Feature Epoxy Terrazzo Cementitious Terrazzo Installation Process Involves the use of a liquid epoxy binder to set the chips or aggregate in place. Involves the use of a traditional cement-based binder to set the chips or aggregate in place. Durability Highly durable and resistant to wear and tear, staining, and cracking. Durable, but may be prone to cracking and staining over time. Maintenance Requires minimal maintenance, easy to clean and maintain its appearance. Requires regular maintenance, may need to be resealed periodically to protect against staining. Cost More expensive compared to cementitious terrazzo due to the cost of the epoxy binder and the installation process. Generally more affordable compared to epoxy terrazzo, but may require more frequent maintenance. Design Options Offers a wide range of design options due to the versatility of the epoxy binder. Limited design options compared to epoxy terrazzo, but still offers a classic and timeless look. Installation Time Installation time is typically faster compared to cementitious terrazzo due to the faster setting time of the epoxy binder. Installation time is typically slower compared to epoxy terrazzo due to the slower setting time of the cement-based binder. In conclusion, both epoxy terrazzo and cementitious terrazzo offer unique advantages and disadvantages. The choice between the two will depend on your specific needs, preferences, and budget. Epoxy terrazzo offers a more durable and low-maintenance option with a wider range of design options, while cementitious terrazzo offers a more classic and timeless look at a lower cost.

Padel tennis is the fastest growing sport in the Emirates. People from many walks of life and different demographics have shown keen interest in the sport. Padel clubs are opening in every nook & corner and can be seen almost in all neighborhood Gulf Trading being the leading manufacturer of padel courts in the region, has built some of the best and most visited padel clubs. Let’s look at some of the places that you can not miss! 1) Play Padel – Situated in Mussaffah, Play Padel has 5 premium panoramic courts with Spanish artificial turf Realturf. They even have 2 padel courts fully private! Equipped with not only superior quality padel courts but also great amenities for the public to make use. A great and open environment with spectacular interiors and a fantastic coffee shop makes this one of the most visited places in UAE. 2) PadelAe – Located in the heart of Dubai right next to Al Khail Road with one of the biggest indoor clubs in UAE. PadelAe boasts 8 super panoramic courts with breathtaking interiors, table tennis area, yoga area & a delicious juice bar! Weekly tournaments are held weekly here and this is one of the most interactive clubs. 3) Padel Zone – Located in Al Ain with 4 premium panoramic courts and beautiful interiors. This padel club is the best in Al Ain with the highest of quality standards so players can enjoy and have a good time with their friends. 4) Padel Way – A boutique padel club that offers the best there is to offer. Padel Way has a single super panoramic court that offers privacy like none other. This is the place you can come and play with your friends and family without any disturbance. It is located in Sharjah, industrial area 15 which is an ideal location for people living in both Sharjah & Dubai. 5) Padel House – Based in Ajman, next to China Mall, this padel club has 3 premium panoramic courts along with the best padel shop in town. Padel House has been the go-to destination for people in Ajman & Umm Al Quwain.

The Origins of Terrazzo Terrazzo is one of the oldest forms of flooring and can be dated back to the early Neolithic period, around 9000-8000 BC. The form of terrazzo used today was derived from 18th century Italy, where Venetian construction workers began mixing marble scraps with clay to produce cheap flooring for their own homes and patios. How it’s made Terrazzo is created by exposing fine aggregates like marble chips, glass, quartz, or mother of pearls on finished surfaces like concrete or epoxy resin. It can be applied on any hard surface, vertical or horizontal, and is known for its durability, resistance, and easy maintenance. Types of Terrazzo Terrazzo has made a come-back in the world of modern architecture and has become a go-to material in homes, offices, and residential areas. Terrazzo comes in a wide range of aesthetically pleasing designs in a variety of sizes and colors. There are many different types of terrazzo and some of the popular ones are listed below: • Epoxy TerrazzoThe most popular Terrazzo is the Epoxy Terrazzo where a very thin resin coating is poured onto a concrete slab. It is extremely versatile, chemical resistant, and perfect for flooring as well as countertops. • Rustic TerrazzoAkin to epoxy terrazzo, rustic terrazzo only differs in look and design. The exterior of the floor is slightly rough to increase friction and give a rustic feel to a smooth surface. It is ideal for outdoor surfaces. • Sand Cushioned TerrazzoFundamentally, this type of terrazzo is used for flooring purposes. It is usually made up of isolation sheets and layers of sand and is widely used for creating designs or logos on the surface as there is no mirror effect. Terrazzo Installation There are a few different ways one can install terrazzo flooring in their desired space. • Poured Terrazzo Flooring:This method is the original method of Terrazzo installation and the most expensive option. Similar to poured concrete, this form of terrazzo comes in a wet solution and is poured on-site by trained professionals. Once the surface hardens, it is then sharpened and polished to the desired finish. • Tiled Terrazzo Flooring:This method works like any other tile flooring system works, where terrazzo tiles can be purchased in any preferable size and laid on site. This has become one of the most popular choices in terrazzo floors and can be used on walls, backsplashes and is ideal for wet areas. This is also a more cost-effective way of including terrazzo in your finishes. • Hybrid Terrazzo Flooring:Hybrid flooring is like a floating floor that can be installed throughout an entire space and is made up of multiple layers of materials pressed together resulting in extremely resilient flooring. Terrazzo flooring can easily be installed on an existing flat floor such as concrete and can be laid down in a day. It is an affordable and easy solution to create well-insulated flooring which is warmer than actual terrazzo flooring. Benefits of Terrazzo Terrazzo is a class by itself and is an excellent surface solution that is warmer than marble and more attractive than ceramic. It gives you the best of both worlds, extreme durability and sophistication that never goes out of style! The beauty and textural quality of terrazzo have made it a top choice for people who want a contemporary interior. It is a great choice of kitchen and bathroom flooring and a perfect flooring option for a living area as it adds to the effortless feel of a floorplan. Terrazzo promotes “Green Building” Apart from its luxury, durability, and beauty, terrazzo flooring is also eco-friendly. It is a very sustainable product manufactured using environmentally friendly materials. The aggregates are made of natural materials like marble, granite, or quartz and recycled material like glass. Unlimited design possibilities Terrazzo is an extremely versatile product for not just floors and walls but kitchen and bathroom countertops, backsplashes and can also be used as furniture accents in living rooms or drawing rooms as well. In addition to being extremely durable and highly resistant, terrazzo is also a great way to introduce some color and texture in a subtle way, where one can choose from unlimited color options, from darker colors to exciting hues to natural tones. One can create any look they prefer from a minimalistic monochromatic interior to a stylish mosaic design. Gulf Trading and Terrazzo Gulf Trading has its fair share of experience working with terrazzo and with new technologies of producing terrazzo we have created a plethora of designs not just for floors, but aesthetically pleasing epoxy terrazzo sculptures with a gorgeous combination of highly appealing aggregates. Our terrazzo designs are noted for their high durability, variety in design, sustainability, and contribution to the environment. We have been a part of many noteworthy projects in the UAE and our terrazzo specialists never fail to disappoint.

Being in the field of constructing padel courts and installing it all across UAE, we have a breadth of experience when it comes to fabricating all types of different courts. The most asked question we receive is, what is the difference between all the different types of models of padel court? Let’s look at some of the models to understand the difference. Standard Padel Court Structure – Pillars 100x50x3mm with buttress Electrowelded mesh – 50x50x4mm Tempered glass – 10 or 12mm Artificial Grass – Fibrilated or Monofilament straight yarn or curled texture 12mm Lighting System – Straight lighting system or curved Stove-finished painting – Color selection dependent upon customer Panoramic Padel Court Structure – Panoramic sides with 3mtr glass. Corner posts 100x100x3mm and top/bottom tube 80x80x3mm Electrowelded mesh – 50x50x4mm Tempered glass – 10 or 12mm Artificial Grass – Fibrilated or Monofilament straight yarn or curled texture 12mm Lighting System – Straight lighting system or curved Stove-finished painting – Color selection dependent upon customer Super Panoramic Court Structure – Corners tubeless with panoramic sides top/bottom with 3mtr glass. Bottom skirting 100x50mm Electrowelded mesh – 50x50x4mm Tempered glass – 10 or 12mm Artificial Grass – Fibrilated or Monofilament straight yarn or curled texture 12mm Lighting System – Straight lighting system or curved

History of Polished Concrete Polished concrete is a historical building material used for the construction of floors and the oldest known form of polished concrete dates back to 6500 BC, Jericho, in the valley of the Jordon River. Several layers of concrete were discovered while bulldozing for a new motor speedway, out of which one of the layers was of a very fine polished concrete floor. The modern way of polished concrete flooring wasn’t discovered until the 1990s, that too by accident. A natural stone polishing contractor building a palace in Tunisia discovered that dry polishing the concrete floor made it look beautiful and reflective. Since then, polished concrete floors are made by using heavy-duty machines that sharpen and grind the floors, followed by polishing it with bonded abrasives, like a diamond, to cut the surface of a concrete floor. A surface is polished to achieve the desired level of reflectivity, where the surface is polished more to achieve a higher sheen. Types of polished concrete Polished concrete floors are compatible with present-day luxury. These days polished concrete flooring is extensively used in modern architecture for extravagant home constructions, the main reason being the wide variety of achievable finishes it provides. There are 3 types of polished concrete floor finishes and are set apart by the amount of concrete substance removed from the surface of the concrete slab. • Cream polished concrete Cream polished concrete floor finish is the most common type of polished concrete for new residential construction, where the exterior of a NEW concrete pour is polished. This procedure doesn’t involve the ‘cutting’ step, and therefore there is no concrete removal from the floor’s surface. A cream polished concrete finish creates an organic, diversified, marble-like appearance, mostly grey in color. It is easy on the pocket and works well for high-gloss polishing. This application cannot be used for renovations. • Salt and Pepper Polished Concrete This type of polished concrete finish is sometimes used in new residential construction, whereas it is widely used in commercial or industrial applications and residential renovations. The salt and pepper finish is achieved by lightly grinding the surface on the concrete, exposing the smallest composite in the concrete mix. Although this finish is more expensive than cream polished concrete and the installation is more time-consuming, it is more durable and can be installed in both new and renovative constructions. • Aggregate exposed polished concrete The most expensive and time-consuming polished concrete finish, where the surface of the concrete is heavily ground, exposing the largest aggregate in the concrete mix. This method gives the concrete a terrazzo-like appearance and is therefore used in more luxurious residential projects. Pigmented Polished Concrete. Polished concrete can also be colored by adding stains, dyes, or pigments. In brand new construction, the polished concrete is colored by adding pigment or dye directly into the concrete mix. This way the concrete has better consistency, higher durability, and a better appearance. On the other hand, adding color to revamp existing concrete floors can only be done by staining them, which requires high maintenance, regular touch-ups and is not ideal for high traffic areas as the concrete may discolor. Benefits of concrete flooring A polished concrete floor offers a competitive advantage over other types of flooring options due to its many advantages. Polished concrete floors are highly durable, long-lasting, cost-effective, easy to clean and maintain, aesthetically pleasing, reflective, sustainable, and is available in a variety of colors and designs. Concrete and the environment Nowadays, companies have started using methods that reduce the pollution caused by building and manufacturing leading to more eco-friendly practices. Recycling older concrete is now being used as an aggregate and water used to wash out concrete trucks is reused to mix fresh concrete. This causes a reduction in the amount of waste material ending up in landfills. Concrete floors are also energy efficient, which means that heating and cooling costs are lowered due to less leakage. Furthermore, transportation costs are low as concrete is produced close to the building site. Gulf Trading and its expertise Gulf Trading has applied its vast experience and research in manufacturing high-performing polished concrete floors throughout the UAE. Our exposure in the flooring industry has made us capable to refurbish and transform a wide range of finished surfaces as well as construct seamless, smooth, highly durable, and glossy polished concrete surfaces that are perfect for both commercial and residential applications. Our polished concrete flooring solution is known for its durability, sustainability and contribution to the environment. We have been part of many prestigious projects in the UAE and our experts are always present to guide and provide you with the best possible polished concrete flooring solutions.

Padel Tennis has taken over UAE by a storm. The rise in popularity of this sport has been remarkable and with the promotion from the Padel Association in UAE by hosting regular tournaments, this sport has been increasing substantially across the region. Gulf Trading FZE has been specializing in building premium padel courts that truly lives up to its quality & standards. With courts built all across UAE, the demand for padel courts kept increasing and so did the much-needed brilliant craftsmanship of Gulf Trading FZE. Enter PadelAe Gulf Trading FZE was tasked with building up of 8 indoor WPT panoramic padel courts. The technical details of the fencing structure were as follows: Panoramic U-shaped background with solid top plate 150x10mm. Resistant to impacts in two pieces of 5m, joined together by autodrill screws. These pieces are perfectly joined, with an upper frame of electro-welded and folded mesh of 50x50x4mm. of 2000x1000mm. steel with hole for glass 2995x1995mm. and lower U of 20x20x20mm for anchoring crystals to the floor.• 8 modules of 3000×2000 mm. of structural tube 80x40x2 mm. steel with electro-welded mesh 50x50x4 mm. of 3000×2000 mm. of steel. 4 modules of 3000×2000 mm. of structural tube 80x40x2 mm. steel with electro-welded mesh 50x50x4 mm. Steel for access to play area. Fixation in each module through 2 anchoring plates of 230x140x10 mm. galvanized steel by immersion. Tempered glass – 18 pieces of 2995x1995x12mm The turf used here is the famous Drive Pro from Realturf based in Spain. Our experience in the manufacturing of padel courts in UAE has allowed us to cater to our clients’ needs at the earliest and maintain any sort of immediate rectification work that might arise.

When selecting the flooring for your next commercial project, there is a plethora of options to choose from. Two trends that have been the talk of the town are; terrazzo & polished concrete, that are not only reliable in terms of durability, low maintenance but also sustainability. There is a fine line between the two even though both of them share similar features and look. Gulf Trading FZE is here to differentiate between the two. Differences between Terrazzo & Polished concrete One of the main differences between the two is the cement-to-aggregate ratio. Polished concrete contains more cement whereas terrazzo contains more aggregates. Polished concrete generally has about 70% cement mix and 30% aggregates, whereas terrazzo has exactly the opposite; 30% cement mix and 70% marble chip aggregate. Polished concrete mostly relies on chemical dyes and densifiers. It involves polishing the slab itself. Whereas terrazzo involves covering up the concrete slab with epoxy and aggregates mixture and then grind and polished to finish. Terrazzo – An overview Today’s terrazzo is made with either cement or epoxy and later on a variety of aggregates are added including marble, stones, glass etc. As of late, terrazzo has been in great demand because of its functionality and design capabilities. It gives architects & designers great variety of color schemes and patterns to work with. Latest terrazzo technologies, incorporating epoxy and a wide variety of aggregates has transformed the way we used to look at terrazzo for floors exclusively. Now, modern day terrazzo can be used for countertops, tables, chairs, walls & the possibilities are endless! Terrazzo can be used in all sorts of facilities but is mostly used in museums, libraries, educational facilities, hospitals & government offices. Polished Concrete – An overview Polished concrete is a highly durable and low maintenance option. This is done on either a new pour or an existing slab. There are a variety of color dyes to choose from to showcase beautiful designs & it also acts as highly slip resistant. Polished concrete because of its great reflective properties during daylight, it can also reduce electricity cost. Gulf Trading FZE – Expertise We work with both terrazzo & polished concrete in UAE & are well-versed with the installation procedures. Get in touch with our team to assist you with your projects at sales@gulftrading-uae.com

Padel tennis is becoming more popular by the day. The game that originated from Spain, took the world by storm and has quickly made its way all across the globe with much popularity in the GCC region, especially padel tennis in UAE & Qatar. There are loads of different flooring that can be used for padel courts as long as they provide a regular bounce and avoid the accumulation of water on the surface: Porous concrete – This type of surface has pores from which water can be drained. Cement – Cement makes the ball bounce faster and higher because of its smoothness. This is not the ideal playing surface for padel tennis. Synthetic materials such as resin are another option which are quite famous and used for tennis and approved by ITF standards to make the game faster, medium and slow paced. Artificial Turf – This is the most common and long lasting surface which allows for a slower paced game play. Although there is a variety of artificial turf for padel tennis as well. Advantage of using artificial turf for your padel court: Artificial turf is a lot softer than its counterparts and you can have lots of benefits of using artificial turf for padel courts. Players need to move around a lot inside the court and the constant back and forth can damage the joints and knees if the surface is hard, hence this pressure is evaded by the use of artificial turf. Additionally, artificial grass makes sure the ball doesn’t bounce too high or too fast. This results in a better gameplay experience for players. With the added use of sand infill, the game experience becomes even better. Click here if you want to know more about the benefits of using sand infill for your padel court. Maintenance of artificial turf for padel court: The maintenance of your artificial turf for padel court depends on a wide range of factors such as the type of artificial turf, frequency of use, climate, humidity, sand type etc. Certain maintenance tasks will remain necessary to avoid the artificial turf losing its character: Regular cleaning of the surface Brushing of the silica sand Prevention action to avoid contamination due to fungus Replacement of silica sand Control and verification of joints