Senior, Junior or Lite? Which AliDeck aluminium decking board is right for your project?
In recent years, the specification of non-combustible materials in the external envelope of buildings has increased dramatically in order to meet compliance. Many architects, specifiers, and balcony manufacturers have already identified AliDeck’s extensive range of aluminium decking and balcony component solutions as the de-facto industry standard.
A new landscape for construction, non-combustible materials now essential for external walls
When planning for future projects, it’s important to factor all aspects into each decision. Meeting deadlines relies on the dependability of external suppliers and the quality and functionality of their supplied construction materials. Not only will the right products need to be on site at the right times, but these products must be fully compliant to meet the necessary specifications and any disruptions may cause severe delays.
Each project is unique and presents a range of challenges in which the design of the building, the balcony framework and the customers own specifications must be considered for your projects to be successful. All new-build balcony projects where the building is above 18m must now use non-combustible decking materials, as per Approved Document B, but the practical reality of the Fire Safety Bill and PAS 9980 mean that non-combustible materials are being sought for buildings of all heights.
Therefore, it is ideal for all stakeholders involved to make proactive decisions that will help the industry and thousands of concerned leaseholders move towards a fire-safe future, and non-combustible decking boards are a certain route to compliance.
Aluminium decking to achieve compliance and success in your projects
Our range of fire-rated decking is proving increasingly popular and the AliDeck Senior Board is a great example of the benefits aluminium decking can offer to your balcony projects. Available in Flat or Ridged options, the non-combustible and non-slip decking boards can span a total of 1,200mm and have a board depth of 30mm. This allows for a lightweight design with highly durable load bearing capabilities. The Senior Board has passed all essential safety testing, and deflects less than 5mm under a 2.0kN point load, in line with the requirements of BS8579:2020.
The AliDeck Junior Board is also designed as a quick-fit solution for easy installation. However, as a streamline decking board, the maximum span is 800mm, with a board depth of 20mm. While this means the Junior Board requires more underside support than the Senior Board, the board is significantly lighter but still as strong, deflecting less than 5mm under a 2.0kN point load.
The AliDeck Lite Board is a low-profile and cost-effective decking board, designed specifically for retrofit and replacement projects but also an excellent option for new-build construction. Spanning 600mm with 20mm board depth, the Lite Board also deflects less than 5mm under 2.0kN point load despite weighing significantly less than even our Junior Board. The board utilises a clip fixing system rather than a top-down fixing method as used on our other boards.
With these key physical characteristics from each of our aluminium decking boards, correct specification can be easily achieved by understanding how the benefits offered can be applied to your balcony design.
The use of our long-spanning Senior Board means that steel framework can be minimised, saving materials cost and helping enhance your green credentials. The use of our Lite Board provides a light-weight flooring option at low cost. When our boards are used in combination with our joists and pedestals, specific build-up heights for all scenarios are easily achieved.
Wide range of options designed to provide aluminium decking choices to suit
All of our boards are made entirely out of 6063 T6 grade aluminium, 67% of which has been recycled. We’re so confident in all of our aluminium decking and balcony components that they come a 60-year life expectancy with 30-year manufacturer warranty. Choosing the right board for your project helps to unlock project success and provide a life time of good service for your balconies.
The future of balcony design is found within the component systems offered by AliDeck. Our wide range of class-A decking boards means that we are unrivalled in providing cost-effective and futureproof solutions to industry.
If you would like to discuss our aluminium decking boards in more detail, please call our technical support team on 01622 235 672 or email us at info@alideck.co.uk.
