Spantec: Quick & Easy to Install Flooring System

An Innovative Subfloor Solution

Michael Pollock from Privilege Homes is always on the lookout for innovative ways to solve building challenges. When he was looking for a subfloor solution for a sloping site with limited narrow access at Mount Martha, his research led him to Spantec’s™ flooring systems. This system is a pre-fabricated, adjustable-height subfloor that is custom manufactured from galvanised steel.

Knowing that building a subfloor with conventional brick piers, timber or concrete stumps was going to be an issue on this site because of access, Michael was looking for a lightweight pre-fabricated system that would be quick and easy to install. The first thing he did was contact his Bowens Account Manager, Michael King, and ask him to provide more information about the Spantec™ system.

As Michael King says:

“We’re really impressed with the solutions that Spantec™ can provide and we were confident that it was going be the right solution for Michael’s project.”

With any new product, it’s important for a builder to fully understand it and to be comfortable using it. Bowens Product Innovation Specialist, Andrew Healey, organised for Steve Targonski, National Sales Manager at Spantec™, to demonstrate the system to Michael and his foreman, Brett Hall, at the Bowens Innovation Centre in Hastings.

Michael King explains that:

“Any builder, small, medium or large, can get down to the Bowens Innovation Centre to learn about products in a hands-on way and get all their questions answered.”

Michael and Brett, came away with a clear understanding of how the floor went together, including the fixings required. As Michael says: 

“To be able to feel the strength of the steel gave us both the extreme confidence that it was the right system for us.”

With the site being on a slope, the adjustable Ezipier® pier made it easy to achieve the right height for the floor. Privilege homes also used Spantec’s™ Boxspan flooring system. There are four different pier heads available to suit specific bearer arrangements which makes installation straightforward.

Steve comments that:

“The misconception is that to use a steel subfloor you must weld it. The Spantec™ system however is fully screwed together and comes pre-cut. It’s installed in a similar way to a traditional timber subfloor.”

Michael Pollock describes the install:

“Once everything was on site and set out it was just like assembling a large-scale Meccano® set. It was that easy – just fit and screw off. We didn’t have to spend time running lines or checking lengths. Everything is prefabricated to precisely fit together so our time was just focused on ensuring the subfloor was level.”

The Mount Martha project had very tight access with a narrow 45-degree sloped path to the site.“Spantec’s™ cut-to-size system that comes to site prebundled, pre-labelled, and is 40% lighter than your traditional timber sections, were a huge benefit,” explains Steve.

“Spantec’s™ cut-to-size system that comes to site prebundled, pre-labelled, and is 40% lighter than your traditional timber sections, were a huge benefit,”

Bowens received the delivery from Spantec’s™ factory and prepared the components for delivery to site via the Bowens crane trucks.

All items were clearly labelled so installing was straightforward.“The benefit is you’re not sprawling your material all over the site looking for the beam that you need to use for a certain area,” says Steve. There is also no wastage as the bearers and joists come cut to size so builders can maintain a clean site.

“The benefit is you’re not sprawling your material all over the site looking for the beam that you need to use for a certain area.”

Readers familiar with the Mornington Peninsula may well be wondering how a steel subfloor would be effected by the coastal conditions experienced at Mount Martha.

The beauty about Spantec™ is that they have two different styles of coatings. A Z600 coating is available for coastal and saltwater environments providing the increased durability required. Michael Pollock was impressed that the galvanised steel subfloor came with a site-specific, conditional 25-year warranty. This equally impressed his client who is an engineer.

There is also a Z275 coating which is a perfect solution for bushfire-prone areas where it can be used as both a ground floor and a deck frame right up to flame zone.

Spantec™ have their own in-house design and engineering office. For quotes required at the concept stage, the builder simply sends through a draft set of architectural drawings to receive a detailed quote including a 3D view.

When the project proceeds, Spantec™ produces a full set of construction drawings that meet their engineering requirements. These plans include detailed information, such as footing depth and bracing for high sloping site.

Michael Pollock comments that:

“We supplied very detailed architectural plans and were confident that Spantec’s™ engineering department would provide their factory with the information required to manufacture a millimetre perfect subfloor.”

Michael is a good example of a builder seeking to improve their building techniques and develop new ways of building. “As a builder, it’s important to continuously innovate. If we stick to the same products we have always used, we will end up with the same problems we’ve always had. The support from Bowens has been unbelievable. With their help in sourcing new and innovative materials, I can confidently offer my clients better solutions that have longer warranties and are cost effective.” says Michael.

“With their help in sourcing new and innovative materials, I can confidently offer my clients better solutions that have longer warranties and are cost effective.”

Andrew Healey believes that:

“For builders, I think Spantec™ is a fantastic system. If they’re looking for sloping site solutions, if they need adjustability in their piers, if they’ve got bushfire solutions that they need to achieve or they’re in coastal areas, this is a great system for them. They should really give it consideration and talk to their account managers, and ask for a quote on their next project.”