Monthly Archives: September 2012
Monthly Archives: September 2012
We were very pleased to be asked to install two identical Mendip polycarbonate structures at Beachborough School for their Early Years teaching block.
A single weekend was all it took to install a large double Qube canopy into the rear play area at FG Primary School. The installation was difficult however our installation team was more than up to the task. Due to the size, Building Regulations approval was required so we dug the footings and had them passed during the summer holidays and then covered them with tarmac to make the area safe. When we came to install, it was a simple matter to remove the skim of tarmac and then we could fix the canopy down. To add to the difficulty, the site sloped in two directions and the drainage areas were all in one corner! As we were installing adjacent to a Victorian building, there were numerous brick buttresses and pillars to contend with, but the major difficulty was that the windows above the main door were recessed. We designed a special infill piece with “brushes” at the end which butted up to the window and the brushes were used to ensure that the glass wasn’t scratched but water and leaves couldn’t get down behind the canopy. The customer was very happy and they now have a fantastic covered play area which they can be very proud of.
Another return visit, however this time it was to the IOG Saltex Show at the Windsor Racecourse. This is our fourth year and it was good to see some people we have previously met. We showcased both a Mendip and Redwood canopy which was a great opportunity to see canopies outside.
Following the installation of a new Early Years canopy at BSP School during the summer we were really pleased to be able to return early in the Autumn Term to add to the structure. Part of the original brief had been to provide a structure which fitted the area (within budget constraints) but also be flexible enough to add to at a later date. With this in mind we returned to install electrically operated roller shutters. Fitted with all the requisite safety brakes etc. the electrically powered shutters are simple to operate, using a key switch to which the children do not have access, combined with a hold-to-run facility which ensures that a member of staff must operate the motors themselves from a position underneath the canopy. This means that the staff are able to watch the shutters coming down which combines with the built-in safety features to make the area safe. The roller shutters have transformed the afternoon hassle of putting things inside for the staff, as they only need to ensure that the post protectors are removed and the toys are not in the way of the roller shutters, and within a couple of minutes everything can be closed up and ready for off! The roller shutters have been powder coated in a RAL colour to match the frame of the canopy and the whole installation looks great.