Sealing Control Joints

[MasterOfNone]

Hi all,
What type of sealant should i go for to seal all the control joints on my house (newly constructed)? The joints have the foam stuff in them from when the walls were built, Is it a requirement to have these joints sealed before a certificate of occupancy can be issued?

Cheers James.

[Barry_White]

Sikaflex would be the sealant of choice.

[ozwinner]

Hi all,
What type of sealant should i go for to seal all the control joints on my house (newly constructed)? The joints have the foam stuff in them from when the walls were built, Is it a requirement to have these joints sealed before a certificate of occupancy can be issued?

Cheers James.

I dont think it is a requirement for the C of O, fill the joints with caulking compound, available in a range of colours.

Al

[Big Shed]

I dont think it is a requirement for the C of O, fill the joints with caulking compound, available in a range of colours.

Al

It is in Bendigo, I got pinged on 2 things in my final inspection, not doing the expansion joints was one. The other was not having "escape" hinges in the toilet.

After I did those, another inspection required, I got my CofO.

And I used Sikaflex as well, still looks OK after 5 years too.

[billbeee]

James
You got to seal the outside walls, BCA requirement.
I doubt your certifier would see backing rod as an effective seal.
Sikaflex - go for it.
Regards
Bill

[ozwinner]

It is in Bendigo, I got pinged on 2 things in my final inspection, not doing the expansion joints was one. The other was not having "escape" hinges in the toilet.

After I did those, another inspection required, I got my CofO.

And I used Sikaflex as well, still looks OK after 5 years too.

The expansion bogging up is a cosmetic thing, the house wont fall down because its not done.

As for the escape hinges, whats wrong with a lock that is accessible from the out side as in public loos?

Freakin pedantic over zealous power tripping building inspector wankers.

Al

[ozwinner]

James
You got to seal the outside walls, BCA requirement.
Regards
Bill

Why, please explain?
Its a 10mm gap filled with foam rubber.

Al

[Barry_White]

The expansion bogging up is a cosmetic thing, the house wont fall down because its not done.

As for the escape hinges, whats wrong with a lock that is accessible from the out side as in public loos?

Freakin pedantic over zealous power tripping building inspector wankers.

Al

Al it depends on the layout of the toilet. If the toilet is small and somebody collapsed behind the door you possibly may not be able to get in to resusitate them. You can have a sliding door or an outswinging door to get access.

[Big Shed]

The expansion bogging up is a cosmetic thing, the house wont fall down because its not done.

As for the escape hinges, whats wrong with a lock that is accessible from the out side as in public loos?

Freakin pedantic over zealous power tripping building inspector wankers.

Al

Expansion bogging is cosmetic, I know, but if you want to have your CofO, when the inspector says jump, you say how high Sir!!!

Escape hinges were on the drawings, toilet is fairly standard size but opens inwards, so the RULES say you have to have them.

He was a fairly pedantic sod anyway, asked to borrow my ladder to inspect insulation in the ceiling (this is after he pinged me on those 2 points), so I asked him to sign a waiver in case he broke his neck on my ladder. He wouldn't, so I politely suggested he bring his own.

Next bloke who came for the inspection of said expansion joints and escape hinges said he would have issued the CofO and told me to correct those 2 things, but the other was one of those bureaucratic Hitlers. Lot of them around these days

[ozwinner]

Al it depends on the layout of the toilet. If the toilet is small and somebody collapsed behind the door .

And how many people do you know of that have collapsed behind the dunny door?

Al

[Barry_White]

And how many people do you know of that have collapsed behind the dunny door?

Al

Personally no one but somebody must have for them to make the rule.

[jako58au]

And how many people do you know of that have collapsed behind the dunny door?

Al

Oh dear! Have you never heard of people having seizures,strokes or those extremely rare things called Heart Attacks!!!!

[Big Shed]

Oh dear! Have you never heard of people having seizures,strokes or those extremely rare things called Heart Attacks!!!!

Yes I suppose that's what it was designed for, probably been 1 case and the whole bureaucratic nanny state swung into action.

Funny thing is, I go to the Bendigo Hospital Cardiology unit occassionally, prime location for strokes and heart attacks as they do stress tests there. Their toilets are about the same size as mine, open inwards, and do not have escape hinges. When I queried the hospital on this, I was told that as these toilets were built before regulations came in they were not required.

Moral of the story? If you are going to have a heart attack or stroke do it in a toilet built after escape hinges became compulsary

[billbeee]

Why, please explain?
Its a 10mm gap filled with foam rubber.

Al

Hey Al,
I didn't write the BCA!
I'm not a building certifier!

If you want a Cert of Occupancy you gotta keep him happy.

If he knocks you back you gotta fix it then pay for another inspection. $100 to $150 where I am.

Backing rod where I come from is white poly-something foam. Not known for it's looks and longevity, it is as the name implies a backing to something else. That something else is the sealant.
To keep weather and vermin out of the structure.

Regards
Bill