Flexcell: The Leading Expansion Joint Filler
Whatever building materials you need, Greengates Builders Merchant is the place to come for them. We always have a comprehensive selection in stock, all of which are made available to our discerning customers at a consistently-competitive price point. This edition of the Greengates blog focuses on Flexcell expansion joint strips, which are designed to be used when building with concrete slabs.
To a greater or lesser degree, all types of construction materials are affected by natural fluctuations in temperature, contracting and expanding as the temperature changes; concrete is no exception. During the expansion process, concrete is prone to buckling while the contraction that follows can leave gaps between slabs. To prevent these processes, along with the damage they cause, from occurring, the concrete slabs should have fillers between them.
One of the best solutions is to use expansion joint fillers, which are sometimes known as movement joint fillers. Whatever they are named, these fillers are primarily used between each concrete slab but can also be used successfully to isolate slabs from adjacent structures, preventing the damage that can occur during natural contraction and expansion cycles.
When it comes to choosing among the many expansion joint fillers available on today's market, one of the most reliable brands is Flexcell. Designed to deliver the very best qualities in terms of compression and recovery, the fillers are crafted from wood fibre board with the addition of bitumen. Exceptionally durable, these top-quality movement joint fillers ensure a long, low-maintenance service life for any structure made using concrete slabs.
A carefully-curated mixture of softwood and hardwood fibres are used to manufacture the fillers, which are then impregnated with 12.5% bitumen of premium quality. This composition ensures that the fillers can be compressed to as much as 50% of their own thickness without extrusion and can recover a minimum of 70% of the original thickness after the compression process. Flexcell fillers have been repeatedly tested to ensure that they meet the demanding criteria of the BS 1142:1989 standard.
The impregnation of bitumen to Flexcell fillers ensures that they display an especially low level of moisture absorption and that no damage is caused to them during the inevitable freeze/thaw cycle. Their textured surfaces provide the perfect interface with the concrete substrate, ensuring that the filler will not become loosened when slabs expand and contract.
Greengates Builders Merchant Accrington proudly supplies Flexcell expansion joint fillers as single items or in a cost-effective bulk pack for larger jobs. Please visit the product page or get in touch with our expert technical team for further information.