Sipoon Areena, marketed as Ingman Areena, is a floorball hall owned by the sports club Ådalens Idrottsförening (ÅIF) and was primarily built by the club’s volunteer workforce in Söderkulla, Sipoo.

Over the years, numerous upgrades have been made to the Arena, with the latest construction project extensively utilizing TKR’s coating solution. AIT Building Oy acted as the contractor for the coating work in the project.

The Club’s Own Hall is a Rarity in Finland

ÅIF has grown significantly as a club over the past two decades. The first foundation bricks of Sipoo Arena were laid just before the turn of the millennium, and in the hall’s opening year in 2000, the club had five teams. Today, the club has expanded into a floorball family of 17 teams and 500 members.

There are not many halls in Finland built solely for floorball and owned by the clubs themselves. Today, the Arena is in daily use by the club, and the municipality of Sipoo provides substantial support, as local schools actively use the hall during weekdays.

As the club has grown, the Arena’s facilities have also been renovated. The latest addition, in the spring of 2023, was the construction of a sauna area for the club’s use. The idea of having a sauna came up in discussions within the club’s working group when it was mentioned that “every top-tier team needs its own sauna facilities,” referring to ÅIF’s women’s first team playing in the F-League.

Waterproofing and Wear Layer in One Solution

The club’s volunteer team decided to utilize as much of TKR’s coatings as possible in the Arena. The design of the sauna, shower, and changing room facilities was based on the club’s blue and white color scheme, with logos to enhance the atmosphere and team spirit after games and tournaments.

In the project, the sauna floor was first covered with waterproof plywood, and the gaps in the sheets and floor joints were sealed with TKR-Kit. After installing underfloor heating and grinding, the floor was coated with a three-layer elastic TKR coating, leaving the top wear layer in black. In the sauna, the walls were also covered with waterproof plywood up to the bench level, about 80 centimeters high.

The same structural solutions were used for the shower and washroom floors, with the walls waterproofed to the top with TKR compound. The floors featured non-slip texturing to prevent slipping, and colored mosaic flakes were added for a beautiful finish.

Picture 2. The non-slip texture reduces floor slipperiness.

The sauna area was given ÅIF’s colors by coating two shower walls with a durable, high-resistance TKR coating in the club’s blue and white. In addition, a large ÅIF crest was applied to the white wall and protected with a transparent coating, making it washable. The floors in the changing room, WC, and stairs were also made with a durable three-layer TKR floor coating in various colors, with the club’s signature blue as the primary color.

The coating allowed the wooden structures and joint areas of the sauna facilities to remain elastic, while the surface layer was hardened into a wear-resistant topcoat. This provided both waterproofing and a durable wear layer in one coating solution.

A Safe Environment for Contractors and Users

TKR coating proved to be an unbeatable option for the sauna area construction project, thanks to its quick installation, ease of use, and cost savings.

The comprehensive coating system allowed the team to avoid traditional, time-consuming grout and tiling work in the washroom, making the installation quick and efficient. The facilities did not need to be closed during the work, meaning the public spaces were coated in just a few days.

Even during the installation phase, ensuring a safe working environment for contractors was a priority. At the same time, the sealing of public spaces, used by dozens of children and young people, was carried out responsibly using bio-based and odorless TKR material.

The entire ÅIF community is very excited about the results of the sauna project and the new facilities. The club would like to thank its partners and welcome everyone to come and see the solutions in person.

Picture 3. The washroom in the sauna area was given ÅIF’s colors, with a large crest on the wall.