Ceta Homes achieves massive time savings with UNI PLUS Flexible Air Barrier

With 16 houses under construction at One Oteha Valley Rd, developers Ceta Homes Albany are keeping on track with the UNI PLUS Flexible Air Barrier System from Masons.

‘There are four standalone units and 12 townhouses,’ says project manager Dan McLaren, ‘with five at two storeys and the rest at three. As with all our builds, as soon as the framing’s complete and the roof is on, we wrap them with UNI PLUS.’

For the exteriors, a combination of brick and James Hardie Oblique cladding gives the development a sleek, timeless look. But with UNI PLUS, Ceta Homes don’t have to wait for the cladding to be fixed before starting work on the interiors.

A flexible system that installs easily

The UNI Flexible Air Barrier range is a flexible polypropylene wall underlay system designed to provide temporary protection from weather conditions and guard timber framing from UV exposure for up to 90 days after installation.

‘We’ve been using UNI PLUS for probably two years now,’ says Dan. ‘It enables us to keep working inside before the cladding goes on. It's also easy to install compared to a rigid air barrier system, which is  more expensive and time-consuming.’

Thicker and stronger than conventional building wrap materials, fire-retardant UNI PLUS is code compliant to NZBC standards. Once installed, its three-ply construction provides a breathable barrier that keeps moisture out while allowing water vapour to pass through, ensuring the interior stays dry during construction and after the building is complete.

No waiting for cladding to be fixed

Unlike standard building paper, UNI PLUS completely seals the interior, allowing work to begin inside without any delay and continue for up to three months.

‘Once it’s nice and tight, we don’t have to put any straps around the building,’ says Dan. ‘In some cases, it might be two months before the cladding is complete, and we can have guys inside fixing the Gib and even painting before then.’

For Ceta Homes, UNI PLUS has quickly become a vital element of their building programme. Says Dan, ‘The time savings can be massive, especially on the three-storey builds, so for us it’s essential – our programme would push out months if we didn’t have a product like UNI PLUS.’

For more information about the UNI PLUS Flexible Air Barrier system, including installation and compliance documents, visit Masons website or call the Masons Head Office to speak to one of our team.