The use of pre-formed boxings and casing, for concealing pipework on social housing refurbishment projects, has gradually overtaken the time intensive process of fabricating and finishing individual boxings on site, to become the preferred solution for many registered providers and contractors.
While the most obvious and persuasive advantages of using ready-made plywood boxing are the significant reductions in time and costs that can be achieved, aesthetics have also played an increasingly large role in the decision to adopt ‘pre-made’ over ‘site-made’.
Smooth profiles
Pre-formed boxing is curved to form a smooth ‘L’ shaped profile, so there are no sharp corners or joints along the edges of the profiles, as is usually the case with site fabricated alternatives.
Also, due to the wide ranges of sizes available, the correct profiles can be selected to meet the dimensions needed for the project, so they can fit more closely over the pipework. This helps minimise the intrusion and visual impact in flats, where skirting level heating pipework or high level fire sprinkler systems are being concealed.
To add even greater versatility, Pendock’s pipe casings range includes a wide choice of sizes, which enables a consistent finish to be achieved in individual flats, even where different profile styles or sizes are installed.
This becomes more important where blocks of flats are being refurbished, as each one will have the same continuity of finish, which is much more difficult to accomplish with site made boxing.
In addition, all plywood profiles are pre-finished with a white resin impregnated décor paper, as standard, which removes the need for painting on site, saving even more time and the associated costs, while further improving consistency of finish on a project.
As they are quicker to install, and provide a better quality of finish, these benefits can also support satisfaction levels by not only reducing tenant disruption during refurbishment programmes, but also helping to achieve more attractive and less obtrusive results due to the boxings’ lower profile.
The Pendock Profiles range of specialist casings is already a common feature in countless projects across the UK including heating system refurbishments, boiler upgrades and retro-fit fire sprinkler system installation.
Product range
MXF fire sprinkler boxing, TK pipe boxing and BC boiler casings are all manufactured from UKTR compliant pre-formed plywood, which enables Pendock boxing to be fitted in around half the time of site made alternatives. Also, they can be easily removed and re-fitted to aid routine inspection and maintenance without having to dismantle or break the boxing.
The TK pipe boxing range is designed primarily for use at skirting level and incorporates a 115-degree angle to the top of the profile, enabling it to ‘blend-in’ to the skirting and help it avoid being used as a step. A 3-sided version, the TKD, is also available, for mid-wall or vertical use, which incorporates the 115 degree angle on both sides of the profile.
Like the MXF and TK ranges, the boiler pipe casings are manufactured from pre-finished and pre-formed plywood. Designed specifically to conceal unsightly boiler pipework, valves, filters and flues, they also allow easy access for gas safety checks, routine inspection or boiler maintenance.
Where exterior pipework needs protecting and concealing, the CHM and MXM metal pipe boxing range has been engineered to enclose building services and other utilities. Bespoke manufactured to individual project specifications from 2mm aluminium, as standard, metal boxing is used widely for concealing external pipework used in low carbon district heating schemes, as well as air-source and ground-source heat pumps.
Fire sprinkler supply pipework mounted in open balconies or externally to flats are also covered using metal boxing to provide added security and weather resistance. Also, as it is non-combustible, it is used in high rise residential blocks to conceal interior runs of pipework where no sprinkler heads are present, such as communal areas.
Details on the full Pendock Profiles family can be found on the company’s website along with downloadable drawings in PDF and DWG format, plus NBS specification clauses.
