Austral Masonry is part of the Brickworks Building Products Group, one of Australia’s largest and most innovative building product manufacturers. Recently Austral Masonry launched two new retaining wall products that reinforce its innovative heritage.
With five sleepers in one panel, Explorer 1000 is now making it faster to install a sleek concrete sleeper retaining wall. Well-suited to a variety of projects including residential, subdivisions or mid-sized commercial properties, these new 5-in-1 panels also come in a smooth finish and grey colour.
The panels use a faster and safer construction method and come with a built-in approved lifter that can handle 1.3 tonnes. There are fewer pinch-points than with other sleeper installation methods, and the panels use the standard concrete sleeper galvanised post system.
These retaining wall panels can be used for wall heights ranging from 0.5 to 3 metres high, come in 2 metre lengths and are code compliant. The Explorer panel range is more durable compared with timber sleepers and a number of competing products. Planning and installation are simple, just draw out a wall, count your posts and select your sleepers.
“Anyone looking to install the highest durability retaining walls in the fastest and safest method should look to get in touch with us. Feedback from early users of the 5-in-1 panels is that installations that normally take two and a half days, now take less than a day,” said Trent Alexander, lead engineer and Group Improvement Manager for Brickworks.
The main manufacturing plant for the Explorer range is located in Brisbane and is part way on its journey towards full automation. Exclusive to Austral Masonry, the design utilises a proprietary dosing head to produce precast 50 MPa concrete in a matter of seconds. The design is rust, rot and termite resistant, and far less prone to crack and shrink. The range comes with a 35 year product warranty and a 60 year design life.
Magnumstone finish does not resemble concrete
The other new product from Austral Masonry is Magnumstone Ledgeface, a large block, hollow core, wet-cast segmental retaining wall system that features new aesthetics for a natural visual finish.
“Customers were asking us for a more unique, natural look to the range, so we’ve worked hard to deliver a finish that doesn’t look anything like concrete. It can really add character and feel to outdoor spaces,” added Alexander.
The Magnumstone range is well suited for residential or large-scale commercial installations. There is no steel reinforcement used inside the blocks, so there is no risk of corrosion. It makes the range perfect for coastal installations in particular.
The wet-cast process allows for through-wall applications and provides for freeze and thaw durability advantages over other similar products. The patented, mortarless SecureLug™ interlock system simplifies costs and saves time for installation. As a gravity block, they are good for instances where posts cannot be installed.
Take a look at the product sheets for the Explorer range and Magnumstone blocks for yourself and get to know the look and feel of these easy-to-install retaining walls.