Koper, a Slovenian town full of memories and historical monuments, has recently seen approximately 6,000 m2 of Ideal Work’s stamped concrete floors laid in its historic centre. The work is part of a general improvement plan, devised and managed by the local authorities for this important tourist seaside resort.

The benefits offered by particularly short laying times (400 m2 pedestrian area were finished in 3-4 days), the moderate cost of supplies and laying, plus high flexibility and customisation of shapes and colours were determining factors for the Slovenians. Their technicians had, however, already assessed other qualities of the system, especially the low maintenance requirements and long life of the product, as seen with roads made some years ago. The real trump card in this case, however, was the aesthetic versatility of the product allowing surfaces to be made that closely resemble natural stone, reproducing for this work the characteristic colour of Istrian stone, which is habitually used in these areas.

Technique
In technical terms the pedestrian paths and traffic islands made in Koper (July 2009) are monolithic pavements in polypropylene fibre-reinforced concrete further reinforced with electrically welded mesh and their surface has been moulded, after treatment with hardener, with the help of standard or custom-made moulds. A resin-based transparent and anti-yellowing finish has been applied so that the pavement will keep its original appearance and colour over the years. The concrete screed is in conformity with the standard UNI EN 206 (exposure class XF3), having a minimum depth of 10 cm for pedestrian only areas and 15 cm for areas with light vehicular traffic.
The work was carried out by the local firm Renova 412 (Tolmin), which has been cooperating with Ideal Work since 1999 and whose personnel attends periodic refresher and specialisation courses organised in Italy.

The Products
The design of the areas in Koper’s historic centre necessitated the use of various moulds (Paladiano stamps: Rotating Venetian Marble and Pavimento of Paris; Brushed Border, Used brick border and Walkway Slate), whereas tradition was brought into play for the colour, using a specially made colour hardener that suggests the grey with green and yellow hues of Istrian stone, alternated with the standard product Pewter. The release agent in grey colour was used on all surfaces. Two protective coats of Ideal Sealer gave the finishing touch.