For Simple, cost effective Green Construction use Durisol UK

• Proven Use
• Cost
• Speed and 'buildability'
• Excellent U values
• Sustainable, Green Construction
• Excellent Acoustic Properties
• Easily Finished
• Fire Benefits

Proven use

Durisol UK Ltd manufactures reinforced wall formwork systems made from Durisol, a cement/PFA (pulverized fuel ash)-bonded, recycled wood material with excellent thermal, acoustic and fire protection properties.

The recycled wood (usually timber pallets), is processed, rendering it completely inert, and means that Durisol DOES NOT ROT OR BURN! The system is suitable for use above or below ground as basements or free standing walls, in educational, healthcare, residential, commercial, industrial or agricultural building applications. With db values greater than 55 the acoustic performance of the walling units is ideal for use in schools and apartments.

Durisol wall form units are interlocking modular blocks that are dry-stacked without mortar, and filled with concrete to create a strong, durable construction.

Durisol formwork has been installed worldwide for over 50 years and up to 26 storeys.

Durisol are fully certified for use in the UK, are partnered with LABC and approved by Zurich.

Cost Effective Building Solution

Cost can be measured in a number of ways, but taking purely material and labour costs, Durisol can offer over 20% cost saving on a traditional brick and block masonry construction.

This does not include the savings of scaffolding, preliminaries, etc made from building 5 times quicker. This means that the building can be sealed sooner to allow other trades to start internally even when the external finish has yet to be completed.

Speed

Construction times are decreased with build times of 3m2 per person, per hour expected as a minimum without particularly skilled labour and can easily reach levels of 10m2 per person, per hour for an experienced and organised builder on a simple design.

Construction can also continue in any weather and the Durisol will be unaffected by being exposed to climatic conditions even for extended periods of time.

The units can be altered easily using hand saws or alligator saws with any waste units or offcuts being returned to the factory to be recycled into more walling units.

Excellent U values

Two of the four sizes available come with mineral wool insulation already incorporated into the walling unit with the D365 (365mm wide) giving a standard U value of 0.19.

It is possible to replace the mineral wool with a Phenolic foam insulation and this would instantly lower the U value to 0.15. Other insulations may be available so please contact us to discuss your requirements.

To further lower U values, thicker insulation could be used or additional insulation fixed to the exterior or interior of the units.

Sustainable, Green Construction

Durisol is made from recycled timber having already passed its useful life and forms the major part of a sustainable product. Durisol are constantly reviewing our processes to achieve the highest possible eco friendly manufacture. PFA ( pulverised fuel ash), a waste product from the smelting industry, it used to extend the use and reduce the amount of cement needed to bind the timber chips and rain water is recycled from the factory roof for use within the mix.

No energy is used to dry or heat the product during manufacture and all waste is returned to the start of the process for recycling.

At the end of the life of a building, the Durisol units (now 'woodcrete') can be recycled with the concrete core and mineral wool insulation as hardcore as it will not rot.

Durisol is in the process of gaining our Green Guide rating.

Excellent Acoustic Properties

Whether designing and semi-detached, terraced housing or a school, acoustic will be an important consideration and Durisol units can offer db rating with a minimum of 55db up to 63db for our thicker unit.

This has enabled extra rooms to be included on a student accommodation build for the same footprint.

The excellent acoustic qualities of the Durisol products are further confirmed with the stand-alone noise barriers available in panel form with a more profiled surface finish.

Finish and appearance

Interior and exterior finishes can be applied directly to Durisol.

Externally, one of the most common methods of finishing is a single coat of render as a scratch coat is not usually required. Other finishes include brick-slips, timber cladding as well as 'rain screen' cladding with all but the last being fixed directly into the external face with a course wood screw.

Internally the 'dot & dab' method can be used for plasterboard or a single coat application of plaster is commonplace. The inner face of the walling units can be 'chased' out and conduits inserted prior to plastering using a standard chasing tool or a circular saw with a depth gauge.

Fire Benefits

Due to the 'mineralisation' process that the timber chips go through, the product does not rot or burn. At a fire test in Dec 08, a filled Durisol wall was subjected to a flame temperature of 1100 deg C for 4 hours without structural failure:

"Quality is never an accident, it is always the result of intelligent effort" John Ruskin

Storage Warehouse - Chalfont

The D170 Durisol units were ideal for this barn which was then clad in 'lapped timber' to match in the other existing farm buildings. Providing a storage area for cars, the interior was painted prior to a de-humidifier being installed to protect the cars stored inside.

The speed and cost of build was crucial and by using the Durisol system meant that an expensive portal frame was not required.

Ready to talk, if so great, contact us. If you need to discover more about Durisol, read our product range or understand more, our information by profession or by building type can be read by following our links.