Gulf Construction Online - Designer boards

The Big 5

Central Market, UAE ... Primaflex used.

Designer boards

01 October 2012

HUME Cemboard Industries (HCI), a leading Malaysian manufacturer of the Primaboard range of cellulose fibre-reinforced cement boards, will be at The Big 5 show next month aiming to impress upon architects and designers how Primaplank can be used as a durable alternative to natural timber.

In addition, it will be promoting the attributes of Primaflex and Primaliner, which also form part of the Primaboard family of products.

HCI’s products – marketed under the Prima brand in the Gulf – have demonstrated their durability and aesthetic appeal in some of the most prominent projects in the region.

“There is increasing demand, particularly in residential properties, to combine traditional timber with monolithic masonry construction,” says a spokesman for the company. “Using natural timber though may increase future maintenance costs as timber tends to degrade when exposed to harsh climatic conditions. With Primaplank we offer an ideal wood substitute.”

Primaplank has superior properties compared with natural timber and is suitable for use in many types of buildings such as residential units, resorts and hotels, according to the spokesman. The product is designed for external wall, gable end cladding, decorative fencing and fascia applications.

“While resembling timber, it offers a durable alternative and adds depth and texture to mundane surfaces,” says the spokesman. “Primaplank has become extremely popular when a relatively maintenance-free timber planking appearance is desired.”

Primaplank gains its strength through an autoclaving process, which transforms the cement mix into a fire-, termite- and weather-resistant fibre-cement product. “Autoclaving is one of the critical processes in the making of Primaplank where the curing period of the cement mix has been drastically reduced to 24 hours, from 28 days, to reach maximum strength,” he comments. “Under normal weather conditions, Primaplank is expected to remain durable for at least 50 years.”

The environment-friendly product is structurally strong, dimensionally stable, easy to paint with any colour, low on maintenance and fungus resistant.

Primaflex .... chosen for The Ritz-Carlton, DIFC in Dubai.

Primaplank is available in various widths and lengths with options of surface textures including Smooth Surface (for traditional timber look), Woodgrain, Cedar and Pinewood (for enhanced timber profiling). Offered in thicknesses of 7.5 mm, 9 mm and 12 mm, Primaplank can be cut to standard widths of 209 mm, 230 mm and 300 mm with standard lengths varying from 3,660 mm to 4,200 mm.

Primaplank is simple to apply and can be nailed or fastened with suitable screws onto timber or steel framework. When used as screening, gate and fencing, the planks can be cut to the required width and length to suit specific project requirements.

Meanwhile, Primaflex is a multi-purpose board suitable for ceiling and eaves lining, flooring, roof sarking, gable ends, external wall cladding, panelling and many other building applications due to its fire-resistant character, stability and durability.

HCI has supplied its Prima brand products to many prestigious projects in the region. In the UAE, Primaflex was used at the Central Market for internal walls, Workers City for external and internal walls, Adnec Tower for the ceilings and partitions, and at Rosewood Hotel Abu Dhabi for internal walls, all in Abu Dhabi; as well as at The Ritz-Carlton, Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) for internal wet areas, U Bora Tower as partitions, the Dubai Metro project in ceiling and lifts shaft lining applications, Burj Al Arab, and The Palm (where 6 mm Primaflex was used for ceiling applications), all in Dubai.

Meanwhile, Primaliner designed for smooth lining of ceilings and walls in wet or dry areas, offers superior dimensional stability and water resistance properties and can be confidently applied in humid and wet areas such as washrooms and car porches, providing seamless joint finishing, he says.

The Primaboard range of cement-based building boards provides internal lining and external cladding solutions for residential, industrial and commercial markets. The autoclaved boards are made from high-grade, non-toxic cellulose fibre, quality Portland cement, sand, water and additives. “The cellulose fibre-cement product offers flexural strength, durability as well as impact, termite and fire resistance – all the properties that meet the requirements of the building industry and international standards,” says the spokesman.

These products are free from asbestos and are suitable for one-hour to two-hour fire-rated drywall systems. Because of Primaboard’s multiple advantages, it is also suitable for prefabricated buildings and portable cabins, he says.

“Fibre-cement products are very durable and require very little maintenance during their lifetime. They do not suffer the traditional durability problems of timber or PVC (polyvinyl chloride)-based cladding materials. They also have an average service life of more than 50 years,” the spokesman points out.

As an ideal substitute for wood, it also helps reduce deforestation.

Other products under the Prima brand are Primabase, Primalux, Prima ceramic tile underlay, Primaaqua, Primalattice, Primaraya and Primavent.

All products are available in a variety of sizes and thicknesses, ranging from 3.2 mm to 16 mm with standard dimensions of 1,200 mm by 2,400 mm (although other sizes are available) and are widely used in new homes and commercial buildings and renovation projects, for exterior cladding and internal lining, bracing, decorative elements and fencing, according to the company.

HCI is an ISO 9001:2000-accredited manufacturer and its two plants have a combined design capacity exceeding 300,000 tonnes or 48,000,000 sq m per year. The company is a significant player in the Asia-Pacific region, exporting more than 50 per cent of its production to over 40 countries worldwide.

Certified to ISO 14001:2004, HCI is governed by law on its environmental programme, covering the organisation’s environmental management systems, and operates in an environmentally-sustainable manner in terms of timber pallet reduction, upgrading its drainage system, efficient management of waste and chemicals, sludge recycling and upgrading of dust collectors.

HCI has its own R&D (research and development) centre, which is the first of its kind in Asia to conform to ISO/IEC 17025:2005 – a general requirement for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories, according to the spokesman.

HCI will be exhibiting at The Big 5 show at Stand C146 in the Saeed Hall.