Improving durability

By - , Build 162

LIKE MANY in New Zealand, I live near the coast, and I love it. Every day, I get to enjoy great views over Porirua Harbour and out to sea. As an added bonus, it is only a few minutes’ drive to the beach or coast for a walk.

For all its beauty, being close to our extensive coastline comes at a price – a higher risk of corrosion. Combine this with our high UV rates, and our building materials face some tough environmental conditions. You don’t have to look far to see evidence of this with corroding metal or faded or degraded materials.

The durability of building materials has been a focus of BRANZ research and testing for many years. This has improved understanding of macro and micro environments and how these impact on different materials. One outcome that is now widely used is the specification of the different exposure zones in NZS 3604:2011 Timber-framed buildings.

Materials research continues, and in this Build, we look at some of the latest projects that will help stop premature failures. This includes the compatibility and performance of fasteners in different timbers (see page 44–46) and the moisture dynamics in timber and the affect this may have on the durability of timber structures (see pages 48–49). The durability of structural adhesives, a critical component of engineered timber products, is also being evaluated (see pages 59–64). Small gems from these projects have the potential to significantly improve the durability of building materials.

Last year’s Build Readers’ Survey highlighted how useful readers found our practical articles on flashings and the previous Build supplements on bracing and timber decks. From this, an idea was born – a Build supplement focusing on flashings. Thanks to our advertisers, this month most of you will have received a copy of the supplement with this Build. For others, it is available free online. This 100-page supplement brings many of the Build articles on flashings together into one handy reference resource. I hope you find it useful. I would love to hear your feedback.

Annemarie Crampton

Build Editor

For more

You are welcome to send the Editor a note at any time. [email protected]

Download the PDF

Articles are correct at the time of publication but may have since become outdated.

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