PosiStruts by MiTek Australia - ideal building solution

PosiStruts are the ideal solution for today's building needs because they offer a wide range of real advantages and savings to the architect, engineer and builder. PosiStruts are a truly customised, totally engineered flooring or roofing system which combines the versatility of timber with the strength of steel. PosiStruts' unique 'open web' design also provides excellent access for services, whilst making them lighter than solid timber joists or other alternatives.

"We've been making PosiStruts for over 12 years and see them as an integral part of both our business, and the building industry today and in the future," said Andrew Behmer, Senior Detailer and Estimator with Accurate Roof Trusses.

Like most fabricators, the core of Accurate's business over the years has been in traditional roof truss design, engineering and manufacturing... however PosiStruts now represent a sizeable proportion of their business activities. "PosiStruts make up more than 40% of our production output," added Andrew. "In the early days most builders looked at PosiStruts only as a flooring solution, but the increase in flat-roof designed houses and growing commercial applications also make PosiStruts an excellent choice for roofing applications.

Large, open-planned living areas (requiring large-span trusses) and some more contemporary designs make PosiStruts a perfect choice for builders and developers looking for an easy-to-install, cost-effective building solution. The on-site advantages aren't lost on them either. PosiStrut's open webbed design makes them lighter than solid timber beams, plus they provide easy access for services like plumbing and electrical."

Even though Accurate have been predominately involved in the domestic housing market, the past few years have seen their commercial work-load grow considerably. One of the most recent examples of this was a large project at Beacon Hills College (SE of Melbourne). This relatively new school has experienced dramatic growth � in both student numbers and the infrastructure required to facilitate them.

"MiTek's 20/20 program was used to estimate and detail the Beacon Hills College project after measurements were taken on-site. It was then a matter of producing more than 300 PosiStrut trusses, totaling over 2,000 lineal metre's," exclaimed Andrew.

"Most of the trusses were between 7m and 8m, however some were nearly 10m in length; these were used to accommodate open-ended sections where the parallel, concrete bracing walls exceeded 9m. Extra wind-loadings had to be factored into the design as a result," added Andrew.

Just to complicate things even more, termite treated timber was specified by the Architect. "I think we're one of the few fabricators in Victoria who stock termite treated timber 'off-the-shelf.' In our area it's a necessity. Even if it's not specified on a job, we'll usually recommend it anyway... it's a sort-of insurance policy. It might be a bit more expensive than non-treated timber, but it's a lot cheaper than steel or having to replace work in the future," added Andrew.

"PosiStruts are a must-have for most of our clients now. We find, even if the Architect hasn't specified them, most of our customers demand them. And why wouldn't they? PosiStruts certainly make life a lot easier on-site for them because they're so versatile... and so easy to handle," said Andrew. "But light-weight in handling certainly doesn't mean light-weight in design. All our PosiStruts are designed, engineered and manufactured to meet specific load-bearing requirements... and Australian Standards. That makes them the ideal flooring or roofing solution for homes, commercial and light industrial applications."