CUBE6

Delivery and Installation

Delivery and site handling

Site Preperation
The ground below the joist should be stripped of all vegetation and prepared in accordance with Building Control.

Delivery
Unless otherwise stated the beams will be delivered on articulated vehicles. It is the responsibility of the customer to advise CUBE6 of any problems with access to or onto the site. Where requested, beams can be mechanically off-loaded by CUBE6 to a central point. Assistance will be required to enable the off-loading procedure.

Stacking and Storage
Floorjoists will break if not handled with care. They must be stored on ground that is firm, dry and level. Beams must be stacked in line with the Stacking Guidelines. Timber bearers will be provided by CUBE6 and remain the property of CUBE6 Limited, these timbers should be retained for collection by CUBE6.

Underfloor Voids
A minimum ventilation void of 75mm should be provided below the suspended floor to the top of ground level. On shrinkable soil where heave could take place, the following allowance for movement should be added:

• Heavy potential - 150mm , Medium potential - 100mm , Low potential - 50mm

These voids will require venting to achieve not less than 1500mm2 per metre run of external wall, see CUBE6 layout drawings for positions. See Ventilation Product Sheet for more information.

Placement of Beams
Beams at ground floor are to be placed on a mortar bedded Damp Proof Course. The beams must achieve a minimum bearing of 90mm on masonry, 75mm on steel. The beams must not be allowed to protrude into the cavity.

Delivery and site handling of Polystyrene Panels

• Polystyrene components are supplied in shrink-wrapped packs, but are unprotected. Reasonable care must be taken whilst storing and moving the panels to avoid damage.
• The polystyrene components should be stored under cover, stacked on a flat base, clear of the ground and protected against direct sunlight and secured to avoid wind damage. Care must be taken to avoid contact with solvents and with materials containing volatile organic components, such as coal tar, pitch and timber newly treated with creosote.
  

Installation
Care must be taken not to overload the floor joists or polystyrene blocks during the construction period. Boards are to be laid where any wheel barrows are to be used.

• With the first joist accurately positioned, the polystyrene panels are placed into position ensuring that the toes are slipped underneath the joist and fitting snugly onto the shoulder of the joist before rotating into position on the shoulder of the adjacent joist. Panels can be cut to fit at the end of the rows. This procedure continues until the floor bay is complete.
• Cut panels less than 450mm long must not be placed into the floor.
• Where beams are laid in pairs/triple, the underside of the joists will be exposed. To provide continuous cover the insulation panels need to be extended by cutting 1200mm long cover strips of polystyrene (sheets supplied with the panels) to suit and securing using fixing pins at 600mm centres.
• Where cut rows occur standard panels can be cut lengthways to suit the joist centres and a 20 mm by 90 mm rebate trimmed from the cut edge to fit snugly onto the joist shoulder.
• Once the panels are installed, care must be taken not to walk on them. If a temporary working platform is required the panels should be covered with a suitably rigid board. To avoid damage to the polystyrene panels, the structural floor screed should be laid as soon as possible after the blocks have been installed.
• Prior to pouring the structural floor screed it must be ensured that the polystyrene blocks are centrally located between the concrete joists with a maximum gap of 5 mm between the polystyrene and the joist face. These gaps may be due to normal construction or manufacturing tolerances.
• Where gaps occur, concrete is placed along the edges of the polystyrene blocks to prevent displacement during the main concreting operation.
• A DPM (maximum 1200 gauge) will be required should a self levelling screed be used.
• When using a concrete pump, truck or skip, concrete should not be discharged onto the polystyrene blocks from heights greater than 300 mm and concrete heaps must not be formed over 150 mm high.
• When wheelbarrows are used, planks must be placed to spread the wheel load to the concrete joists. Spot boards must be used when tipping and shoveling.
• The structural screed should be placed and compacted. Provision should be made for a suitable concrete finish to be achieved without standing on or overloading the polystyrene panels.

Concrete Specification

• Minimum 60mm thick, C30 concrete reinforced with A142 mesh or
• Minimum 60mm thick, C30 concrete incorporating 0.91kg/m3 of Fibrin 23 polypropylene fibres or
• Minimum 60mm thick, C35 self levelling/self compacting concrete incorporating 0.75kg/m3 of Fibrin PC12 polypropylene.