homebuilding.co.uk 161IMAGE: JEREMY PHILLIPS
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OPENPANELS
Prefabricatedopenpanelsfortimber
framehomesaremanufacturedoff
siteanddeliveredtositewithout
insulationandexternaljoinery(doors
andwindows);thelatterelements
areaddedonsiteduringthebuild
andthenthepanelsare‘closed’.This
differsfromclosedpanelsystems,often
offeredbythelikesofGermanpackage
companies,whicharedeliveredtosite
withinsulation,joinery(windowsand
doors)andperhapselementssuchas
cladding,alreadyfactoryfitted.BARGEBOARD
Bargeboards are traditionally fastened
to the gables of the roof to protect it
and are now seeing a renaissance as an
architectural feature (as right). Deeper
bargeboards can create a contemporary
finish while also reducing unwanted heat
loss by preventing thermal bridging.TRENCHFILL FOUNDATIONS
A widely used alternative to strip foundations
is the trenchfill foundation, where the trenches
are filled with ready-mixed concrete to just
below ground level. (Strip foundations will
need less concrete but feature below-ground
masonry.) Just above ground level, the footings
are topped with a damp-proof course and then
the ground floor installed.SCREED
A way of levelling uneven floor structures
(typically concrete subfloors) before laying
the floor coverings. Screeds are also the
generally preferred medium for underfloor
heating pipes too, as the material is great at
absorbing and radiating warmth, becoming
an integral part of the heating process.
The terminology for liquid screeds can
be a little confusing because the terms
‘anhydrite’, ‘calcium sulphate’ and ‘gypsum’
are used interchangeably, but the ready-
mixed liquid screeds are beginning to take
on the traditional sand/cement mixtures that
previously dominated the market.UNDERCLOAK
An undercloak is a slate or concrete
fibre strip that’s laid at the verge
of a roof before it is battened and
tiled/slated. It helps support the
mortar used to infill the gap between
the underside of the tile/slate and
the roof. (A dry verge system will
eliminate the need for one.)PARTY WALL
A wall that divides two attached buildings
and that belongs to both. If you’re looking
to carry out building work on a terraced
or semi-detached house or flat, then it is
likely you will have a shared wall with a
neighbouring property. The Party Wall
Act prevents building work undertaken by
one neighbour undermining the structural
integrity of shared walls or neighbouring
properties. It is also designed to avert and
resolve potential disputes with neighbours.