The innovative Ultrafloor system was pioneered in New South Wales during the early 1990s and after extensive use in the Sydney-Newcastle region is now available across the whole of Australia. Ultrafloor is efficient, cost effective and simple to install. The primary aim in the development of the Ultrafloor system was firstly to greatly reduce propping as well as costly and wasteful formwork from the process of constructing a reinforced concrete suspended floor, and secondly to create a quick and simple installation procedure. To achieve this, a system was developed (and refined over the years) whereby:           1     Precast prestressed concrete beams are layed out in a grid according to the geometry of the building, supported on brick piers, walls or primary beams (Ultrafloor precast bearers, steel or reinforced concrete) and spaced appropriately. 2     13mm thick fibre-cement formboard is placed between the Ultrafloor beams to act as permanent, lost formwork. 3     A light reinforcing mesh is placed over the surface and services, penetrations and sleeves are positioned. 4     The concrete is poured to a nominal thickness of 90mm or 100mm depending on the system selected, creating a structural composite section of 180mm or 200mm depth.     Benefits of using U/F in Housing Application  The Ultrafloor system has many benefits for both the builder and the owner. Termite Resistance All components of the Ultrafloor system are resistant to termites and a physical termite barrier is easily incorporated into the system. Simple Installation Less propping and no stripping of formwork. The installation of services, too, is simple. No propping is necessary for standard house beams spanning up to 4.5m (and for greater spans and loads other off-the-shelf Ultrafloor beams are available as shown in the design chart). Economic Benefits / Cost Efficiency Speed of construction is increased - an average house floor can be completed in one day. Unnecessary underfloor ground clearance. The slab can be ready as a working platform the next day. Eliminates the need for cut-and-fill. Eliminates the need for retaining walls. Eliminates the need for moisture membranes. For these reasons Ultrafloor is particularly suited for sloping sites. Less Environmental Impact Eliminates possible drainage problems and silt erosion from sites. The high thermal mass of the concrete floor stabilises the internal temperature of the building, reducing heating and cooling costs. No need for potentially dangerous chemicals to counter termites. Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) studies by the University of New South Wales have shown that there is merit in using fibre-cement as the material has a relatively low embodied energy. Considering the amount of timber formwork that is saved by using the formwork sheet and the thermal efficiency of the completed floor, there is added environmental benefit. Sound Insulation The Ultrafloor system naturally has a high sound insulation performance. The basic floor system without a ceiling has an Rw (or STC) rating of 53, and with a suspended ceiling it increases to 57. Its impact sound resistance (as measured by the IIC value) is good too and due to the inherent adaptability of the system can be increased by incorporating a resilient layer, floating floor surface, resilient-mounted ceilings etc. Refer to the Ultrafloor Acoustics brochure for more details. Maintenance Free No squeaky, bouncy floors, timber shrinkage or long-term decay. Easy to incorporate set-downs in wet areas or balconies. Ideal surface finish for either vinyl sheeting, ceramic tiles or carpet coverings. Technical Superiority A quality-controlled, prestressed concrete composite system of guaranteed performance, eliminating supervisory problems often associated with slab-on-ground construction. Underfloor Advantages Creates underfloor storage space, free of piers. Ideal for creating garages on sloping sites, reducing the need for steel beams. Access to plumbing Fire Resistance Ultrafloor is non-combustible and has been tested by CSIRO in accordance with AS 1530.4-1990 to have a fire protection rating of FRL 120/120/120 - thus ideal for floors and decks in bushfire-prone areas. Download Housing Brochure              UltraFloor Band Beam System                                                         130R System (130R/400, 130R/500) Click on image below for 130R Sytem Properties This system has primarily been developed for use where a minimum floor zone thickness is required, usually in residential applications. The finished floor thickness is nominally 180mm.Beams are spaced at 480mm for the 130R/400 system and at 580mm for the 130R/500 system. This system has been tested by CSIRO in accordance with AS 1530.4-1997 and can be used (without a ceiling) in typical applications that require a fire resistance level (FRL) of 120/120/120. 130C System (130C/400, 130C/500) Click on image below for 130C Sytem Properties This system has primarily been developed for use where a minimum floor zone thickness is required. The finished floor thickness is nominally 180mm. Beams are spaced at 540mm for the 130C/400 system and at 640mm for the 130C/500 system. CSIRO has issued an opinion that it can be used (without a ceiling) in typical applications that require a fire resistance level (FRL) of 120/120/120.      150R System (150R/400, 150R/500) Click on image below for 150R Sytem Properties This system is ideal for typical applications, such as unit construction, schools, retirement villages, etc and produces a 200mm thick floor. Beams are spaced at 480mm for the 150R/400 system and at 580mm for the 150R/500 system. This system has been tested by CSIRO in accordance with AS 1530.4-1997 and can be used (without a ceiling) in typical applications that require a fire resistance level (FRL) of 120/120/120.      150C System (150C/400, 150C/500) Click on image below for 150C Sytem Properties This beam is designed for longer spans. It is ideal to combine with the 150R Ultrafloor system as itis the same depth and produces a 200mm thick floor. Beams are spaced at 600mm for the 150C/400 system and at 700mm for the 150C/500 system. Tested by CSIRO in accordance with AS 1530.4-1997, this system (without a ceiling) attained a fire resistance level (FRL) of 240/240/150. The FRL can be enhanced to 240/240/180 with a 113mm topping, or to 240/240/240 with a 138mm thick topping.