Windposts are designed to suit the construction industry, although other professions may come across them every so often.
Windposts come in different shapes and sizes, and can be used for different purposes.
But what exactly are the different types of windposts? If you want to learn more about windposts, we’ve got you covered – keep reading for our guide to using windposts.
What Is A Windpost?
A windpost is used to improve the stability of structures. They’re typically constructed using mild steel for stability and durability, but you can find other types of windpost. The steel is supported at the head and foot, located between the floor slab levels.
They’re necessary for the construction industry, and are a great alternative to reinforced concrete and steel columns.
Windposts are also a cheaper option than columns and reinforced concrete, and take much less time to install and construct.
Windposts provide strength, stability, and structural support where there is lots of cladding, and where there are multiple window apertures found in support of masonry panels.
Windposts in walls are used when conducting masonry walls in order to increase the strength and lateral stability of the structure and protect your masonry panelling against any horizontal forces such as wind pressure, crowd, or handrail loads.
With cavity walls, you usually fix wind posts in the inner and outer wall leaves. You can achieve this by using specialist wall ties, fixing them in the right places.
Windposts can be installed within the inner leaves of the blockwork, but also inside the wall cavity. When they are installed inside the wall cavity, the blockwork remains undisturbed. It’s hidden inside the structure, which means that not much effort is required to hide it.
In order to place them in the right place, a structural engineer will make accurate measurements and calculations to find the perfect place for them.
Types of Windpost
There are different types of windposts that have slightly different designs and are designed to be installed at different locations around or inside a structure.
C-types are located within the wall cavity and are frequently used in masonry panels that aren’t subject to heavy loadings.
L-types are typically more affordable. They’re designed to be used in locations with heavier wind loading than what a C-type can manage. L-types are also used when the width of the cavity isn’t suitable for a C-type.
U-types are designed to be installed within the wall cavity, so leave the inner leaf of the cavity wall remains undisturbed – similar to C-type wind structures. U-type wind posts also span between floor structures.
DU-types are essentially the same as U-type in that they leave the inner leaf of the cavity wall undisturbed as they’re fitted within the cavity. They also span between floor structures. However, the DU-type is a heavier-duty variant.
Finishing
Windposts can be finished in a variety of ways, often tailored to suit the needs of the client. One of the main ways that they can be finished is by being painted with zinc phosphate primer.
Another common way of finishing them is by having it galvanized. Windposts can also be factory finished, or bituminous painted.
Finding The Right Windposts
If you’re looking for quality windposts, look no further than Astra Engineering. We are committed to providing you with the best steel and other metal fabrications.
Typically, we use grade s275 in either hot or cold-finished mild steel, but we can make your windposts however you require.
We have plenty of experience manufacturing stainless steel structures, from windposts to much larger structures. We use tried and tested expert techniques when cutting and bending steel, creating all kinds of structures, in all shapes and sizes.
We can also manufacture large-scale structures, such as corporate frame buildings that are ready to be erected. However, we can also manufacture smaller structures, including gates, and other construction equipment.