R-WALL & Construction

R-WALL was designed and created around the government White paper which requires change in the construction industry. UK construction has been slow to improve and modernise, but this is something the government are pushing to alter. We have recently been hit with major changes to building regulations and this is just the first step in the pathway to improvement.

This need is fuelled by two major issues facing the UK, firstly the UK's major housing crisis and secondly the global requirement for Net Zero. Houses need to be built quicker, with less skilled labour and perform to a much higher standard. R-WALL has been designed and government supported to offer a build technique which answers all theses issues. Read on for how!

Fast constructions, lightweight materials

R-Boards are provided in 2.5m lengths, working with R-WALL you will lay 2 of these in one go which is equivalent to laying 14 concrete blocks - no mixing mortar, no loading out of blocks or heavy lifting equipment. In fact the equivalent of half a pallet of concrete blocks can be carried with ease on your shoulder. This results in sites requiring no heavy lifting equipment and health and safety is drastically improved. As an indication to speed, we have trained 3 builders in the use of R-WALL, during the month of January off the rugged Cornish coast just meters from the coastal path, they built poured and were ready for wall finishings, windows and roof in 8 days!

4 components and you can build anything!

With just 4 components you can build anything, curves of any degree, corners at any angle, openings at any size.

Lintels are formed with the R-WALL creating a monolithic structure within the formwork.

Less Skilled Labour and comprehensive training

Whilst any form of construction requires a level of expertise and knowledge, the actual build process of R-WALL is simple. The use of basic hand tools is the main pre-requisites, but even that can be taught! We offer a fully comprehensive training package which is conducted on the build site. No classroom power points - but visual demonstrations at each stage of the build process, including 1st pour. The client is further supported with an installation guide and technical telephone line. Our support is first class and our 5 star reviews reflect that - check them out on google!

Increased Formwork strength

Older forms of ICF systems were notorious for failure when concrete was poured into the cavity. A quick internet search will reveal ICF systems covered in wood and metal strappings - adding cost and time to the build process. Pours would take hours, resulting in additional costs for pump and lorry waiting times. Not the case with R-WALL! Each R-Tie is designed to hold 250kg in weight, that's the weight of a small motorbike! With 6 R-Ties per ladder that's a 1.5 Tonne pull out force! Modular or EPS based ICF systems would be reliant on the blocks insulation undulations to form their coursings. Therefore they are reliant on the strength of the EPS (around 100 KPA) to bond their coursings, R-WALL however uses XPS which is approximately 3 times the strength (300 KPA) and connects its courses with a recycled plastic R-Rail, adding even more strength! Hence why you wont see R-WALL covered in strapping - its simply not required!

Unaffected by Weather, meet those construction deadlines!

R-WALL is unaffected by wet or damp. The insulation used in R-WALL can sit in a pool of water under total submersion for 25 years and the absorption is almost zero. This means that the worst of the British weather wont delay the build process and the materials that form the resulting superstructure will not be adversely affected. Timber frame and Standard construction on the other hand are hampered by wet weather issues, from delays in blocking, to insulation saturation and rotting of timbers that form the main structure of the home. This means that construction deadlines can be met and earning potential for contractors increased.

The fact that the insulation doesn't absorb water or moisture is paramount to ensuring thermal performance. Any form of water in insulation has severe and detrimental affects.

Reduced on site waste

R-WALL off cuts can be re-used back into the system, significantly reducing onsite waste which can be costly for disposal. All the components are individual, so fully recyclable.

UK based and designed

R-WALL was created in the UK for the UK market. This means materials are easily obtained and unaffected by importation type delays, ensuring smooth supply. The design itself has been created for the UK market and therefore unlike many of the imported ICF systems (imperial), they work with the metric building materials in this country. R-WALLs fixings are horizontal every 298 mm up the wall, meaning you never miss a fixing and walls remain straight. Imported EPS based ICF systems often have vertical fixings which can allow "whipping" or un-straight walls and means fixings, for example, with plasterboard sheets cannot be found, creating more work cutting or battening off walls.

Quick and easy wall finishes

Its not just the super structure that fly's up, so too do the following trades. The Plasterboard is screwed straight into the R-Rails - no dot and dabbing. Claddings screw into the R-Rails with simple batten, or for very heavy claddings back to the concrete core, renders go straight on the R-WALL. Electrics chase quickly and easily into the insulation. Easy, quick and uncomplicated!