
Thinking inside the box with Pendock
When evaluating cost reduction opportunities in social housing refurbishment projects or retro-fitted fire sprinkler installations, as part of a fire safety framework agreement, it’s unlikely that pipe boxing would feature highly, yet Pendock products are helping HAs and LAs save money and time on site.
The Pendock Profiles range of specialist casings for services has become a common feature in social housing and have been specified by social landlords for use on countless projects across the UK including heating system refurbishments and boiler upgrades.
Also, over the past few years, Pendock’s range of pipe and fire sprinkler boxing has also become the preferred choice for many social housing landlords and contractors involved in the retro-fitting of fire sprinkler systems in both high rise and low rise housing.
The primary advantages behind its popularity lie in its pre-formed method of construction, which helps improve the speed of installation when compared to site made solutions.
Traditional methods of concealing surface mounted heating system and boiler pipework, typically involve the fabrication of boxing from wood or MDF. The need to cut the pieces to length then fix them to the wall, followed by sanding, priming, painting and sealing is extremely time consuming and costly, especially in terms of labour.
Add the ongoing cost of routine planned maintenance schedules, such as re-painting every two years and the replacement of broken sections, involving more cutting, fitting & finishing and the cost implications of a simple decision on the choice of pipe boxing method become more apparent.
By replacing site made pipe boxing with pre-formed plywood boxing, significant economies are being achieved across a large number of local authority and housing association projects.
Pendock’s popular MXF fire sprinkler boxing, TK pipe boxing and BC boiler casings are all manufactured in the UK from pre-formed plywood and are also pre-finished in durable melamine, so there’s no need for on-site fabrication or painting, which saves time and money and enables Pendock boxing to be fitted in around half the time of site made alternatives.
Also, they can be easily removed and re-fitted to aid routine inspection and maintenance without having to dismantle or break the boxing, which saves further time and labour cost on-site.
With the ongoing installation of retro-fitted fire sprinkler systems in high-rise blocks, as well as some low rise buildings, Pendock MXF fire sprinkler boxing has proven to be an ideal solution for concealing surface mounted sprinkler pipework. They not only provide a practical and consistent finish to sprinkler projects, but also help speed the installation, as they’re so quick and easy to fit using just screws and battens, as well as a dedicated range of accessories.
The TK pipe boxing range is designed primarily for use at skirting level and incorporates a 115-degree angle to the top of the profile, enabling it to ‘blend-in’ to the skirting and help it avoid being used as a step. A 3-sided version, the TKD, is also available, for mid-wall or vertical use, which incorporates the 115 degree angle on both sides of the profile.
Like the MXF and TK ranges, the BC boiler pipe casings are manufactured from pre-finished and pre-formed plywood. Designed specifically to conceal unsightly boiler pipework, valves, filters and flues, they also provide an attractive, practical and ‘easy-fit’ ‘solution for heating system and kitchen upgrades or planned social housing refurbishment programmes.
Access for gas safety checks, routine inspection or boiler maintenance can be carried out easily, as they can be free-standing or secured with screws or mastic sealant, making them simple to remove, re-use and refit.
Where exterior pipework needs protecting and concealing, the CHM and MXM metal pipe boxing range has been engineered to enclose building services and other utilities, often as part of district heating schemes, including external cabling and distributed heating system pipework, whilst also providing added protection against accidental damage, theft or vandalism.