Project Details:
SHAPE Australia, Ultimo, NSW
Products Used:
• Protecta Board XTRA (3.5mm and 5.5mm)
• Custom Branded SHAPE Protecta Board XTRA
• Protecta Board XTRA Stair and Edge Guard
• ZipWall® Super-Tall Kit
• HEPA Air Scrubber
• Spill Kits
• Protecta Premium HD Cloth Tap
Background
SHAPE Australia carried out a full fit-out and refurbishment of an existing, operational data centre in Ultimo, Sydney. The project involved a complete internal refit, stripping out and replacing equipment, installing new finishes, laying and protecting new epoxy flooring throughout, all inside a live environment over a 7-month period.
Challenge
Working inside a live, operational data centre placed strict demands on the fit-out. The following requirements had to be met:
• Floor protection: The newly finished epoxy flooring needed to withstand very heavy traffic, including cable drums, pallet jacks, large crates, EWPs, dropped tools, and the installation of heavy new equipment, without a mark.
• Dust and noise containment: Airborne dust and noise from active work areas could not reach the live data centre, where dust degrades sensitive, high-value equipment and compromises air quality for the crew.
 • Silica-free materials: Any product used on site had to suit a dust-sensitive environment, ruling out silica-based boards that can shed harmful dust.
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Protecta Board XTRA 5.5mm installed on top of the newly finished epoxy flooring, protecting it against high-load construction traffic.
Solution
Protecta supplied a single, coordinated protection system covering floors, air, and work zones, matched to the demands of a live data centre.
Floor protection The finished epoxy was covered with Protecta Board XTRA 5.5mm, a felt-backed, heavy-duty board built for high-load construction traffic. A custom white version was produced and branded with the SHAPE Australia logo, with 3.5mm board and Protecta Board XTRA Stair and Edge Guard used in support areas. As a polypropylene product with a felt backing and no silica content, it protects the floor without shedding harmful dust into a sensitive environment.
Dust and noise containment zipwall® Super-Tall Kit sealed active work areas from the live data centre, spanning floor to ceiling. This let the crew carry out dust-generating work inside defined zones without contaminating sensitive equipment or spreading dust through the facility, while reducing noise transfer into live areas.
Air quality A HEPA Air Scrubber (725 CFM) with carbon filtration ran inside the contained zones, capturing airborne dust at the source and keeping air clean for the equipment and safe for the crew.
Final result
Protecta Board XTRA’s felt-backed, impact-rated design protected the finished epoxy from heavy site traffic, including cable drums, pallet jacks, large crates, ewps, and dropped tools, with zero damage across the entire fit-out. Because the floor was never marked, no recoating, repair, or rework was needed, and the fitout stayed on schedule. The crew moved plant and equipment at full pace, without the risk of damaging the finish.
The zipwall® Super-Tall Kit and the HEPA Air Scrubber kept dust out of the operational environment, so high value, sensitive equipment kept operational at throughout the build and air quality stayed safe for the crew. The silica-free Protecta Board XTRA suited a dust-sensitive data centre where a lower quality or silica-based board would not have been acceptable, delivering a clean result on an ongoing SHAPE relationship.
Download the full case study here
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