Thin Joint turns heads in Newtown

A construction boss in Newtown, Wales, reversed his decision to build his new build property out of timber frame, opting instead to use the Thin-Joint System from H+H, after a strong recommendation by his developer.  

Matthew Jones hired Barry Bellis of BW Bellis Ltd to develop his project. In 2010, Barry had used H+H Celcon Blocks to build his own home, taking full advantage of its strong reputation for airtightness and thermal efficiency.

“I used 200mm Celcon Blocks for my own five-bedroom home, almost seven years ago. I thought the insulation benefits would be better than alternative building materials available if I used aircrete.

“The results have been astonishing. My annual energy bill was less than £200 last year! I do have solar panels as well but it is the aircrete that creates the great efficiency which has led to the savings.”

Airtightness and thermal efficiency are a key benefit of using Thin-Joint compared to more conventional building methods. Due to aircrete’s high latent thermal mass, the blocks have the ability to store and then radiate heat back into building when temperatures fall.

This essentially allows a property to act as a storage heater, providing vital warmth during the colder winter months, keeping energy bills down in the process.

The H+H Thin-Joint System combines Celcon Blocks with a specially developed Celfix Mortar, which sets within ten minutes of application and approaches full design strength a mere hour or so after that.

Using this certified modern method of construction, BW Bellis completed the blockwork on the large four-bedroom property within six weeks. Apart from some technical assistance from H+H on working with aircrete, all of the block work was laid by a single worker during this time.

“A member of staff from H+H visited the site and showed us the best way of laying the aircrete, and how to cut it to the right size. With that knowledge, we had what we needed to get on with the job,” Barry said.

 With construction now completed, Matthew is looking forward to moving into his beautiful new home, overlooking both the Severn Valley and Newtown.

“When Barry came to me with proposals to use aircrete blocks, he spoke of the huge gains in build speed as well as the thermal efficiency benefits that could be achieved. Seeing how he’d used the blocks for his own property I took this to be a mark of their quality,” said Matthew.

“The blocks are good quality and quick to install. I wouldn’t hesitate to use them again.”

Barry himself concurred. “I would happily use aircrete again. In fact, I was recently asked by a builder in town if I’d be able to assist with a new 28-home development using H+H products.”