A specialist rendering, plastering and drylining contractor has made use of IPP Ltd.’s Cemgold cement particleboard as part of the rainscreen build-up covering a four storey medical teaching facility in Ipswich, following rigorous evaluation in conjunction with the main contractor and system supplier K-Rend.
The extension to a site in the heart of Ipswich is being built by T.J. Evers, with O’Hara Drylining East– a sister company of Essex based O’Hara Plastering – being responsible for installing all of the sheathing boards across the Metsec framing on all four floors. Then in order to ensure a well-insulated as well as fire and weather resistant performance for the façade the Cemgold boards are being covered with Rockwool and the proprietary silicon render system.
The Quantity Surveyor of O’Hara Plastering, Ron Talbot, commented: “Our group carries out a lot of work across London and the east of the country, as well as working for national and local housebuilders including Hopkins, Abbeys and Gippings, with O’Hara Drylining East concentrating on work in Suffolk and neighbouring counties.
When we were first asked by T.J. Evers to quote on the Ipswich job we got in touch with K-Rend to ascertain what substrate boards are on the company’s approved list and then passed all the details to T.J. Evers for approval. There is insulation within the Metsec frame to which we have secured some 500 sheets of the Cemgold, ready for 100mm of Rockwool to be attached using adhesive and special pins. The insulation and K-Rend will be by others. We have used other cement particleboards with the A1 non-combustible rating in the past, but Cemgold is obviously a superior product and good to fit.”
Cemgold is a 100% asbestos free board produced using Portland cement and high purity silica sand, reinforced with selected fibres, employing advanced pressing and autoclaving technology.
The resulting boards offer high impact strength as well as excellent racking and pull-out strength, making them ideal for a range of applications including façade build-ups and offsite construction. Crucially for multi-storey buildings the boards are rated A1 non-combustible under EN13501 and Class 0 when tested to BS EN 476 Parts 6&7, while they also offer very good acoustic performance.
At 38kg and 45kg for the 10 and 12.5 mm options, Cemgold boards are easy to handle and cut to size with (PCD) tungsten carbide tipped blades. They can also be drilled, routed, nailed and screwed. Gaps of 3-6mm should be for left to allow for expansion and contraction while, before installation, IPP recommends an acclimatization period of 24 to 48 hours in the work location.