• BRITISH STANDARDS 5385

  Recommends that a Movement Joint should be able to absorb 20% of the width of the joint in movement accommodation. – It's actually 20% of the width of the infill.

• BRASS PROFILES

  Extruded angles from grade OT58 brass. Highly resistant to chemical attack and mechanical impact. Suitable for internal and external use.

• ALUMINIUM PROFILES

  Extruded angles from grade 6060 int aluminium. Suitable for internal use only and offers medium levels of edge protection from mechanical impact. This profile should not be used in harsh chemical environments.

• STAINLESS STEEL PROFILES

  Cold rolled profile manufactured from AIS1304 stainless steel. Recommended for use in food preparation areas, commercial kitchens, breweries and dairies etc. Also suitable for use in leisure environments including swimming pools (see below). For further information on the use of our Stainless steel profiles, contact us.

• LEISURE CENTRE CHANGING ROOMS / SWIMMING POOLS

  In dry areas of leisure facilities stainless steel grade V2 is adequate. In wet areas other than showers, for example in swimming pool surrounds, we would recommend grade V4. The chemical composition of pool water can vary; it is always wise to provide these details in order that we can make a definitive recommendation

• HEATED FLOORS

  Over the last decade there has been a growth in the use of both electrical and wet system under floor heating and a parallel growth in the use of large format tiles has created a new set of problems for the installer. The first thing to remember is that the rapid expansion and contraction of the subfloor creates a very high level of stress, much higher than an unheated floor.
  
  Guidance from the British Standards has not kept up with the needs of the installer, The Tile Association however have been more forthcoming in recognising that more guidance is needed. Essentially, guidelines are the same as a standard installation but with reduced field sizes. The TTA suggests that no field of tiling should exceed 40 squared metres with no one side exceeding 8 metres in length before a stress-relieving joint is installed.

It is important that the performance of any Movement Joint in this area is adequate. If the joint is too stiff the tiles can “pop” or “tent” along the joint line and in other areas as the stress in the installation is transmitted elsewhere.
British Standard requires a minimum movement absorption capacity of 20% of the infill width. Our infill exceeds this figure with a minimum capacity of 30% in both extension and compression.

A common problem with Movement Joints is the breaking out of the profile. This can be caused by poor workmanship in the anchoring of the profile fixing flange. However if the infill material is too stiff, the natural resistance of the joint will overcome the strength of the anchorage and the joint will break free.
British Standard requires a minimum movement absorption capacity of 20% of the infill width. Our infill exceeds this figure with a minimum capacity of 30% in both extension and compression.

The infill of choice for our range of Movement Joints is a special flexible epoxy resin. Epoxy in UV light can have a slight discolouration or yellowing. Whilst this is more noticeable on lighter colours, using a cloth to dry rub the joint can remove a thin layer of the discoloured infill to reveal the original colour.

Movement Joints should not be considered as a load bearing component in a floor. The correct installation method requires them to be solidly embedded into the tile adhesive. Any voids in the adhesive bedding along the fixing flange are unacceptable.

Ideally the top edge of the profile should be 1 to 2mm below the edge of the tile. This allows the Movement Joint becomes a “stepping stone” for traffic over the junction. Any weight is absorbed through the metal profiles and transferred through the adhesive bed into the substrate.

In practical terms a rough guide is: –

MAINLY PEDESTRIAN LOAD – ALUMINIUIM, STAINLESS STEEL OR BRASS

A Movement Joint infill must achieve a balance between flexibility to absorb stresses within the floor and durability to resist degradation from traffic.
The standard width of our infill is a minimum of 6mm. This is required by BS 5385. The narrow surface area is protected by the metal side profiles against all but the narrowest of impacts. Our experience is that a Shore A hardness of approx. 45 is an ideal compromise between durability and flexibility. Our infill is strong enough to resist damage from stilleto heels and our products have been used extensively in high traffic retail and transport facilities such as airports and transport interchanges.

We can also supply wider or narrower joints as required. For the wider joints the width of the exposed joint would require the use of a different material for an infill. We would suggest that in such circumstances we carry out a site survey to ascertain the likely loads and demands to be placed on the product.

A Movement Joint infill must achieve a balance between flexibility to absorb stresses within the floor and durability to resist degradation from traffic.
The standard width of our infill is a minimum of 6mm. This is required by BS 5385. The narrow surface area is protected by the metal side profiles against all but the narrowest of impacts. Our experience is that a Shore A hardness of approx. 45 is ideal as the compromise between durability and flexibility. Our infill is strong enough to resist damage from stilleto heels and our products have been used extensively in high traffic retail and transport facilities such as airports and transport interchanges.

We can also supply wider or narrower joints as required. For the wider joints the width of the exposed joint would require the use of a different material for an infill. We would suggest that in those circumstances we carry out a site survey to ascertain the likely loads and demands to be placed on the product.

• If there is a joint in the subfloor it must be followed through exactly in the tiled surface. Ignore this at your peril!

• The maximum area of tiling must not exceed 10 metres x 10 metres (see section on heated floors).

• If the floor section exceeds more than 2 metres x 2 metres then a perimeter joint must be installed.

• Tiling in corridors must be protected by being subdivided with a minimum of 10 metres between the joints.

• Perimeter joints must protect obstructions within the floor area such as pillars, fixed plants or features.

OUR ADVICE

As a starting point use the pre-existing joints in the subfloor for your layout but don’t forget the perimeter requirements. A joint in the subfloor or a change in materials (such as concrete or screed to timber) is a layout that requires a Movement Joint at that point. A kitchen extension or the addition of a sunroom are typical scenarios where vertical movement occurs.

SELECTING THE CORRECT DEPTH OF PROFILE

The correct choice of Movement Joint depth is vital for the longevity of the profile and project. The aim is to select a profile height that will result allow the installed joint to sit slightly below the tile surface. In common with all profile suppliers we observe the convention of quoting the internal height of the angle as the size required. The reason for this is that the fixing flange which is approx. 1.5mm thick is embedded into the adhesive bed – usually around 3 – 4mm in depth.

For Example: A 10mm tile plus adhesive bed gives an overall installation height of 13mm. A 10mm Movement Joint has an overall height of 11.5mm. When installed together the top edge of the profile is a perfect 1.5mm below the top surface of the tiles. This height difference prevents any impact damage.

Therefore when ordering for a specific tile thickness please select the same quoted size of movement joint.

There is a trend for larger format tiles which are often fixed in a brick bonded pattern. This can make the installation of Movement Joints problematic because the joints across the bonded pattern can be very obtrusive. The installer should explain to the client the absolute need for Movement Joint protection. If this advice is ignored and the client insists on no Movement Joint's then the installer should ask for an indemnity against any related problems. It should be noted that this is not always a defence against a claim.

Where hygiene is of concern we would recommend that the support profiles are stainless steel. We can offer two grades:

The guide lines for installation and positioning of Movement Joints are based on the recommendations of BS 5385. This is a very comprehensive document which covers topics that are not immediately applicable to our products. Similarly to other manufacturers we summarize the guidelines to provide immediate practical advice to the specifier and installer.

Guidelines provided by The Tile Association are also a good source of information. The TTA are more involved on a day to day basis with the problems we encountered in real life situations. Their guide lines alter as their experience of actual installations grows. Their guidance relating to heated floors have changed to reflect up to date actual demands on installations.
We would recommend that anyone undertaking a project contact us for the latest advice.

We are pleased to offer free site surveys and advice.

Over the last decade there has been a growth in the use of both electrical and wet system under floor heating and a parallel growth in the use of large format tiles. This has created a new set of problems for the installer. The first thing to remember is that the rapid expansion and contraction of the subfloor creates a very high level of stress, much higher than an unheated floor. Guidance from the British Standards has not kept up with the needs of the installer. The Tile Association however have been more forthcoming in recognizing that more guidance is needed. Essentially, guidelines are the same as a standard installation but with reduced field sizes. The TTA suggests that no field of tiling should exceed 40 squared metres with no one side exceeding 8 metres in length before a stress-relieving joint is installed.

OUR ADVICE

Due to the high degree of stress within these installations, we suggest that there should be a distance of no more than 5 metres between stress relieving joints. It is mistake to ignore this advice as subsequent problems are very difficult to correct.