Flexibility of the AliDeck System comes into play to deliver solution to issue of spanning limited steelwork and supporting custom balcony access hatch

The AliDeck System of aluminium metal decking products has been designed as an inter-compatible, modular, and configurable family of products to deliver maximum flexibility to cope with all project requirements. Coupled with our in-house design team, we’re able to work closely with architects and contractors to develop bespoke solutions where required. This is always a lot of fun for the AliDeck team as we get a chance to put our thinking caps on and flex our mechanical engineering chops!

Recently, we developed custom solutions to solve span, limited steelwork, and hatch issues on a refurbishment project. The Wardroper House redevelopment at Elephant and Castle, London, is a major scheme to provide affordable housing in the Capital. Part of the building’s four-storey external façade is made up of a column of emergency access steel-frame balconies, all of which were specified to be re-decked with AliDeck aluminium decking.

Previously consisting of a mixture of timber and steel, once the combustible timber decking and framework was removed the remaining steel framework was simply too limited to support metal decking boards. One solution would have been to manufacture and install additional steelwork to all four levels of the balcony column, an expensive and labour-intensive task. Luckily, AliDeck was on hand to propose the use of our Supa Joist, taking advantage of the huge 3 metre spanning capabilities of our heavy-duty support beam and saving the project a lot of time and money. Coupled with our 30mm Senior Balcony Board, a safe, strong, non-combustible balcony decking solution was now in place.

The top-level balcony required a hatch accessway in the middle of the deck, requiring additional support of the hatch frame. The AliDeck Supa Joist was again proposed and deployed, providing a quick-fit, bespoke support for the hatch framework and avoiding the need for new steelwork.

The decking was installed by AliDeck-approved installers Alu-Installations Ltd. George and his team delivered another fantastic installation result, ensuring that the plans we proposed to accommodate the hatch access requirements were implemented accurately as a seamless part of the balcony deck. Alu-Installations completed full training in the AliDeck System at the AliDeck Training Academy.