BAL to the rescue at Schloss Elmau

BAL to the rescue at Schloss Elmau

Gujahr System Technology from BAL played a vital role in the restoration of Elmau Castle and the completion of the new Elmau Castle Retreat near Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany.

In 2005 a large fire destroyed large parts of the castle meaning its terraces and balconies needed restoring in time for the G7 Summit in 2015.

Following the fire, castle owner Dietmar Muller-Elmau invested around €40million to rebuild the listed building. Together with architect Christoph Sattler and a team of other architects and designers, a concept was developed for a modern spa hotel within the ancient walls.

As part of the renovation it was proposed to cover the balconies and terraces with Brazillian quartzite tiles.

Rising to 1,000 meters above sea level, the castle faces extreme weather conditions including cold winters, excessive rain fall and variable temperatures. Since the natural stone specified is particularly sensitive, precautions were necessary to protect it from ugly efflorescence and water staining.

Experts recognised this in advance and so specified the AquaDrain EK drainage system for external tiling – now available from BAL.

AquaDrain EK is a passive capillary surface drainage matting, designed for the installation of natural stone, tiles and slabs on drainage mortar on balconies, terraces and roof terraces.

The AquaDrain EK drainage mat channels water effectively away from the surface, avoiding any damage. Ventilation underneath also ensure the lining dries faster, while the mesh fabric remains permanently permeable to water.

A crucial part of the re-build was the transition from the balconies and terraces to the interior of Elmau Castle. German regulations state that transitions between interior and exterior tiling should be at least 150mm, to prevent water running behind the seal and entering the interior.

With special drain grates made of stainless steel, transitions were reduced to a more convenient 50mm. Thanks to the AquaDrain drain grates, water is captured at the transitions and directed into the attached surface drainage mat and away from the balcony or terrace.

This system was also used on the new Elmau Castle Retreat which used Brazilian quartzite on 400 square metres of terraces.

Gutjahr System Technology from BAL represents drainage, ventilating and uncoupling solutions for balconies, patios, terraces and on facades and interiors.

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