Frequently Asked Questions & Product
Information
What is Airstone?
Airstone is Autoclaved Aerated Concrete - Light Weight Concrete that is approximately one-fifth the weight of standard concrete. Airstone looks similar to pumice containing many small cells.
Is Airstone manufactured in New Zealand?
No, Airstone is imported and comes in the form of solid blocks or pre-cast steel reinforced panels.
Is Autoclaved Aerated Concrete new technology?
No, Airstone has been used extensively throughout Europe for the last 60 years and in Australia since 1986.
What is Airstone used for?
Airstone is primarily a construction material. The blocks have compressive strength of up to 20 tonnes and are used for both single and multi-story construction. The panels are used as a cladding on both timber and steel framed structures.
What other advantages over conventional concrete does Airstone offer apart from ease of handing due to less weight?
a) Airstone is an incredibly workable type of concrete. Like wood it can be sawn, glued, nailed or screwed to itself or to other structures.
b) Airstone absorbs sound. AAC panel is used in Australian beside motorways to lessen traffic noise pollution.
c) Airstone can handle heat. The blocks have a five-hour fire rating and the 75 mm panel three hours. Airstone also has Thermal Mass properties i.e. it will absorb warmth and re-radiate it.
d) Airstone absorbs water at one-tenth the rate of normal concrete. It can float in water for about 5 days because it absorbs water slowly.
e) Airstone is non-toxic and non-combustible.
Airstone Designer Masonry Products
Airstone Wall System®
Why is the Airstone Designer Masonry Wall System unique?
Apart from reducing noise pollution and the having the durability of corrosion protected steel reinforced concrete and steel posts, Airstone Designer Masonry’s unique fixing allows incredible speed in construction.
The workability of Airstone allows for unlimited design freedom. In addition to pilaster caps, precision cut profiles & bas-relief’s, Airstone Designer Masonry Wall designs can incorporate raised gardens, lighting, windows/openings, ironwork insets etc. to enhance an architectural detail. Furthermore, Airstone can be carved into property titles/owners name, street number or decorative artwork.
Is there anything you can’t do with Airstone Walls?
Yes, Airstone is not suitable to be used as a retaining wall. Soil level should not exceed the base pad.
Will mould grow on the Walls?
Airstone is an inorganic material. Unlike wood products it is not a food source for moulds and rots. For added security, all coatings installed by Airstone Designer Masonry contain fungicides and an anti-mildew finish. As with other structures coating performance is maximised, by occasional cleaning.
What benefits does an Airstone Designer Masonry Wall have over concrete block walls?
Traditional block masonry is heavy requiring large and continuous footings that often move due to ground subsidence with this resulting in ‘step cracking’ appearing in the block work. At one-fifth the ‘traditional’ weight, Airstone walls are significantly lighter than traditional masonry walls and use autonomous footings which significantly reduce the risk of ground subsidence. Concrete walls are also slow to erect.
Traditional block requires extensive, time-consuming plastering to disguise block joins. The Airstone Designer Masonry Wall has less components and being dimensionally accurate, reduces the labour and material (content) for rendering considerably.
Airstone Architectural Profile
The Airstone masonry profile range includes bands, sills, caps, copings, quoins, fascias, gable vents and pillars in a range of dimensions. Airstone also offer a custom profile manufacturing service.
What are the benefits offered by Airstone Architectural Profiles?
Airstone Architectural Profiles insures a crisp, clean edge resulting in a fresh and finely crafted look that enhances all styles of architecture
Airstone Architectural Profiles are comparative in cost to pre-rendered polystyrene profiles and when used under standard application do not require meshing or rendering, saving time & reducing on-site costs such as scaffolding
Airstone Architectural Profiles are distortion free - profiles do not sag, warp, twist or blister, they can be used successfully with many varying surfaces such as fibre cement, EIFS, clay or calcium silicate bricks, concrete blocks, most rendered surfaces and autoclaved aerated concrete
Airstone Designer Masonry Furniture
What benefits does Airstone Furniture offer over other outdoor furniture apart from design freedom?
While being heavy enough to stand up to strong winds Airstone Designer Masonry furniture is light enough to be moved by two people and is warm and comfortable to sit on.
Unlike timber, Airstone Masonry Furniture won’t work loose at the joints, it does not require protecting from the rain, doesn't require oiling or re-staining each season nor stored over winter.
Airstone is an inorganic material, unlike wood it is not a food source for moulds and rots. For added security, all coatings installed by Airstone Designer Masonry contain fungicides and an anti-mildew finish. Coatings are applied in such a manner that a water shedding finish is achieved.
Airstone Designer Masonry
Landscape Features & Artwork
Airstone produce original masonry features and artwork or create to specified design.
Where can I see some Airstone Designer Masonry projects?
Most often people choose to visit the extensive Airstone Designer Masonry showrooms in Hamilton where design and coating options can be explored.
By request, Airstone can also provide you with addresses of completed work available for viewing. |
