Wedding Cake, Waddesdon, UK

Client: Rothschild Foundation

Location: Waddesdon, UK

Year: 2023

Project size: 100 m²

Vebro systems: vebroflex Comfort UV Plus

A resin floor was required to ensure a seamless visual transition between the floors and walls at a unique, 12 metre high, wedding-cake-shaped venue, colour matching perfectly to the vibrant pastel pallet of the tiles and sculptures adorning the exterior façade.

Set in the beautiful English countryside in Buckinghamshire, Waddesdon Manor was built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild to display his collection of arts and to entertain his friends.

According to Rothschild Foundation, who manage the house, “The contemporary ethos of the estate looks to ensure all of its assets are cared for holistically and the past, present and future combine and are presented to the highest standard and level of inspection at all times”.

Standing within a grove of trees on the estate of Waddesdon Manor, this ceramic sculptural pavilion – in the form of a three-tiered wedding cake – is the latest Rothschild Foundation commission from celebrated Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos.

Aptly named Wedding Cake, over 25,000 gleaming, icing-like ceramic tiles decorate the cake – all made in a traditional Portuguese manufactory – glazed in pale pinks, greens, and blues.

100 square metres of Vebro Polymers’ vebroflex Comfort UV Plus system was installed in two colours – RAL 6019 Pastel Green in the central area atrium with RAL 9010 Pure White around the perimeter.

vebroflex Comfort UV Plus is a solid-coloured, UV-stable, elasticised, polyurethane liquid-vinyl resin that achieves up to 200% elongation at break. Once cured, the material delivers a smooth, matt-finish surface that deadens sound transfer between floors by up to 4Db. Additional sound absorption can be achieved with a liquid membrane or rubber matting.

The cementitious screed was reinforced using vebroscreed R&S (Repair & Strengthen) to improve the compressive strength of the sand / cement screed.

vebroscreed R&S is a transparent, solvent free, epoxy material used to penetrate fine crack and fissures in cement-based semi-dry cementitious levelling screeds – injecting additional strength and reinforcement prior to the installation of floor coverings.

One of the most interesting aspects of the install involved an intricate mandala formed in brass, which was positioned in the centre of the lower atrium floor, creating a stunning central focal point underfoot for visitors.

The pigmented aliphatic comfort resin was used to infill each of the brass trim petals using a large syringe. Each petal was meticulously injected one by one, taking a whole day to complete.

Resin Flooring Specialists (RFS) are one of the UK’s leading resin flooring installers, based in Kent, and working throughout England.

RFS works alongside the UK’s largest construction companies, as well as working direct for clients across a wide range of industry sectors.

Mindful of slip resistance, cleaning, performance and aesthetics, RFS pride themselves on being able to deliver the right solution for all resin flooring needs no matter what the environment.

RFS are members of the Resin Flooring Association – FeRFA – and Construction Line as well as being an Alcumus Safe Contractor and CHAS Accredited contractor.