Thread: Anyone used this system before?

Not used it but its being advertised heavily as a solution to building on sloping sites. Don't quite understand how it would be any better than timber framed floor though other than termites etc.

Was written up in one of the recent issues of Owner Builders magazine, looked an interesting system, very easy to level. Certainly termite proof until such time as we genetically modify termites to attack steel

'This system' is the duragal flooring system (just to save you the trip).

I looked at it for my extension, and whilst I went with steel, I didnt use the "adjustable top connector allows for the pier height to be adjusted before or after installation" because of the cost. You need to add close to $50 per post for the pair of top and bottom connectors. I had 58 posts! I sidestepped the problem of building on a sloping site, by a) not building on a sloping site and b) welding the stumps to bottom of the bearers and then hanging the bearers in the holes before the concrete pour.

The other thing to consider is how you get around the issue of fixing your flooring to the steel joists if you have a timber floor.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Shedhand

Not used it but its being advertised heavily as a solution to building on sloping sites. Don't quite understand how it would be any better than timber framed floor though other than termites etc.

Thanks for the reply

The block is in the country so I might be limited to builders

Forget the termite issue would a timber structure be easier to build(in a high bushfire area) than this and would general builders be keener to take the timber flooring

I've used Unipiers before and they're cheaper and quicker than laying brick piers. As for steel framing and floor framing it has its advantages and disadvantages but I wouldn't use it.
It won't be eaten by termites, it won't burn, it's straight and true and comes in whatever lengths you specify with no wastage.
But it conducts electricity if your wiring is faulty or eaten by mice (though I believe that cable today is treated with a chemical that mice are averse to chewing), it can corrode if close to salt water, it's more expensive, it's more labour intensive fixing it (drilling, screwing etc) and you often end up having to fix timber to it anyway to make it easier for yourself (e.g nailing down a timber floor or fixing blueboard or cladding with nails rather than drilling and having big screw heads all over the place) so it costs even more in labour and materials on top of the original purchase price. Besides that, steel is a bugger to work with, i.e. sparks, sharp edges etc,

Planning to use a steel sub floor (piers & bearers) on my impending reno & extension. But will be avoiding (if possible) Uni-pier et al. due to the previously mentioned issues with price per stump. Probably won't be using Onesteel et al for basic steel due to cost too.....

I'm just finishing building and have used similar.

I'm on a slope and in a bushfire prone area. For time, cost, speed and safety reasons I decided to go for a mixture of timber and steel (using Duragal).

If you use steel the floor joists will cost over half the total subfloor cost - go timber for joists and steel for the posts and bearers, this is most economical.

I went for 150x50mm steel bearers giving over 3.5m bearer span (although I used it for 2 and 3m spans). Timber I used 140x35 hardwood for 2.6m spans (but again suitable for > 3m).

Cheers & good luck!

I have a slightly slopping block 5m over 52m and I used 100x100 galv steel posts welded to steel saddles set in concrete piers (excavated to bedrock - average 750mm) I used 145x84 tas Oak lamibeams at 1.8m centres for bearers and 135x42 Kiln Dried Tas Oak for joists at 450mm centres. I then glued and nailed 19mm green tongue trudek flooring and then glued and secret nailed 80x19mm Tas Oak flooring over that. Solid as a rock and warm to boot.

I built a commercial building about 3 years ago using the system,and I thought it was brilliant.All up was close to 1000m3,which included some decking.Good to work with, straight,long lengths etc etc etc

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