frequently asked questions
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Common questions
How much weight can one packer hold?
Under NZS3604, a single stud can only take a load of 10kN. HIANDRI Packers have been compression tested and fail at over 40kN or 4 Tonne.
Will the plates sag over time or the packers compress over time?
NO, there is no load on the plate between the studs so there is no reason for the plate to sag. HIANDRI Packers are made from Polypropylene, it is called the steel of plastics; it is very hard and strong and capable of carrying at least 4 times the load that a stud can carry.
Can you use packers on timber floors?
YES, however the bottom plates must be fixed using 125mm long Type 17 Buildex 14gauge Bugle head screws – Refer to ‘Installation Manual’.
Can the HIANDRI Bottom Plate Packer system be used on 2 and 3 storey buildings?
YES. It can be installed in any location permitted under NZS3604 and NZS1170 and their amendments.
Do you need a packer under every stud?
NO. You should place a packer only under every stud at either 400mm or 600mm centres, and also additional packers at all point loads and lintel studs. However, you only require a single packer for double studs for internal doors and a single packer for stud/block/stud situations (ie. Wall intersections) – Refer to ‘Installation Instructions.’
The HIANDRI System
How much weight can one packer hold?
Under NZS3604, a single stud can only take a load of 10kN. HIANDRI Packers have been compression tested and fail at over 40kN or 4 Tonne.
Will the plates sag over time or the packers compress over time?
NO, there is no load on the plate between the studs so there is no reason for the plate to sag. HIANDRI Packers are made from Polypropylene, it is called the steel of plastics; it is very hard and strong and capable of carrying at least 4 times the load that a stud can carry.
Can you use packers on timber floors?
YES, however the bottom plates must be fixed using 125mm long Type 17 Buildex 14gauge Bugle head screws – Refer to ‘Installation Manual’.
Can the HIANDRI Bottom Plate Packer system be used on 2 and 3 storey buildings?
YES. It can be installed in any location permitted under NZS3604 and NZS1170 and their amendments.
Can I install HIANDRI Packers myself on site?
YES. Although we encourage builders to have the packers fitted by the frame manufacturer, there is no reason why you cannot do it yourself on site. Just remember to cut your studs 12mm shorter than normal, although this is not critical, and read the ‘Installation Instructions’.
Can the HIANDRI system be used in a Fire and Acoustic wall?
YES. There is a list of 24 different walls that have been approved to use with HIANDRI packers. The list can be found on the Fire Rated and Noise Control page.
Do you need a packer under every stud?
NO. You should place a packer only under every stud at either 400mm or 600mm centres, and also additional packers at all point loads and lintel studs. However, you only require a single packer for double studs for internal doors and a single packer for stud/block/stud situations (ie. Wall intersections) – Refer to ‘Installation Instructions.’
Fixings
Why do some 90mm gun nails bend when fired?
This can be caused by the gun not being at 90 degrees to the plate, which is not a new problem, it’s just that now the plate is raised you can see that the nail has bent- install another nail.
As the 90mm powder power driven nail enters the concrete; it erupts like a small volcano; is this okay?
YES. As you can imagine, a missile like a nail fired at any hard surface will never make a neat clean hole. The erupted concrete is normally only the top 2 – 3mm and this happens now with the fixing of 75mm nails into plates, you just cannot see it. In addition, the 90mm nail provides 3mm’s extra holding power than the 75mm does. This system has been thoroughly tested and approved.
The Council Building Inspector does not like the 90mm power driven pins, can he insist on them being replaced for bolts?
NO. The CODEMARK means that the system is an approved ‘Acceptable Solution’ under the Building Code. Any changes whatsoever, contrary to the ‘Installation Manual’ to this tested system, will negate the CODEMARK and it then becomes ‘Specific Design’ and the Council and the inspector would carry not only the responsibility, but the liability.
Do the anchor bolts have to go through a packer?
NO. Locate bolts as close as practical to a packer (stud). The engineering tells us that the bolt can be placed in the middle between two studs if necessary.
Won’t I deflect the bottom plate if I locate a bolt between two studs?
In testing, a 140mm x 12mm Thru bolt was located between studs at 600mm a part, the bolt was tightened to the recommended 50 Newton metres using a torque wrench, the bottom plate deflected 2.5mm.
The frames are already installed and additional packers have to be installed which have been left out, how do I fix them to the bottom plate?
You don’t! The packers do not need to be fixed to the plate at all; they are for a practical reason of course. In reality they can be just slid under the plate. In situations like a GIB GSN – bracing panel that requires additional fixings at 150mm and 300mm, just slide a packer between these locations as this will reduce the bounce when shooting down the extra fixings.
The bottom plate overhangs the floor slab by more than the 6mm required, how do I resolve this issue?
Normally only small lengths of wall are involved. You do one of two things depending on the situation, frame size etc The packers do not have to be fixed to the bottom plate so you can just slide an extra one next to each on the installed packers where the problem exists, making the new packer flush with the inside of the plate or in a worst case scenario, you could even bring it into the room up to 10mm (gib thickness) sit the gib on it, this means the outside edge of the plate could overhang the edge of the slab by 16mm, in fact you could take it up to 26mm and only have half the edge of the packer sitting on the edge of the concrete. The other alternative is to turn the extra packer at right angles to the way they are normally, as it is only 60mm wide as opposed to the 84mm, meaning you could overhang it 30mm if you had to. There is no issue with the load in these situations
Bracing
When locating a 15kN bracing screw, do you have need to fix it through a HIANDRI Packer?
NO, all our P21 bracing tests were completed satisfactorily with a HIANDRI packer under the stud only.
Can I use HIANDRI Packers with a James Hardie fibre cement brace?
YES. The tests have been completed and meet the specification required by JH for their P21 test, however James Hardie at this stage wish to approve applications on an individual basis. To gain approval to use James Hardie bracing systems you must contact James Hardie directly.
Insulation/Air-seal
Do I need to install a PEF rod behind the expanded foam along the edge of the bottom plate?
NO. One of the main reasons a PEF rod is used is to stop the cavity from being filled with foam, in a window situation this could cause wicking, given that the building wrap and cladding travels passed the void created by the HIANDRI Packer wicking cannot take place. In addition, the specification for the insulation is part of the ‘Installation Manual’ and therefore the CODEMARK.
Order/Supply
How many packers do I need?
As a guide only: An average 200 square metre house with studs at 600mm crs will use around 450 HIANDRI Packers. If the studs on the outside walls are at 400mm crs you will require a few more. Get your frame manufacturer to quote the cost.
Your supply only price on the website appears similar to the supply and fit price I have received from a frame manufacturer, why is this?
HIANDRI Limited would prefer their packers to be fitted to the frames by specially trained people at frame manufacturing plants and therefore do not wish to compete with this strategy and would always support professional fixing.
I manufacture frames and a customer wants me to fit them on his next job; what do I need to do?
First, contact anyone at HIANDRI, but preferably Sam Bradley 0508 442 6374. Sam will arrange for you to set up an account with HIANDRI Limited, discuss your purchase price and will visit your plant if considered necessary to provide training – approximately 1 hour on site should be sufficient.
What volumes can HIANDRI Bottom Plate Packers be purchased in?
HIANDRI Packers can be purchased in single bags containing 450 packers (approx. 1 house lot), these weigh 10.6kgs. You can also purchase 9,000 packers (approx. 20 house lots) supplied in a Fadge (like a wool bale) on a pallet, weighs 212kgs.
Council & Building Consent
If I want to use HIANDRI Packers on my next job what do I do?
Download and print from our website the ‘Certificate of Conformity’ (CodeMark) and the ‘Installation Manual’. Include these documents with your Building Consent application; because HIANDRI has a CODEMARK, the Building Consent Authority must accept it.
What is the difference between a CODEMARK and a BRANZ Appraisal?
A product or system that carries a CODEMARK, such as HIANDRI Bottom Plate Packers, confirms compliance with the Building Code and is the same as an ‘Acceptable Solution’ and must be accepted by all Building Consent Authorities (BCA’s). A BRANZ Appraisal is only an opinion in regards to compliance with the Building Code and therefore can be accepted or rejected by a BCA.
Can the council or its inspectors change anything to do with the HIANDRI Bottom Plate System?
NO – The CODEMARK means that the system is an approved ‘Acceptable Solution’ under the Building Code. Any changes whatsoever, contrary to the ‘Installation Manual’, to this tested approved system, will negate the CODEMARK, and it then becomes ‘Specific Design’ and the Council and the inspector would carry not only the responsibility, but the liability.
My building consent has been issued, the slab is poured, but the frames not erected, and I now wish to use HIANDRI bottom plate packers under my frames, is this possible?
YES. As the system is CODEMARKED and the change does not affect the structure in any way, the change to use HIANDRI Packers becomes a ‘minor variation’. Each Building Consent Authority (BCA) has a different way of administering minor variations, check and confirm with yours; – for minor variations no cost should be involved.
Testimonials
Builders like you are saying
I will be using them all year round
Attended lots of trade evenings and Master Builder presentations over the years, and Hiandri packers would be the best idea I have heard of, at one of these events. I left the meeting, knowing I will be installing HIANDRI on every job I did in future.
On my current job at Omaha, it is not uncommon to get half a metre of sand blown onto the floors over a weekend; we can now just get a blower to remove the sand and any puddled water that has not already escaped, solving a real problem for us.
I’m the first builder in the area to install HIANDRI, and a number of builders I know have called into the site; first comment. – ‘great idea’ – they are now all installing HIANDRI. The owner is also wrapped as he gets the long-term benefits of the product.
I will be using them all year round, having that airflow under the plates is so important. I said to my normal pre-cutter, ‘if you do not install Hiandri bottom plate packers on my frames, I go somewhere else’ that’s how much this innovation means to me – he installed them! I can highly recommend this system to all builders.
On my current job at Omaha, it is not uncommon to get half a metre of sand blown onto the floors over a weekend; we can now just get a blower to remove the sand and any puddled water that has not already escaped, solving a real problem for us.
I’m the first builder in the area to install HIANDRI, and a number of builders I know have called into the site; first comment. – ‘great idea’ – they are now all installing HIANDRI. The owner is also wrapped as he gets the long-term benefits of the product.
I will be using them all year round, having that airflow under the plates is so important. I said to my normal pre-cutter, ‘if you do not install Hiandri bottom plate packers on my frames, I go somewhere else’ that’s how much this innovation means to me – he installed them! I can highly recommend this system to all builders.
Mark Wilson
Master Builder, Matakana
Hiandri is just a no brainer
There has always been an issue with wet timber in the building industry, particularly bottom plates, and when I saw Hiandri bottom plate packers being advertised in Build Magazine, my immediate reaction was, ‘about time someone solved this problem’ and the fact that the system was ‘Codemarked’ meant it was fully approved, so I jumped on the phone and ordered a bag immediately.
Most of our work is alterations and renovations, and putting Hiandri bottom plate packers on site built frames is effortless. It does not seem to matter how old the wall we are replacing is, if it is on a particle board floor, there always seems to be dampness under the plate and rotting flooring – Hiandri solves that problem for sure.
This product has not disappointed, we have already used it on more than one job, and just knowing your timber frames can now drain and dry, is peace of mind for any builder. In fact, we contract to a housing company who, since observing Hiandri on our jobs, is now specifying on all their homes – it’s just a no brainer!
Most of our work is alterations and renovations, and putting Hiandri bottom plate packers on site built frames is effortless. It does not seem to matter how old the wall we are replacing is, if it is on a particle board floor, there always seems to be dampness under the plate and rotting flooring – Hiandri solves that problem for sure.
This product has not disappointed, we have already used it on more than one job, and just knowing your timber frames can now drain and dry, is peace of mind for any builder. In fact, we contract to a housing company who, since observing Hiandri on our jobs, is now specifying on all their homes – it’s just a no brainer!
Bruce Walker
Certified Builder, L’n’B Construction Ltd
It’s going on every frame we erect
When I first saw HIANDRI bottom plates in use, my immediate thought was ‘clever idea!’ The way we have been building is a major concern in the fact that, water is trapped between the bottom plate, the d.p.c and the floor, it just takes forever to dry, having that airflow around the plate is so important. It’s not just the plates; where you have several studs together, the moisture also saturates this block of timber and they also take an extremely long time to dry.
The first thing the Building Inspector is going to do, is drive his moisture meter into the bottom plate, who wants to be told, it could be weeks before they can install linings – it’s just a no brainer to use this system!
We used to fire up the heaters and dehumidifiers, and run them at great cost, not to mention the time it took to then straighten the warped frames – those days are now gone. This is our first HIANDRI job, the pre-cutter did not do the top floor – madness; that won’t be happening again, it’s going on every frame we erect from now on, I can assure you of that – great system!
The first thing the Building Inspector is going to do, is drive his moisture meter into the bottom plate, who wants to be told, it could be weeks before they can install linings – it’s just a no brainer to use this system!
We used to fire up the heaters and dehumidifiers, and run them at great cost, not to mention the time it took to then straighten the warped frames – those days are now gone. This is our first HIANDRI job, the pre-cutter did not do the top floor – madness; that won’t be happening again, it’s going on every frame we erect from now on, I can assure you of that – great system!
Henri van Berkel
Master Builder, Berkel Builders
Hiandri comes highly recommended
In 2006, I designed and built a 392m² single level dwelling, at 8 San Marco Lane in Hamilton.
At the time of construction, I had to engage the services of John Oliver, who is a building consultant, regarding the masonry veneer on this house. John spoke to me about his invention, the HIANDRI bottom plate packer, which I immediately thought was a great idea and decided to install them under my own timber frames, which I did.
Over the past 8 years, John’s HIANDRI system has proved excellent and the system and frames have both performed and met all expectations. In fact, I have had a leaky shower tray that is proving difficult to locate and resolve; the fact that my timber framing is raised 12mm above my concrete floor is proving great insurance as any water will run under the plates and into the brick veneer cavity – in other words, I do not have to worry about my timber frames rotting.
I now understand, that the HIANDRI bottom plate system has been CODEMARKED and I wish HIANDRI Solutions Ltd every success in the future, it comes highly recommended.
At the time of construction, I had to engage the services of John Oliver, who is a building consultant, regarding the masonry veneer on this house. John spoke to me about his invention, the HIANDRI bottom plate packer, which I immediately thought was a great idea and decided to install them under my own timber frames, which I did.
Over the past 8 years, John’s HIANDRI system has proved excellent and the system and frames have both performed and met all expectations. In fact, I have had a leaky shower tray that is proving difficult to locate and resolve; the fact that my timber framing is raised 12mm above my concrete floor is proving great insurance as any water will run under the plates and into the brick veneer cavity – in other words, I do not have to worry about my timber frames rotting.
I now understand, that the HIANDRI bottom plate system has been CODEMARKED and I wish HIANDRI Solutions Ltd every success in the future, it comes highly recommended.
Steve Spijkerman
Builder
So easy to either put on yourself
My Manukau Mitre10 rep, Johan Kuypers, first introduced me to HIANDRI bottom plate packers, as he knew what a nightmare of a winter I had been through, with wet timber, especially saturated bottom plates.
Costly heaters and dehumidifiers, that don’t really do the job, re-inspection fees and costly delays, there is no way I want to repeat that experience, now there is a great solution in HIANDRI bottom plate packers. The ideas mint, and so easy to either put on yourself, or have installed; I can assure you, it will be installed on all future jobs I’m involved in.
Costly heaters and dehumidifiers, that don’t really do the job, re-inspection fees and costly delays, there is no way I want to repeat that experience, now there is a great solution in HIANDRI bottom plate packers. The ideas mint, and so easy to either put on yourself, or have installed; I can assure you, it will be installed on all future jobs I’m involved in.
Rob Harford
Builder, Rubix Construction