Modern roofing systems offer excellent durability and years of trouble-free service, provided the former is true of their fastening systems too.
Ramset New Zealand product manager David Osten says Buildex fasteners, manufactured by Ramset, are tested in the field in real-world conditions to ensure they comply with the Australian Standard AS3566.2 2002.
“Modern roofing systems have been developed to meet extreme conditions. The sheet metal now used has excellent corrosion resistance and colour fastness, but this can all be undone if the fastening systems are not to the same high standard.”
Mr Osten says there is no Standard in New Zealand that governs roofing screws. Ramset consequently uses the Australian Standard to test and benchmark the quality of its roof fasteners.
The Standard has two procedures for testing fasteners. One calls for fasteners to be tested for thickness of coating, type of coating and the porosity of the coating, and is fine for theoretical applications.
The other Standard is real world testing. Fasteners are placed in a test rig exposed to extreme environmental conditions and compared with a control — in this instance Zinc coupons.
“Buildex uses the latter to test all our fastening systems, and our fasteners have been proved to be a match for real world challenges,” Mr Osten says.
He explains test sites are monitored and calibrated by the Australian research organisation CISRO, so “the results are scientifically correct, and the ensuing warranty is issued with confidence”.
He says Buildex developed the coatings ZAC4 and the newly-launched Climaseal 4 as a direct result of the test programme.
“Climaseal 4 meets and exceeds all real world testing requirements, and is designed to be the perfect fastener with Zincalume systems. Buildex also consistently outperforms other fasteners in the same class.
“It may pay the roof fastener buyer to consider more than price to ascertain whether their new roof will prove to be good in theory only, or if it will, indeed, last the distance,” he cautions.
