There is information coming out of America that plasterboard* imported from China is creating problems in relation to corrosion of metal components that it comes into contact and potential health and safety issues.
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The Australian Government has announced the phase-out or inefficient incandescent light bulbs over the next 3 years. The intention of the phase-out is to reduce energy consumption throughout the country as part of the Government’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gases by 60 per cent by 2050.
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The upward or downward movement of a concrete slab’s corners or edges due to moisture and/or temperature differentials within the concrete is known as ‘curling’ or ‘warping’.
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The selection of right render types, construction procedures and surface finishes using renders are all important to having the right render for the job.
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Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials. Anyone who uses concrete or is responsible for managing or supervising its use should be aware that it may be a hazard.
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The uncontrolled addition of water on site effectively changes the concrete mix design and should not be permitted.
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Mortar has three primary functions. The mortar must be durable, sufficiently resilient to accommodate minor movements and self-healing so small cracks do not become permanent leakage paths.
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WELS was introduced in 2005 as a joint Federal and State Government initiative backed by the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 to replace the 4A water efficiency rating system. The objective of the scheme is to encourage manufacturers to develop and market appliances and fittings that are more water efficient and to help consumers clearly identify and purchase water efficient products.
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Slab-on-ground houses located next to large trees can have problems later on in the life of the house, unless the right things are done to minimise the risk from tree roots.
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Corrosion of metal is a very complex subject. Several issues are presented in this information sheet to highlight how to select the right fastners for the right conditions.
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The requirements for smaller concrete jobs are subject to the same strength and quality requirements as for pre-mixed concrete. Yet there seems to be a lack of knowledge about how to estimate the raw materials for smaller volumes of hand mixed concrete and subsequently there sometimes ends up being a loss of quality, particularly strength in the finished product.
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The standard practice when dimensioning floor plans is to show room size dimensions between the structural components of the walls and not include internal wall linings, for example plasterboard or wall tiling. However for ceiling heights, there is some difference of opinion within the building industry as to whether the dimension includes floor and ceiling linings or finishes.
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HIA receives many enquiries in relation to the residential timber framing manual or AS 1684 as to which is the better document to adopt, the simplified version or AS 1684 Part 4 or the standard version that part 4 was based on, AS 1684 part 2. The following information may assist members to choose.
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Concrete is one of the easiest products to customise, it can be ground, polished, stamped, or stained, you can have glass, marble chips or other objects embedded in it. You can mould and sculpt it to create your own exclusive design and turn a rudimentary kitchen bench top into a distinctive piece of art.
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