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Case Study
In a £3.6 million regeneration project, 4000 m2 of SMARTPLY ULTIMA OSB4 panels have been used for the design and construction of 11 new barn style houses in Solihull.
‘Home Farm’ is a brand-new residential housing development project that is transforming a derelict farmyard. The construction project started in November 2018, and is due for completion in May 2020.
The 11 barns on the site presented large sides and high ceilings, meaning heavy duty, large scale timber panels were required. The perfect application for SMARTPLY ULTIMA OSB4.
“We chose to use SMARTPLY ULTIMA as an alternative to plywood, because it was to be clad in aluminium panels, so we needed something really strong and reliable,” said Chris Watson, Quantity Surveyor for Nobles Construction, the contractor for the project.
SMARTPLY ULTIMA, manufactured by MEDITE SMARTPLY, is an extremely high-performance engineered OSB4 wood panel developed for the most demanding structural applications, including those in offsite manufacturing and construction.
“One of SMARTPLY ULTIMA’s features that we appreciate the most is the fact that it is a high performance yet cost-effective solution in humid and high-load structural applications.”
SMARTPLY ULTIMA is manufactured using state of the art ContiRoll® technology which creates a smooth, consistent wood panel that can be produced in largescale formats of up to 2.8m wide by 7.5m long—an ideal panel for offsite projects allowing entire sides of buildings to be sheathed with minimal effort and time spent.
Able to be manufactured up to a maximum thickness of 40mm, SMARTPLY ULTIMA features enhanced moisture resistance, contains no added formaldehyde and is sustainably produced.
Although Home Farm’s construction started two years ago, SMARTPLY ULTIMA panels were introduced to the project in May 2019.
“I would definitely recommend using SMARTPLY ULTIMA. Not only are they FSC® Certified, but they are also ideal for timber frame and construction projects with large spans,” Chris explains.
“We have really felt the benefit of SMARTPLY ULTIMA’s increased racking strength, high load-bearing capacity, and overall improved rigidity; all pluses for this type of project.
“This is my first time working on a project using MEDITE SMARTPLY products, and overall, it has been a very satisfying experience. I will definitely specify the company products in the future.”
Based out of Liverpool in the UK, Nobles Construction was established in 1995 and is now one of the leading construction companies in the North West. They are known for the consistent quality of their construction and their dedicated, skilled staff who strengthen their reputation.
Keep up with them here: noblesconstruction.co.uk/
Find out more about SMARTPLY ULTIMA OSB4 here: mdfosb.com/en/smartply/products/smartply-ultima
