Choosing Durawall as a buffer between a building owner and the elements in the Land of the Long White Cloud may just make the difference between being cold and damp or warm and dry.
It is also one of the best exterior cladding choices to allay leaky home syndrome fears, Durawall New Zealand managing director Chad Kasten says.
Mr Kasten says the pre-cast concrete, polystyrene and steel Durawall exterior cladding system is a unique new solution to the challenges of New Zealand’s demanding environment.
“It is structurally designed by a New Zealand chartered professional engineer, and meets the requirements of the New Zealand Building Code for B1 Structure, B2 Durability, E2 External Moisture and H1 Energy Efficiency.
“The reason for these good outcomes is its intelligent design. Each wall is poured in one seamless piece, incorporating windows and doors, to the builder’s specifications.
No wall joints
“There are no wall joints, and a high-density impermeable concrete facing means there is no opportunity for water entry and no need for plastering.
“Tests have proven the walls are not susceptible to rot, the system is virtually maintenance-free, and it is an excellent choice for earthquake and high wind zones,” he says.
Mr Kasten says the combination of concrete and polystyrene in Durawall walls offers good temperature and noise insulation.
“The minimum insulating value of a wall unit is R-1.66 — the reason is that concrete provides thermal mass. Thermal mass has interesting properties. It allows walls to absorb sun energy and then radiate the heat throughout the structure at night.
“This maintains the structure at a comfortable temperature, a feature not found in lightweight construction. The mass density also insulates the structure against street noise and dampens interior noise,” he says.
Mr Kasten believes the system’s convenient flexibility will prove to make it attractive to builders and owners.
Walls can be cast in standard as well as custom heights up to 4.15m, and in any length up to 13.5m long.
As it comes with steel studs, GIB Plasterboard can be installed without the need for strapping.
Services can be run at any time through the internal wall cavity, and a modified version of Durawall is available for below-ground applications.
“It can therefore support the most elegant of designs, delivering an end product that looks like a conventional plaster finish home.”
Durawall certified staff install the walls on a foundation that is similar to that of other types of masonry construction.
“The Durawall team believes this competitively priced new exterior cladding option achieves the best combination of weathertightness, durability, insulation, cost and design flexibility available today,” Mr Kasten says.
For more information phone 0800 DURAWALL or visit www.durawall.co.nz.
