Work Continues Despite the Weather with UNI Flexible Air Barrier

Written by

Masons

14 May 2023

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2 min read

Having used Masons's UNI Flexible Air Barrier systems on several builds over the last two years, Chris Tkaczyk knew the benefits it would bring to a major commercial project. As site manager for Foster Construction on The Village Ōmokoroa in Tauranga, Chris was pleased to hear UNI was specified for the building underlay, helping to ensure the project would run smoothly and provide options should the weather become problematic.

Provides up to 150 days of UV protection

‘Foster Construction had used UNI on previous projects with good success,’ says Graham Cater, Masons’ Account Manager in the region. ‘The product gives them peace of mind as it allows them to speed up their build, making it really valuable on all jobs.’

UNI’s three-layer sandwich construction includes an outer layer of non-woven polypropylene to keep water out and provide up to 150 days of UV protection. Once it’s fixed to the framing, UNI creates a flexible, breathable barrier to protect against wind, sun and water, allowing work to carry on inside under any conditions, even before the cladding is attached.

Using UNI on The Village gave Foster Construction more flexibility with how they managed the project,’ says Graham. ‘They could utilise trades to full effect knowing that with UNI systems the interior remained dry. Most of the North Island, but in particular the Bay of Plenty, has had incredible rainfall through spring and summer costing builds and tradies time. One job after another needed to be moved back.

‘UNI helps ensure at least interior works can continue despite inclement weather, as the product guarantees water tightness for the building. They were able to complete different stages of the build concurrently, without the need to finish the exterior immediately because they knew UNI would protect the building from the elements.’

‘Not every job works to the exact programme,’ says Chris, ‘so UNI gives flexibility with project management and organising dates for the trades.’

Work Continues Despite the Weather with UNI Flexible Air Barrier

The Stinger Cap Nailer

Another UNI advantage is the Stinger cap nailer, a high-production tool that shoots plastic caps with the nail and increases the holding power for the UNI Flexible Air Barrier. It is much easier on the fingers than using a hammer to fix ordinary fasteners.

According to Chris, UNI is simply a better product than standard building wraps, both for performance and application. ‘It is much more sturdy. You can pull on it and it doesn’t rip, and it stays straight which really helps when installing at a height.’