Thin Joint Construction

The success and accuracy of building a wall using Thin Joint construction relies on the dimensional accuracy of the blocks being used. Traditional 440mm long lightweight aggregate and dense concrete blocks from our range or from any manufacturer do not possess this level of accuracy.

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Our Airtec range of aerated concrete blocks are perfectly suited to Thin Joint construction (as well as conventional mortar construction) and are the only UK manufactured block to possess the very tightest possible dimensional tolerance category of 'Thin Layer Mortar B' (TLMB). This category requires an additional level of mortar bed flatness and coursing height parallelism of the block as well as tighter length x width x height tolerances.

Generally, when using Thin Joint the overall techniques of building walls, accommodating movement, installing floors and roofs will be familiar to anyone who has ever built a masonry brick and block building. There are however some key differences in design and technique that need to be allowed for when using this method of construction:

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• With mortar joints of only 2-3mm, the coursing heights of the blocks at floor, lintel and roof levels will be different to that when using 10mm conventional mortar. This can be avoided at the design stage but nevertheless the blocks are easily levelled down to required level using sanding rasps during the build.

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• The Thin Joint mortar is a powder supplied in 25kg bags to which water is added. Only a bucket and electric stirrer is required - no cement mixers, shovels, sand, cement is required.

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• The mortar is applied to the blocks using special scoops / sledges which ensures accurate and fully-filled mortar joints of the correct thickness.

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• Flexible movement control mesh is applied along entire courses at certain levels to avoid movement and associated cracking as the blocks dry out naturally.

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• The inner leaf (Airtec thin joint) can be built up independently of the brick outer leaf. Matching of coursing levels of the inner and outer leaf is not important as helical twist steel wall ties are hammered into the inner leaf block face at the necessary outer-leaf course level.

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• Special wall ties, movement and shear ties are available all of which are quick and easy to use and specially designed for use with thin joint aerated blocks.

• Low energy, low carbon homes are achievable without the need for expensive renewable energy technology.

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• Low maintenance costs – no expensive solar panels, damage to walls and reduced energy costs.

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• Lower build costs – up to 15% on framed buildings with same build time.

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• Quicker lead times, no bulk purchases required for servicing site.

• The fabric used in the construction is at the core of our ethos that the materials used should show ecological and sustainable benefits and most importantly provide the dwelling with a long service life with low maintenance.

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• We offer full technical support on design and construction, training and supervision of site staff to ensure that the project is designed and built to the clients’ satisfaction.

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• It is our desire to see the UK build low energy use homes following the principles of PassivHaus in design construction to the highest standards with reductions in energy usage and costly renewable energy sources.