Gang-Nail Systems’ Ecojoists have recently been used during the build of the prestigious ‘Roundhouse’ residential project in Cork city, Ireland. Designed by leading architect, Steve McClew, the project posed initial structural difficulties, due to the incorporation of large single spans, resulting in the use of Ecojoists.

The Roundhouse’s single spans radiate from a structural wall around the central helical staircase, designed to support the first floor. The structure therefore required substantial support to ensure the integrity of the build, due to its size and complexity. As such, Gang-Nail’s Ecojoists were selected due to their ability to take the load from a heavy underfloor heating screed whilst providing a solid basis around which the structure could be built.

Offering a far superior level of strength, due to the manufacturing process, Ecojoists are able to withstand extremely heavy loads without the need for additional support, providing outstanding structural capabilities.

Steve McClew, Architect from McClew Architecture, commented: “Manufactured with an open steel web for added stability, the strength and rigidity of Ecojoists made them ideal for use on this project. Due to the way in which Ecojoists can be installed, we were allowed the flexibility to accommodate the specific requirements of the build, especially where we needed to open up and remove parts of the central wall. In this particular situation, the use of Ecojoists provided us with the peace of mind that the strength of the build would not be impaired and gave us the flexibility to cantilever short sections in to the design to achieve the desired look.”

Comprising parallel stress graded timber flanges with galvanised steel ‘V’ shaped connector plates, Ecojoists provide an open web floor joist that can accommodate service pipes, wires and ducting through the recess without the need to cut or drill holes into the joist, which can impair its strength and constructional integrity.