Posi-Joists have tested extremely favourably in the UK and EU with regard to both fire resistance and sound resistance. These are both essential qualities in structures that will meet all the needs of a building’s owners and occupants. The unique design of Posi-Joists – provided the products are used with the correct floorboards, ensures that they meet the British and European standards for acoustics and fire. These standards are similar to those imposed by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), making Posi-Joists ideal and safe for use in construction projects here in South Africa.
Fire resistance
The requirement for fire resistance of domestic intermediate floors is 30 minutes. Most of this resistance is actually provided by the floorboards, assisted by the flooring joists. In the UK and Europe, Posi-Joists were tested with a variety of plasterboards and were found to be compliant with the standards of both authorities. With both 15mm and 12.5mm Type A plasterboards, Posi-Joists were found to provide at least 30 minutes of fire resistance.
Sound resistance
When it comes to sound resistance, Posi-Joists were tested with a variety of chipboard walking surfaces ranging in thickness from 202mm to 253mm. In each case, they met or exceeded the British Standards requirement of airborne sound resistance of 40dB. With the thicker chipboard, a resistance against 44dB was achieved.
Posi-Joists – the perfect choice for intermediate flooring
Thanks to Posi-Joists’ high resistance to sound and fire, they are excellent for the construction of upper intermediate flooring, making them ideal for upper floor additions, where they will both ensure quiet and privacy for residents and hold out for 30 minutes or more in the event of a fire.
For more information on the acoustic and fire-resistant qualities of Posi-Joist, as well as their many other benefits, contact MiTek.
