There are multiple factors to consider when specifying external sheathing boards – durability, stability and cost all need to be considered. Detailed research is required by specifiers into testing regimes to ensure verified performance, particularly regarding building safety.
Klasse Group is leading the charge to ensure every building offers certified fire safety credentials, designed, and thoroughly tested to meet and even exceed Building Regulations. We maintain a safety-first ethos in everything we do – from manufacture to installation.
Our team unequivocally support the Building Safety Act which came into force last year reflecting many of the recommendations in ‘Building a Safer Future’– Dame Judith Hackitt’s report following the Grenfell tragedy. Said to be the biggest change in building safety for over 40 years, the updated Building Safety Act now includes new systems of accountability, improved regulatory frameworks and a Construction Products Regulator.
We find it incomprehensible that in a recent review of construction products co-chaired by Paul Morrell, the government’s first chief construction advisor with legal expert, Anneliese Day KC – it was estimated that there are currently between 20,000 and 30,000 unregulated construction products on the UK market.
Accurate testing data backed by third party certification from authorising bodies is vital to providing assurances to both construction clients and building occupiers. When it comes to building performance, clients need to be confident that the products they are using adhere to the Building Safety Act and are reliable, dependable, and manufactured with integrity.
One of the twenty recommendations set out by the Morell Review specifies that developers must strengthen their understanding and application of testing products assembled into systems. This includes both an understanding of the product as tested individually and when combined to create a complete system, considering variables in materials and environmental factors.
Klasse is committed to providing products that are robustly tested and offer significant benefits that can improve building safety and performance. Not only this, but we maintain that any product data should be clear, transparent, and easy to understand. Part of our mission is to guide the building industry toward a better knowledge of structural safety using non-combustible materials, clear information, and testing data to select the best products for the project. This is evidenced in the range of Klasse external sheathing boards which offer excellent resistance and pull-through and pull-out strength test results.
Pull-through testing looks at the potential failings of joints and fastenings when axial tension is applied. For example, when boards are pulled apart. In these cases, the fastener may break or be pulled through the board.
In comparison, pull-out testing is a tension test that determines the load capacity of a fixing point – essentially testing the resistance of the materials or fixings to being pulled out from the point of installation. This determines strength under a variety of conditions, verifying the point of breakage or detachment. Pull-out strength testing will help to minimise or negate the risk of construction malfunctions, allowing the engineering team to identify and remedy any weak spots.
Both are important when considering the build-up of the structural system. There are multiple factors that can impact the pull-through and pull-out strength of the external sheathing boards, including the method of fixing and adhesion used, the collective strength of the system and the combined products used (such as insulation and framing). Pull-through resistance data is particularly useful when it comes to selecting the best materials and installation techniques to improve safety performance.
Pull-through and pull-out test results should always be considered when analysing the type of building load for the structure. For instance, a tall building in a high-traffic inner city area which may be subject to higher axial tensions will require greater pull-through and pull-out strength than compared to a low-rise multi-residential unit.
Our Klasse G-board is a high-performance external sheathing board constructed from a glass fibre mat and a gypsum-based core. It is designed to be used in modular, light steel and timber frame buildings and can be installed on light steel frame infill and oversail systems on concrete and structural steel main frame buildings. The G-board is BBA Certified and meets NHBC Standards, Part 6 Superstructure (excluding roofs), Chapter 6.3 Internal Walls, 6.10 Light Steel Framed Walls and Floors together with 9.2 Wall and Ceiling Finishes. The board is also through-wall tested to achieve up to 90 minutes of fire resistance to BS EN 1364-1 and is safe for use in buildings over 18m.
Klasse G-board has been extensively tested for pull-through strength, achieving outstanding performance results when compared to other score and score snap gypsum and cement fibre boards on the market. When tested in accordance with EAD 090062-00-0404:2018 with the fixings specified in the BBA certificate which is available HERE. In these tests, the characteristic pull-through resistance achieved was 0.604kN.
Klasse C-board provides both excellent pull-through and pull-out strength. It is a highly preferred sheathing board offering superior functional features especially for modular, offsite and steel buildings, providing excellent acoustic, fire and structural attributes. Klasse C-board has been extensively tested for pull-through and pull-out strength, achieving outstanding performance results when compared to other cement fibre boards on the market. In these tests pursuant to requirements BS EN 14566: 2008 + A1: 2009, the characteristic pull-through resistance achieved was 1.871 kN and pull-out resistance achieved was 3.050 kN.
Understanding pull-through and pull-out strength is vital when considering how external sheathing boards will perform and react when forming part of a complete structural system. It is therefore important to have assurances that the sheathing boards are fully tested, certified and offer clear, transparent performance data. If you require information specific to pull-through and pull-out testing for a project, the Klasse technical team can provide further guidance and information.
To discover how Klasse Group can ensure a safer future – call our Technical Services team on 01432 842 030 or visit www.klassegroup.co.uk and head to the download centre to view our technical specifications and certifications.
