All steel sub-floor system and termite control
Elevated flooring is used in around one-fifth of dwellings in Australia for various reasons including levelling buildings on sloping sites and for termite control. Increasingly the use of steel sub-floor systems is gaining popularity due to their strength, ease of installation and resistance to termite damage. These sub-floor systems consist of cold-formed steel bearers and joists installed on either steel or brickwork pillars. Though, due to the superior strength of steel, fewer pillars are required when steel is used and adjustable levelling of these pillars allows for easy and quick installation.
Steel sub-floor systems are also an effective front-line of defence against termite attack.
Commonly houses in Australia are brick veneer constructions consisting of a timber frame built on a concrete slab. A properly laid and compacted concrete slab, with exposed perimeters to make any termite activity visible, is a good defence. Though often things can go wrong – concrete slabs are not installed properly and intentionally exposed edges are covered with soil. Therefore, buildings constructed in this way are at significant risk of termite attack.
The key to termite control is the ability to see and inspect possible entry points on a building. Elevated flooring, which must be at least 400mm above ground level, allows for this visibility. Termites’ avoidance of light means that they must enter a building either directly from the ground or, if this is not possible, through tunnels. These tunnels are clearly visible under elevated flooring and are able to be dealt with before the termites enter the building.
The use of steel for sub-floor systems then adds another layer of defence to elevated flooring. Steel is termite-proof and does not attract termites. Coupled with steel house frame and roof trusses, such a construction would guarantee strength, longevity and protection for that building.