The System

The Panablok Structural Building System

Simple, Strong, Speedy, Safe & Sustainable.

As soon as Panablok panels are delivered to site, installation can begin. The Structural Building System is simple and easy to install, and panel erection requires rudimentary building skills. On the job training (when required) is part of the Panablok package, ensuring that developers and builders can quickly adapt to the new materials.

In a nutshell, panels are fixed into a floor (base) channel, which is connected to a suspended ground or intermediate floor. The panels are capped with a similar (head) channel, which provides the bearing for the upper floors, and the panels are “camlocked” together to form an airtight connection. Wall openings for windows and doors are easily accommodated and can be of any size and position, using bespoke lintels which are sized according to engineered structural strength requirements. Panablok floor and roof sections are fitted as soon as the walls are complete, and Panablok walls, floors and roofs are immediately loadbearing. The end result is a versatile, cost effective and extremely strong structure able to self-support up to six storeys without a frame.

The panels are ideal for new, stand-alone construction projects, or they can be integrated into almost any design plan as a like-for-like replacement for costlier and less efficient construction products. Traditional timber, steel and concrete floors or roofs fit directly to the panels, which also readily accommodate a huge variety of linings, claddings, renders and finishes.

The Panablok Structural Building System can be broken down into five basic stages:

Our Structural Envelope Building System typically includes:
  • Insulated Structural Ground Floor
  • Ground Floor External, Internal and Party Walls
  • Structural First, Second, Third Floors etc.
  • External, Internal and Party Walls for each Intermediate Floor
  • Structural Ceiling*
  • Structural Roof*
*Provides an additional potential room in the roof space

Stage 1: Insulated Structural Ground Floor
NB Foundations and groundworks do not form part of the System. Pre-cast concrete floor beams are laid on a damp proof course and secured to concrete footings to form a square and level footprint. 1.2 metre long (half) panels are then spanned between the beams and secured to the floor beams and footings. The ground floor is rapidly constructed, provides in-built insulation, and greatly reduces the amount of beam and block required in traditional floor construction.
Stage 3: First (intermediate) Floor
A variety of floor systems can be used in combination with Panablok wall panels. We can install our bespoke Panablok floor cassette spanning up to 6 metres directly onto the ground floor wall panels as soon as they are complete, ensuring the subsequent first floor walls can be installed with minimum delay. The wall panels can also be used with traditional timber or concrete decks. Panablok floors provide excellent thermal, fire resistance and acoustic properties.
Stage 5: Structural Roof
A variety of roof designs (pitched, gabled, flat) can be made with Panablok panels. We can install our bespoke Panablok roof cassette spanning up to 6 metres directly onto the structural ceiling or dwarf roof walls as soon as they are complete, ensuring a dry working space can be achieved with minimum delay. Longer roof spans can be additionally supported by our bespoke galvanised steel purlins. The panels can also be used with traditional wood or steel roof trusses. Panablok roofs provide a structurally strong, highly insulated capping to the building with excellent thermal, fire resistance and acoustic properties.
Finishing Stage - External
To ensure that Panablok structures last for many generations (and far beyond the 50 year BRE Durability Rating), outside wall surfaces should have an external finish. Panablok panels form the perfect substrate for a wide variety of lining and insulation boards which in turn accommodate many forms of external finish such as brick slips, wood or metal cladding sheets, natural masonry sheathing, and traditional or modern renders. Numerous external finishes (tiles, slates, metal sheet etc.) can also be fitted to Panablok roof panels.
Stage 2: Ground Floor Walls
Base channels are levelled, laid, and fixed to the ground floor structure above a damp proof course. Starting from a corner, ground floor panels are fitted into the base channels and are locked together. Door and window openings are installed, and the panels are capped with head channels and additionally with lintels over the openings, which effectively provide a steel ring beam to carry the intermediate floor. All joints are sealed with intumescent (fire resistant) mastic.
Stage 4: First Floor Walls
The first floor walls are then assembled in the same manner as the ground floor walls. Base channels are levelled, laid on top of the floor, and starting from a corner, the wall panels are fitted into the base channels and are locked together. Door and window openings are installed, and the panels are capped with head channels and additionally with lintels over the openings, which effectively provide a steel ring beam to carry additional floors and the roof structure. All joints are again sealed with intumescent mastic.
Finishing Stage - Internal
Due to the Panablok panel’s excellent fire resistance characteristics, internal wall surfaces can usually be dry lined with just a single sheet of appropriately approved board. Electric cables and water pipes are laid within the cavity between the Panablok walls and the dry lining. Not only does this preserve the structural integrity of the panels, it also allows for utilities to be installed in parallel with the construction of the external and internal walls, thereby eliminating the immensely time consuming, costly, unsightly and messy channelling of pipes and cables into solid walls (and floors) post erection.