foster + Partners approved the decorating team’s recommendation to adopt the use of Muralplast MSP and the PDA has acknowledged the paint chosen in its award.

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Although specifications had been clearly set by the architect, our surface treatment adviser recommended the use of Muralplast MSP because the water-based coating is low odour and kinder to the environment compared to the specified oil-based coating. It is also faster to apply because it only needs the high build application and dries faster too.

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The Painting and Decorating Association said: “It is difficult to understand that this is a production plant. All areas are dust free and spotless, even on the car assembly lines.” The PDA described the centre as “most impressive, leaving the onlooker full of awe and wonder at the total concept.”

January 22, 2012

Muralplast has launched a complete range of technical testing and product development services for paints and other surface treatments after investing heavily in a new state-of the-art laboratory.

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Muralplast Technical Services provides efficient and thorough testing services for existing construction industry clients, and a full range of consultancy services to architects and engineers who want to make sure products they are specifying meet the highest industry standards or who wish to develop products with bespoke specifications. The new facilities will also play a key role in the advancement of Muralplast’s existing range of paints and specialist surface treatments.

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Laboratory tests include scrub resistance, PTV (pendulum test value) slip resistance, colour testing and matching, gloss level tests, dry film thickness, coating flexibilities, hydraulic adhesion, lead content testing and Class “O” flame resistance. PTV testing can also be carried out on site.

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Muralplast has appointed David Greenslade as its Technical Services Manager. David has a wealth of industry experience and knowledge having held a number of senior technical and trouble-shooting posts in the paints and surface treatments industry for companies including ICI, Horace Cory, and Ellis & Everard.

Danny Lucas, Chairman and Managing Director of the S. Lucas Group, said: “We have invested heavily in our new laboratory facilities. Muralplast Technical Services will provide our existing clients and the wider community of specifiers with a highly efficient and cost-effective testing and product development service.”

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November 17, 2011

Muralplast’s MSP or Multi Surface Paint proved to be exactly the right product to paint all the varying surfaces of plant and services pipework at the prestigious new Westfield Stratford City shopping centre at Stratford East London. It is Europe’s largest urban shopping centre and the gateway into the London Olympic Park. So its profile could not be higher. To ensure the new development looks the business and that its striking architecture is shown in the best possible light, a whole host of structural surfaces, ductwork and pipes needed to be made “invisible”. That’s where the qualities of MSP’s surface coverage have been put to the test and shown to offer exceptional performance. A team of painters from our parent company, S. Lucas, was deployed to black out a complete range of plant, metalwork, plastic piping, ductwork, steel posts and galvanised surfaces around the shopping centre, in ceiling voids and behind high level louvres on the outside of the building. Normally, each different surface would require individual preparation in order ensure effective coverage. But the special formulation of MSP means that it can be universally applied to a whole range of surfaces for long-lasting coverage but still meet exacting performance and health and safety standards. Specifying MSP has saved the client time and money and provided an effective solution to making unsightly surfaces disappear and show off a flagship retail development to the world in all its glory.

November 10, 2011

Muraplast has launched a new website detailing its complete range of sustainable surface treatments and its user- friendly, interactive services for architects and specifiers. 

The new website provides a wealth of information on the M- Guard range of advanced coatings and protective finishes. On MSP or Multi Surface Paint, a new generation of coatings that may be applied to a whole range of metal and plastic internal and external surfaces. On the tough and durable M- Tred floor resins, which meet the highest health and safety standards and are formulated especially for commercial, industrial and scientific establishments. On the ArmourColor range of stylish, decorative wall finishes and on MP Quartz, a breathable quartz-based mineral coating ideal for use on historic and modern buildings, both internally and externally, and can even be applied to a damp surface allowing it to dry out. 

The website also provides a VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) guide to Muralplast’s products and an indicative guide to the sustainability of the product range for BREEAM ratings purposes. So architects and specifiers are able to incorporate the low environmental impacts of the company’s products in their estimates of the overall sustainability rating of their projects. 

The website features NBS Plus, the National Building Specification toolkit, allowing architects and other building and construction specialists to study the technical properties and test data available on all Muralplast products and confirm that they meet the correct specifications for planned building and refurbishment projects. NBS is part of RIBA Enterprises and wholly owned by the Royal Institute of British Architects. 

Professional practices may also use the website to access details of our fully accredited Continuous Professional Development (CPD) seminars. Our CPD seminars provide an informative overview of the technology, benefits and advantages of Muralplast's sustainable surface treatments and how they can provide energy saving, low maintenance, long life, cost effective solutions resulting in a low impact on the planet. 

Technical bulletins on the latest advances in surface treatments and on changing regulations governing health and safety requirements and product specifications will also be available via the Muralplast website.

September 28, 2011

The Muralplast range of surface treatments has become part of the National Building Specification (NBS) toolkit used by architects and other specifiers planning building and refurbishment projects. Full technical literature for our complete product range – M-Guard, MSP, ArmourColour and M-Tred - has been submitted and checked by NBS so that architects and contractors can automatically confirm whether our products meet their specific requirements. NBS is part of RIBA Enterprises and wholly owned by the Royal Institute of British Architects. It offers distinctive specification and information solutions to architects and construction industry professionals. Its specification toolkit includes the recognised national standard specification system for the UK. The NBS specification system can be used for large, complex construction projects down to small building and refurbishment works. It provides templates but also allows an individual schedule of works to be drawn up and produces a reference specification automatically that can include the Muralplast product range where appropriate.

April 27, 2011

Multi Surface Paint (MSP) from Muralplast has been chosen as just the right product for “blacking out” the concrete soffits, pipework and metalwork exposed above a new suspended, sculpted ceiling designed as part of the long term redevelopment of Birmingham’s New Street Station. The blacked out voids in an area that previously formed part of the station’s multi-storey car park will allow the new ceiling seemingly to float above the modern concourse in the new station, designed by the former Foreign Office Architects and their lead consultant, Atkins. MSP is a water-based surface treatment with very high adhesive qualities. It is flame repellant and our surface treatment advisers produced a bespoke formula to meet the exacting standards required for Network Rail Section 10 specifications.

March 13, 2011

Muralplast’s M-Guard range of surface treatments is well known for offering protection from the weather, pollution and even vandalism. But the colourific qualities of M-Guard came to the fore to solve a tricky problem at the new offices of an international investment company in Kent. Our sister company, Lucas Fit Out, was undertaking the fit out of a new storage facility, offices and car park. But the normal concrete ramp walls planned for the underground car park would be incredibly bright and would fail to blend in with the natural landscape around the new building. Our advisers were called in and tasked with developing a treatment that would not only provide a durable surface to withstand traffic flows and the weather, but could also permanently colour the concrete so that the ramp walls would blend with the green surroundings of the building. Our team undertook extensive laboratory testing and trialling to ensure the right aesthetic result was achieved along with a high performance surface treatment for the concrete ramp walls.

March 02, 2011

Muralplast’s Multi Surface Paint (MSP) has shown its Olympic qualities after being chosen by architects Populous and contractor Sir Robert McAlpine for the London 2012 Olympic Stadium. MSP has been applied for “blacking out” purposes to hide all the high level elements in the ceiling voids in the stadium’s VIP areas, ensuring that the feature see-through floating ceilings create the right effect. Different surfaces such as ducting, pipework and lagging will normally each require their own pre-treatment before primers and paints are applied. But MSP is a sustainable surface treatment with outstanding adhesive qualities providing an effective cover for all surfaces. There is no need for priming this water-based product and it is flame repellent, meeting class “O” specifications. So when the painting team from our parent company S. Lucas carried out a full decorations programme at the stadium, its work on the VIP ceiling voids could be undertaken safely and swiftly. There were no health and safety issues to contend with when applying MSP and the work was carried out with great efficiency. Shortly afterwards, the team moved across to the nearby Westfield Stratford City shopping centre development where MSP was applied in similar circumstances to disguise the pipework and ducting above floating ceilings.

February 23, 2011

A bespoke formula floor resin from M-Tred has been chosen by Robin Partington Architects for a prestigious mixed-use development, Park House W1, they have designed for Land Securities. The magnificent development is located between North Row and Oxford Street in Mayfair with a commercial office entrance on Park Street. The building will have a striking curved glass frontage on to Oxford Street where it is the largest new development for more than 50 years. Behind the scenes, a high performance floor treatment is required for all the basement plant room areas in the heart of the building. It has to be a durable, wipe-clean, safe, non-slip surface so our advisers developed a sustainable M- Tred coating with a low VOC (volatile organic compound) rating to meet the architect’s exacting specifications. We carried out extensive laboratory testing to ensure the coating achieved these extremely high standards of sustainability, slip resistance and health and safety requirements.