Beautiful exterior spaces add tremendous value to residential building projects. However, exterior spaces in many developments face problems from defective construction methods, resulting in broken surfaces and leaky buildings. These defects are mainly caused by cracked concrete panels or exterior tiles being fixed directly onto the waterproof membrane. The latter, for instance, may have been cost-effective for the builder at the time of installation, but rectifying damaged membranes is an expensive process with the apartment owners left to pay for any remediation.
Designing and constructing exterior spaces from shared rooftop decks to individual apartment balconies demand careful planning and expertise as well as the choice of the right kind of materials, ensuring that these spaces continue to deliver value to the residents well into the future.
Australian company Outdure offers the QwickBuild system, a structural framework solution that directly addresses the issues around paving over waterproof membranes. The low-profile frames of QwickBuild maximise available vertical space while the 'floating' design eliminates membrane penetration. Should membrane/ services inspection or rectification be required, the pedestrian surfaces can be easily removed and reassembled.
Key advantages of the QwickBuild frames also include modular design with prefabricated components reducing installation time onsite by up to 65%; application versatility enabling installation over concrete and natural ground surfaces; ability to support decking, exterior tiles and turf making it ideal for rooftop deck spaces; and QwickGrates ventilation and access grilles ensuring membrane health.
