A development of luxury apartments in Leeds is the latest residential project to specify Neaco’s Neatdek fireproof decking, which is fast becoming the external flooring of choice for architects, housebuilders and contractors seeking to maximize safety in all areas of design.
Various balconies and terraces on the upper floors feature our decking grilles which are manufactured from aluminium, a non-combustible metal which has a Class 0 Fire rating (the highest possible) with reference to the spread of flame. These attributes represent a clear advantage over timber, composite decking and GRP flooring, but aluminium also peforms better against other metals. For example, the thermal conductivity of aluminium is around four times that of steel and its specific heat twice that of steel. This means that heat is conducted away faster and a greater heat input is necessary to bring the same mass of aluminium to a given temperature in comparison to steel. Where an aluminium structure is exposed to the heat of a fire, the high thermal conductivity enables the heat to be rapidly conducted away from the exposed area and help to reduce hot spots.
Neaco’s National Sales Manager, Peter Melia, said:
“In the post-Grenfell climate, using fireproof materials where possible is a high priority for specifiers and fireproof decking is undoubtedly an area of design in which the choice of materials can make a big difference to safety. We have been talking to many architects regarding the use of our Neatdek aluminium systems on a wide variety of new build schemes and this new apartment development in Leeds, which also features our aluminium balustrade and glass Juliet balconies, is a typical example. We have also met widespread demand from refurbishment and renovation projects which require the replacement of timber decking with fireproof decking.
Using timber joists on balconies is now widely prohibited by housebuilding warranty providers. Steel is the preferred substitute but it’s expensive, so simple cost savings can be made by reducing the amount of required steelwork support. This can be achieved with the use of decking that is lightweight yet high in load-bearing capacity. The structural efficiency of our aluminium decking provides this as joists are only required at 2000m centres compared to around 450mm for most composite decking.”
Neatdek decking also offers excellent slip resistance with a specially engineered surface. The T-bar profile of the grille provides a generous foot contact area yet drains efficiently without the need for drainpipes or soffits. We also supply the system with inserts between the grille bars. Our innovative Neatdek 188 system is an alternative profile with concealed drainage which enables a 100% foot contact area.