Professional Documents
Culture Documents
concrete 37 in touch
7
7 Quality Concrete Floors
10 What Causes Cracks in Plaster
12 Contractors Can Make Money
insulation
17 Value of Building Insulation
17
Finding finance
21 Financial Relief for KZN
23 leading info
transport
24 Buy the Right Truck
success
14
28 Sharing Her Success
24
31 win a prize
timber products
32 Choosing Roof Trusses
Acknowledgements
In order to bring you the most up-to-date infor-
mation from around the globe, we make use of
Internet websites that are current and provide
information that is relevant to local builders.
Information from the following sites has been
included in this issue: WikiHow – www.wikihow.
com, Stock.Xchange – www.sxc.hu
Copyright
All rights reserved. No editorial matter published in “Skills On Site” may be reproduced in any form or language without written permission
of the publishers. While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction, the editor, authors, publishers and their employees or agents
shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in the publication - whether arising from negligence or
otherwise or for any consequences arising therefrom. The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial
board advocates or rejects its use either generally or in any particular field or fields.
Every Building
Project Easy to
Achieve
Building contracts usually require the use of a vari- • Is there other
ety of equipment, such as power tools, compaction, equipment that
drilling and breaking equipment, concrete equip- should be used along
ment, scaffolding and other light construction with this equipment to com-
equipment. Emerging and small building compa- plete the job properly?
nies often find it very difficult to be able to buy • What approximate time period will
all the equipment needed to complete the job clients need to hire the equipment
properly. This is where the hiring of equipment for?
becomes an attractive option. • How best can we advise and train the operator
C
of the equipment rented from Talisman?
o-owner and founder of
Talisman’s staff are all trained by the manufacturers
Talisman Plant & Tool Hire,
or suppliers of the equipment, so they know exactly
Colin du Plessis, says
what each piece of equipment can do and what
that small building com-
are its most appropriate applications.
panies should consider the hiring option
when tendering for jobs. “We hear of companies who There are other advantages to hiring equipment.
have all the skills to do the job, but lack the equip- Firstly, Talisman replaces its range of products with
ment. Often they decide not to tender for a contract newer models on a regular basis. “This means that
because of this. Now they can find the right equip- as new models with better features come onto the
ment for the job without having to spend a fortune market, we test them. If they pass our criteria we
on buying it outright.” add them to our fleet of over 100 different types
of equipment,” Van Vuuren says. “Therefore the
There are definite benefits to hiring equipment from a
company’s clients will always be using the latest
well-known company such as Talisman. “You
know exactly how much you will be paying
to hire the equipment for the required time
period. This will allow you to draw up a proper
budget in advance,” Du Plessis says.
Talisman Plant & Tool Hire has 17 years
experience in this field. They supply a va-
riety of light construction equipment and
scaffolding and are able to assist clients to
identify the correct equipment needed for
each job. “We believe in finding the best
solutions for each client. We are able to do
this at each of our franchise stores because
of our extensive experience in the building,
construction, maintenance and renovation
environment,” Du Plessis’ partner Louis van
Vuuren adds.
According to both Du Plessis and Van Vuuren,
advice and services offered to clients should
include:
• Is this the best piece of equipment for
the job?
Quality
Floors
We expect concrete floors to last for many
years, despite heavy loads and hard wear. The
Concrete and Cement Institute (C&CI) gives tips
on how to make good quality floors that last for
many years.
A
ll the guidelines for
batching, mixing,
transporting, placing
and curing concrete
should be followed.
This will ensure that high quality
is built in at the beginning and
that future trouble and expensive
maintenance will be avoided.
In addition, pay special attention
to foundation material, the thick-
ness of the slab and the strength
of the mix, and provide joints to
allow for contraction. And cure
the slab well.
So let’s take a good look at how
to do this....
Foundations
The performance of a concrete
floor on the ground depends
largely on the underlying mate-
rial providing uniform support.
Provide a carefully compacted
100 – 150 mm thick layer of suit-
able fill material immediately
below the concrete. Avoid clayey
materials. Finish the surface of
this foundation layer smoothly,
true to level.
Finishing tips
Delayed
trowelling
Delayed trowel-
ling will result in
a hardwearing,
smooth finish. After
wood-floating the
concrete surface
in the normal man-
ner as rapidly as
possible after com-
paction, leave the
slab undisturbed
until bleeding
has ceased, the
bleedwater has
evaporated (or
has been re-
moved) and the
concrete is start-
ing to stiffen (a
footprint should
barely show). This
takes from 2 to
Coloured finishes should be added as a screed 4 hours – plan
ahead!
Then (and only then!), use a steel trowel to give the surface the desired smoothness – a number of trowellings
may be needed. Heavy pressure is required on the trowel – if possible, use power operated equipment.
Remember: correct timing of the trowelling is of great importance, and it is important that no bleedwater
is trowelled back into the surface!
Non-slip finish
If areas on the slab or stair-treads need a non-slip surface, finishing should be with a wood float rather
than a steel trowel.
Some more “don’ts” for finishing floor surfaces
• Don’t trowel-in dry cement or dry cement-sand mixtures to the surface of the concrete to absorb bleed-
water – this results in a surface layer of material with low resistance to abrasion and wear, and one that is
particularly prone to dusting and scaling.
• Don’t trowel materials for surface finishing before the surface is ready for steel trowelling.
• Don’t apply water to the concrete during trowelling as it will reduce the strength and hardness of the
final surface.
• For a coloured finish, add the pigment to the screed or topping or use a proprietary coloured surface
hardener and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
The delay period before trowelling can be shortened by mopping up the bleedwater with sacking, or by
light scraping or brushing, but this can roughen the surface.
Plastic shee
ts for waterpr
oofing
A large percentage of
queries received by
the Cement & Con-
crete Institute (C&CI)
deals with defects in
plastering. Here C&CI
describes the types of
cracks often encoun-
tered in plaster – and
their causes.
Crazing
This is a network of fine
cracks, usually in a hex-
agonal pattern, which
measure between 5 and
75mm across each hexa-
gon. The cracks are usually
very shallow and do not
extend through the whole
depth of the plaster.
These cracks usually result
from over-trowelling a rich
mix (one with a high cement
content) or using a sand
containing an excessive
amount of dust. Crazing
often occurs within a few
hours of the plaster being
applied to the wall and
cracks may hardly be visible
until dust or moisture makes
them noticeable.
Craze cracks are of little
important, do not open
and close with time, and
can be covered using a
reasonable quality paint. If
necessary, glass fibre tissue
Structural cracking in progress – more than just plaster repair is called for in such a case
can be applied during the
painting operation.
What Causes
Map cracking
This is similar to crazing except that it is usually
deeper (sometimes going through the plaster) and
the hexagons of the pattern may measure up to
200mm across. These cracks normally occur when
Cracks in
a plaster mix with a high cement content is used
or the plaster is allowed to dry too quickly.
Causes of excessive early moisture loss are:
• Evaporation if the wall is not protected from
Plaster
sun and wind;
• Suction into the walls if the bricks are absorbent
and have not been dampened;
• Use of a sand that is badly graded and lacks
fine material (less than 5% by mass passing the
0,075mm sieve); and cracking of the wall. This can be caused by differen-
• Not using building lime or a masonry cement when tial movement of the foundations, moisture expan-
the sand lacks fine material. sion or drying shrinkage of masonry units, or thermal
movement of the roof. This type of crack often forms
When the cracks are noticed while the plaster is still in straight vertical or horizontal lines, or in stepped
plastic, they are often floated closed, only to reap- diagonal lines, and may be quite ugly. The crack
pear some time later. These cracks can be filled with width will often vary with the seasons.
a proprietary filler and painted over. Glass fibre tissue
can also be applied during painting. Because these cracks originate in the wall and not the
plaster, repairing the plaster is ineffective. A special-
Cracking that results when an excessive amount of ist should be called in to establish the cause of the
water is lost from the plaster in the first hours after cracking and to recommend remedial measures.
application is known as plastic shrinkage cracking.
Map cracking can be due to plastic shrinkage as Such measures may include structural alterations
can the horizontal cracks that form at corners and that change cracks into movement joints. Visible
between windows. joints can be hidden by cover strips fixed on one side
of the joint or sealed with elastic sealants.
There are specially printed leaflets and books of plas-
tering available from the C&CI.
Concrete and Cement Institute, Hanlie Turner, Tel: (011) 315 0300
or go to www.cnci.org.za
Structural cracks
Some cracks visible in the plaster may result from
Contractors Can
Make Money
A
s long as a need exists, and if the right
materials can be found in the area, then
it makes sense to start another business
to supply these. If good management is
applied to these types of businesses, a
manufacturing plant makes a lot of sense - and can
make a lot of money.
All that is required, says Walter Ebeling of Pan Mixers
SA, is a suitable site, access to the right materials for
making the products and an investment in reliable
brick and block making machines. Most importantly,
there needs to be a demand within the community,
and if that exists, then there is no reason why a well
managed manufacturing business should not be
successful.
A small brick, block & paving manufacturing operation
can be set up from around R200 000 and, depending
on the performance of the staff, can expect to make
returns of anywhere between R14 000 to R90 000
profit per month depending on local raw material as A plant in operation
well as product selling prices. Walter stresses that this
can be achieved, but only if tight management exists, 2. Are there many other suppliers and can they
the right materials are brought in and the machines meet the demand?
don’t break down. “That is why contractors should 3. Is there access to cement and fly ash as binders in
buy reliable machines that are made in South Africa addition to a reasonable priced source of either,
for South African conditions.” river sand, crusher dust, klinker ash or fine stones
Here are three questions you need to ask if you want (6,7mm) needed to make strong concrete?
to set up a concrete product manufacturing plant: If the market needs more materials than the local
1. Is there a demand for bricks, blocks, lintels or pav- market can supply, and if you have access to the
ing stones in your area? right materials, then it is worth investigating further.
How to Cut
Glass for
Windows
1
Clean the surface, but only along where you plan to
score. Any grime or silica (the substance that makes two Glass cutter
pieces of glass slide on top of each other to prevent
scratching) will ruin your score and make you think
you cannot cut properly. Just run your finger along
the surface of the glass where you plan to score. 3
Grasp your cutter like a pencil. Make sure to look at
the wheel and its orientation to the glass and align
it properly. This is a very simple grasp to achieve, so
do not unduly complicate it.
4
Use a scrap piece of glass to practice on. Apply
pressure to the glass as you pull the cutter along the
surface, rolling on the small carbide wheel. The score
must run from one edge of the glass to the other edge.
Listen for a smooth sound. A gritty sound means that
you are pushing too hard or that you did not oil your
cutter. The less sound you make, the better your score
2
will be. If you push too hard (a very common mistake),
your cut gets “hot”, meaning that it snaps and pops.
Try it and you’ll see. You are aiming to get a uniform
Obtain a glass cutter and some light oil. You can score. If you are pressing too hard in one spot and
buy cutting oil at a stained glass store or use a small perfectly in another, the glass will not break the way
amount of kerosene. Dip the cutter in the oil before that you want it to. Small imperfections in your score
you score the glass. An oiled cutter creates a smoother will cause your cut to go skew.
score line.
7
Grasp each side of the cut as if you were trying to
break a potato chip in half with two hands. All it takes
is minor pressure. It is all in the wrist action. Your elbows
do not move. Simply twist your wrists (your right wrist
will turn clockwise and your left will turn counterclock-
wise). Imagine that the score you made is half the
depth of the glass and now you need to “open it up”
by using the score as a weak spot.
5
Score along a straight edge. Use a yardstick (meter
ruler) or a normal desk ruler. Use something that has
a high enough profile so that it won’t conflict with
the wheel on the cutter, as would a ruler with a thin
metal edge.
6
Practice on scrap glass until you’re ready for the real
thing. You’ll have a score that is not popping and is Glass will break along the line
barely visible if you were to wipe the oil away. It should
look like a small scratch, that’s all, nothing more. Note: It may simply start as a “run.” A run is where
the glass is starting to break along your score. It may
also run the entire length of your score. Either is fine.
If it only runs 2.5 cm or so, apply a little more twisting
pressure and it will continue to run.
8
You’re done as soon as you have two pieces of glass
instead of the one you started with. Use fine sandpa-
per or even better, a sharpening stone, to remove
the sharp edge. This edge will be where the vertical
edge meets the horizontal surfaces. Not only does
sanding reduce the chances of your being cut but
sanded glass is less likely to chip along the edges and
Wipe the oil away and apply light pressure has some added strength.
Sharpening stone
Warnings
Value of
Building
Insulation
Standard types of insulation
There are currently four types of insulation that
are regularly used by construction contrac-
tors. These are loose-fill, spray foam, batts or
blankets and rigid board types. The choice
of building insulation to use is dependent
on the area where the insulation is applied.
Loose-fill is commonly used in hard-to-reach
areas, such as voids within walls that are
too small for other types of insulation. Batts
and blankets are used in large, flat areas
such in wall voids of prefabricated homes.
Rigid board insulation is generally used in
roofing and for sealing walls. Spray foam is
unique in that it can be used for nearly any
application due to its liquid form when it is
Good insulation saves electricity
first applied.
The use of insulation to keep buildings warm in winter and
cool in summer is valuable to homeowners and helps them Effectiveness of insulation
spend less on electricity. Insulation in its many forms can The best way to decide what you need is
be applied throughout an affordable house, no matter the based on the climate of the area and choose
building’s design or use. By installing insulation, future ho- a material that stops the flow of heat or cold.
meowners spend less money and homes built by contractors This is known as the R-value and is the capa-
that insulate homes will be demanded by future owners. bility of the type of insulation to keep heat in
Developers will get to know who to use when they start their or out. Ask your building supplier what is best
next project. It also helps the country save electricity and so so that the area being insulated can be filled
is good for the country’s economy. with the most suitable and practical type.
Insulating blankets are made from many different materials Uninsulated houses need much more heating
Recycled materials
The value of building insulation in relation to
looking after our natural environment is seen
when you consider that many insulation ma-
terials are made using recycled materials.
Also, it saves electricity, gas or whatever the
home owner uses to heat the house. Recycled
materials like fiberglass insulation, is one of
the alternative insulation types to be made
as a replacement to the old asbestos and
formaldehyde types. It is made from recycled
glass. Cellulose insulation, which consists
mainly of recycled paper, is the most valu-
able of insulation type related to recycling.
Even spray foam has some recycled plastics
in the foam.
Applications
You need to consider what insulation is the
best for the type of house you are building.
What will be affordable and keep the house
in the price range of the target market. For
instance, a combination of insulation types
can be very effective, but may be costly. In
affordable houses it is important that the best
insulation be used that is easiest to put in and
affordable. Sometimes the use of ceilings,
cavity fillers and rigid sheathing is enough to
insulate a brick house quite well.
Overall value
The value of insulation in both new and exist-
ing structures is understood by professional
builders because it adds value and makes
the house easier to sell. A happy home-owner
tells a story and soon the developer will have
more people asking for those “warm” houses
built by you. Homeowners will know that when
they pay the electricity, it is cheaper than
their neighbours who had their house built by
Insulation boards someone that didn’t insulate properly.
F
or this reason a new affordable housing de-
velopment has been launched in Empangeni,
KwaZulu Natal to give some relief to the large
number of
people look-
ing for houses in this
big section of the
market.
The development,
undertaken by Ned-
bank Corporate
Property Finance:
Affordable Housing
and PSE Develop-
ments, will be known
as Imbali Village and
comprises of 153
free standing resi-
dential units. It will
form an extension
of the established
Ngwelezane suburb
just outside Empan-
geni. Ngwelezane
falls in the Uthungulu
District Municipality
in the north eastern
region of KZN, and Owning a house builds wealth
is close to the light
industrial and service area of Empangeni.
Building wealth
The affordable housing market has shown massive
growth over the last few years. A well built home in
a well located area will, in time, appreciate in value,
enabling owners to increase their personal wealth
and buying power as well as their ability to scale up
the property ladder.
Stand sizes offered are relatively big, with the smallest
stand size at 311m² and the biggest stand at 600m².
Standard affordable housing stands usually measure
between 150m² and 250m². All of the plots are free
hold and will be built on a plot and plan basis with four
plan options, ranging from a 50m² two bedroom home
to a 97m² three bedroom home with the choice of an
add-on garage for each option. Finished homes are
priced from R295 000 to R395 000. The development
targets individuals with a joint monthly income level
of about R7000 to R15000 per month.
These statistics are provided exclusively for Skills on Site readers by Databuild, the leading provider of construction related
information in South Africa. Databuild has been providing information for thirty five years and tracks projects from planning
through to awarded stages. Each month Databuild will provide statistics reflecting trends in the industry. For more informa-
tion about Databuild please contact us on (011) 259-4500 or visit us at www.databuild.co.za
CIDB GRADING CIDB Value in CIDB Value in CIDB Value in CIDB Value in CIDB Value in CIDB Value in
Grade 1 Rmillion Grade 2 Rmillion Grade 3 Rmillion Grade 4 Rmillion Grade 5 Rmillion Grade 6 Rmillion
Eastern Cape 1 0.27 3 4.18 9 20.5 6 28.9 8 81.19
Free State 1 2.5 2 7.3 2 21.9
Gauteng 4 8.54 8 17.3 2 27 1 9.2
KwaZulu Natal 6 2.78 2 0.5 1 10 23.47 2 3 6 49.2
Limpopo 1 1.3 3 5.9 3 57.28 1
Mpumalanga 1 0.2 1 0.9 5 11.8 2 8 5 28 1 10.5
North West
Northern Cape 1 2 1 0.6 1 4
Western Cape 12 9.07 23 40.78 8 32.8 4 21.5 5 49.2
Total value 7 2.98 18 14.04 40 71.8 39 108.57 24 172.98 24 221.19
per grading
in Rmillions
I
t all depends on where your specialisty lies and
what is best for your business. A drop-side truck
might be perfect for loading bags of cement The drop side truck is the most useful of all types for
and supplies, but if you find that most of your general construction. Although it may not be the
business is in earthworks then you would do bet- best choice for certain jobs – it certainly can do it
ter buying a tipper. quite well. It can be used to transport supplies, sand
Probably the most versatile of all truck bodies is the and aggregate, building rubble, equipment and
drop-side or bakkie type of truck. This can do all machinery, as well as dry cement and even workers
kinds of jobs from transporting goods to a site, to around the site.
hauling machines and clearing rubble from a site. It is not suitable for big solid loads that need to be
This is the truck type that is most often operated by secured, such as big earthmoving machines, or extra
small and medium sized operators with good reason heavy structural steel lengths. These can damage the
– it is versatile. sides. It can also be difficult to load and unload loose
But, it has its limitations. When it is used for purposes materials like sand or gravel and can take a team of
outside of its intended use it is likely to get damaged.
It can also take a lot of time to load and unload.
Lets have a look at truck bodies that are used in
building:
Van Usefulness on site 3/10
This type of body is used mainly for deliveries and
secure cargo. It is suitable for carrying high value
goods as it can be locked up and secured. This type
of truck has a limited use as a contractor’s truck be-
cause the body is quite soft and should not be used Tipper truck
men a few hours to complete using hand tools. ful in applications where large amounts of concrete
need to mixed. If you are laying lots of foundations
Tipper Usefulness on site 6/10
every month and are involved in civils then a mixer
may be an option to buy but generally will not be
useful to smaller builders.
The mixer cannot carry any other loads and should
not be used for anything other than what it was de-
This is a specialised truck for moving loose materials.
signed for.
Due to the shape of the load area it is not a good
idea to load much else into it. But, if you are doing a
lot of site clearing or earthworks this truck can save When size matters
you hundreds of man-hours a month on labour. This Once you have decided on the truck that you need
truck is only suitable for work where excavators and you have done half the work. The rest still needs to be
excavators or TLBs operate. looked at very carefully. Things like where the truck
will be stored at night or when it is not on site are small
A tipper is not suited to carrying equipment or any-
things, but can be a problem when you try park it only
thing that needs to be secured. It is strong and tough
to find you didn’t do your homework.
enough to carry rocks and gravel all day long and is
best used for just that. The following are the real issues to look at:
Flat bed Usefulness on site 3/10
Size and power output
There are two main factors that must be looked at to
decide what engine and power you will need. That
is the average size of the load to be carried and the
average distance to be travelled.
If you buy a truck for site clearing and will be moving
large amounts of earth every day – all day, a small
truck with a 3.5 litre engine will eventually prove to be
unsuitable. The strain of carrying a full load every trip
will begin to wear the truck down and it will become
tired quite quickly. Maybe look at a bigger truck with
A flatbed trailer
25 - 28 July 2010
Sun City
Gold sponsor: Silver sponsor:
1. Availability of parts
and spares.
2. Fuel consumption
and how much fuel it
uses per
100km.
3. Cost of services and
repairs.
4. N e a r b y d e a l e r s
that can help when
required.
5. How it was
financed.
Service from
dealer
Lastly, but most impor-
tantly, visit the dealers
and see how they treat
you. Ask them the same
six questions above
and also ask them how
they can help you add
value to your business
through buying one of
their trucks.
You will be amazed at
Make sure the truck isn’t thirsty the excellence of some
dealer’s service and
just how bad some other are. Choose the truck that
an engine size in the range of 5-8 litre diesel turbo.
is right for you, and importantly buy it from a dealer
This truck will carry the same load without strain and
that you trust.
should remain reliable longer.
If the truck is doing long distances on roads with lots
of hills or steep rises always get a truck with a slightly
bigger, more powerful engine
than is needed. Just like trucks
that carry big loads all day,
the strain on a small engined
truck with a load is too big
and will eventually cause it
to break.
Cost of ownership
The secret of buying a good
truck is to talk to other build-
ers who own similar trucks to
the ones you want to buy.
Ask them clever questions so
that they give you accurate
answers and not just answers
based on their liking of a par-
ticular brand. Always look at
more than one brand so you
can make a comparison. Ask
about:
1. Reliability and how often
it is taken for repairs.
Choose a dealer that you trust will look after you
Sharing
Her
Success
When asked to describe her-
self, Makoekie used the words
simple, ordinary and humble.
A description which is a stark
contrast to the impression
one gets when coming face to
face with the force that is Ma-
koekie Tsotetsi. Well dressed,
attractive and articulate Ma-
koekie exudes confidence and
strength. In fact, when talking
to her, a person cannot help Makoekie Tsotetsi
but feel that this is an extraor-
dinary woman. and skills to the community. However, things weren’t
always this great for Makoekie and Mpho.
M
akoekie and her husband Mpho Tso- After completing a secretarial and business practice
tetsi are the founders and owners of diploma at a technical college in Swaziland, she spent
Impota Trading, a building and civil ten years working in the banking industry in Swaziland,
construction company. Their clients Zimbabwe and South Africa. In 1998 she resigned from
include the Department of Public her job to start a hairdressing salon which did not do
Works, City of Johannesburg, Johannesburg Roads very well at all. In the same year her husband was
Agency and Roadcrete. The Tsotetsi’s “rags to riches” retrenched and their savings soon began to dwindle.
story is truly inspir- Before long
ing. they found
It really demon- themselves
strates the value of hitting rock
hard work, determi- bottom. Their
nation and positive flat, car and
thinking. They start- furniture were
ed their business repossessed.
with very little help They could not
and in the middle afford school
of great debt. In fees for their
their first year of op- two children
eration their CIDB and the family
grading went from had nowhere
Grade 1 to Grade to go.
4. Although their One day, just
first few projects Makoekie undertakes work with Roadcrete in passing, an
did not earn them operations
much profit they were soon tendering for and being manager for a government department asked Mpho
awarded huge projects with big payoffs. if he knew someone in construction who could do
Makoekie now inspires other women to reach for their some repairs in one of their buildings. After making
dreams and has set up an HIV/AIDS NGO in Orlando enquiries Mpho found no-one who could do the work.
Township whereby she is able to give back her time He didn’t leave it at that though. Mpho saw a gap
which needed addressing and in January 2005 he and
Impota Trading
can undertake
large-scale
construction
A project to build a sport field means people don’t have to play in the streets projects
to what does she attribute her success? “Firstly, a when you cannot, be transparent about it.”
positive mindset, I decided a long time ago that I Makoekie has been involved in Khuthaza programmes
would be deaf to negativity. Secondly, vision, goals for several years and is always willing to go the extra
and objectives. Have a vision, translate that into mile to share her knowledge and skills with others.
goals then strive to reach your goals with honesty
and integrity. Thirdly, do what you have said you Khuthaza, Elizabeth O’Leary, Tel: (011) 275 0268, Fax: 086 648 6379,
would do. Always honour your commitments and Email: liz@khuthaza.org.za, Web: www.khuthaza.org.za
1
Name two types of tools available
for hire from Talisman.
___________________________________
___________________________________
_________________________________
2
Who sponsored the youth centre in
Riebeeck West?
WIN THIS VALUABLE PRIZE!
___________________________________
Estimated retail Price R1000-00
__________________________________
_________________________________
3
What kind of products are avail-
able from Den Braven?
___________________________________
___________________________________
_________________________________
4
What is a flatbed truck used for?
___________________________________
__________________________________
_________________________________
5
Name two types of trusses used for
affordable houses.
___________________________________
___________________________________
_________________________________
NAME: ….....………………………………………
Winner
Brendon Arnesen of Durban is our lucky prize winner. He is involved
in road construction and his Bosch Rotary Hammer will be put to use
TEL: .....………………………………………… on the road construction sites, as well as in his own project to rebuild
his house.
Roof Trusses
H
ow do you choose between wood or
steel and when do you use the different
options? Use these checkpoints when
next you are planning a project:
Nail-plated timber trusses
• The nail-plated timber truss was introduced into
South Africa in 1964 as “Gang-Nail” from the
USA, where the system was invented in 1956.
The nail-plated timber truss has proven itself as a Prefabricated timber trusses
most efficient solution for fast and accurate truss
production.
• These types of trusses do however need to be
manufactured in a factory using specialized
equipment and then transported to site as com-
plete pre-fabricated trusses.
• Timber as a base material is invariably less costly
than steel per meter, it is however also more
affected by natural elements such as moisture
variations and possible insect attack.
• In conjunction with the CMA (Concrete Manu-
factures Association) a special cost effective 26
degree roof truss was developed for low-cost
application (all details as per Agrément certifi-
cate apply).
• Timber is a natural renewable resource if well
managed, unfortunately it is seldom recycled.
Ultra light steel trusses were used on this affordable housing development
Light gauge steel trusses • You could also contact truss manufacturers and
• Light gauge steel roofing system was introduced distributors directly for more information on truss
to South Africa in 2000 from the USA, where it was suppliers and suitable products.
invented in 1989. It is today a widely used light
gauge steel roofing system.
• Steel trusses can be factory assembled. On site
assembly is easy and can contribute to job cre-
ation on building sites. These trusses are also on
average 30% lighter than timber, and so reduces
erection time and effort.
• When steel trusses are correctly designed and
used on affordable houses, a minimum roof pitch
can use less material and results in a cheaper
overall solution.
• The ability to transport steel materials in “kit-form”
for site assembly can reduce transport costs by
approximately 60%.
• Good quality steel roof trusses are made from light
weight galvanized steel, providing the benefits of
always straight members with no site wastage.
It is not affected by weather or pests and other
problems that affect wood.
• Light gauge steel is very environmentally friendly
as it is fully recyclable, as well as being non-com-
bustible.
Supply of trusses
Timber nail-plated trusses will be supplied pre-fabri-
cated to site by the supplier.
Light gauge steel trusses can be supplied both pre-
fabricated or in “kit-form” for assembly directly on
site.
Timber roof
T
he company’s products were previously To date, Mapei’s most prominent project has been
distributed in South Africa by Engineered providing the materials for Soccer City – the Soccer
Concrete Systems. A combination of growth World Cup 2010 stadium situated in Soweto. The
potential in Africa and demand in South Mapei range of specialised concrete sealants, ad-
Africa led the group to acquire Engineered hesive and repair materials, as well as mortars were
Concrete Systems and re-establish the company as supplied for use in the upgrading and repairing of
Mapei South Africa (Pty) Ltd. the stadium.
Mapei SA (Pty) Ltd, Lollita Pitso, Tel: (011) 552 8476, Cell: 082 050
1944, Email: l.pitso@mapei.co.za
Eish!!!
The partnership includes a community-based Goedged- “The signing of the MOA today is a great achievement
aght Trust and the Swartland Municipality and is part for PPC and the community partners. The centre, with
of the Riebeek Social Labour Plan (SLP) programme. all its facilities, will greatly benefit the whole Riebeeck
Each party involved in the project recently signed West community for years to come,” said PPC’s Direc-
a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to move the tor: Organisational Performance and Transformation,
project forward. Sello Helepi. “The project highlights PPC’s commitment
to giving back to the communities in which it
operates and we, as PPC, are proud to be a
partner in a project of this magnitude.”
To ensure that PPC is addressing a relevant
and real need in the community, the company
engaged with the Swartland Municipality and
community leaders who helped to identify the
need for the youth center.
“Over many decades PPC has contributed to
overcoming the poverty and skills barriers by fo-
cusing our efforts where it really matters. It is this
bottom-up, broad-based approach to creating
meaningful empowerment that makes us proud
to be a part of the 119 year old legacy of our
business and a longstanding social partner for
all our communities”, concluded Helepi.
PPC recently improved its BBBEE rating to a level
Present at the signing of the MOA at Riebeeck West, was Frikkie Van Zyl, Riebeeck
general manager, Ingrid Lestrade, director: expansion co-ordinator and Joggie 3. This rating, together with the highest preferential
Scholz, Swartland Municipal Manager procurement recognition level in the cement
industry of 138% reflects PPC’s commitment to
Using a local contractor for the construction, the transformation in South Africa.
youth centre will include educational facilities such
as a library with a computer centre and a gym. It will PPC Cement, Nomzamo Basson, Tel: 082 870 4235, Email: nomzamo.
basson@ppc.co.za
host life skills youth leadership programmes, as well as
This is why South Africa and other countries around the world have signed
Conventions with the International Labour Organisation, commiting themselves to
ensure that those conventions are given life through legislation, among other things.
The Bill of Rights also protects individuals’ rights to an environment that is not
harmful to their health and well-being.
Through the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) the Department of Labour
ensures that workers or any other person who enters a work environment are safe
and their health is not put at risk.
The Department’s Inspection and Enforcement Services will enforce the legislation
and assist employers to implement the OHSA, ensuring that:
Get Informed!
If you would like to know more about the Department of Labour and how it is making
labour laws to work for you, then SMS ‘TM’ to 41894 to get more information. R1.50/
sms. Free SMSes do not apply.
Take action
If you would like the Department to help you make your work environment safer, or to
report accidents or conditions that may lead to accidents and pose health risks, then
visit your nearest Department of Labour or call 012 309 4000.
CARBON FOOTPRINT
890 g/kg
WORLD AVERAGE
BEST IN CLASS
453 g/kg
2
ECO BUILDING
CEMENT
9l`c[n`k_:fe]`[\eZ\
40 Skills on Site
A P P R O V E D May 2010 The Low Carbon Footprint, High Quality General Building Cement.