Frequently Asked Questions
We supply all our projects with suitable butyl sealants. These are in tape form to allow the installer to roll the sealant onto the structure prior to installation of panels. Once installed our Butyl tape is applied to joints of adjacent panels to provide a good seal and prevent any grout loss.
We custom-design all our panels to perfectly suit each individual project’s unique requirements. Our primary product line consists of Mek-Dek ribbed panels, available with rib options of 100mm, 125mm, and 150mm rib centres. Additionally, we offer a specialised GRP Composite product designed for shorter spans, featuring a consistent thickness of either 20mm or 38mm.
There’s no cost to you for the panel design. By providing it free of charge, we aim to not only save you money but to also streamline your project and help you achieve your goals more efficiently. We believe in delivering exceptional value, and this is just one of the many ways Mekina strives to exceed your expectations.
If you’ve got a specific project in mind, we encourage you to share your ideas and requirements with us as soon as possible to ensure that we can bring your vision to life effectively. To get started, there are two ways you can convey your project details. Firstly, Hand Sketch or Drawing, This will help us to understand your project’s design and layout. Whether it’s a rough sketch or a more detailed drawing, it provides us with a visual representation which our team can work on with you to refine into a feasible project plan. Secondly, send Simple Dimensions: If you prefer not to provide a sketch or drawing, you can provide us with essential measurements and specifications that are crucial to your project. These include clear span distance, deck depth and rib centres.
Yes we do. We’re experienced in in delivering quality products and excellent service to customers around the globe, including in Australia and New Zealand where we have on-the-ground support for your projects. Whatever time zone you’re in, get in touch today and talk to us about all things GRP formwork.
All our panels are designed in accordance with CD 359 which sets out design requirements for permanent soffit formwork for bridges and is published by Highways England.
Yes indeed. We design and manufacture panels to cantilever as you require, providing an upstand for the deck edge. We can incorporate edge protection within the upstand of the panel to provide safety assistance on site.
Our panels vary from 5kgs to 200kgs depending on span and loads the panels will be imposed to. This robust product range ensures we can meet the unique demands of any project, regardless of its size or complexity.
Yes. Although Mek-Dek formwork panels are manufactured in RAL 7023 Concrete Grey as standard, we offer a wide range of customisation options for panels, including the ability to choose panels in a different colour. This means you can have panels that perfectly match your specific design preferences and requirements. Our manufacturing process is highly flexible and we can accommodate nearly any RAL colour you specify, just let us know as early as possible during our design discussions.
When supporting beams are at a staggered height, the use of cranked panels is a practical and effective solution to address the associated challenges. Mek-Dek panels installed in this configuration not only provide a level surface but also ensure proper sealing to beams, making them a valuable asset in construction projects with irregular beam arrangements.
The method for lifting GRP Mek-Dek panels can vary, depending on the size and weight of the panel and the specific logistics of your construction site. If you’ve opted for our shorter span panels, these are relatively lightweight and can be easily lifted manually. However, when dealing with larger panels, there are multiple lifting techniques available, so we recommend reaching out to us directly here at Mekina Industries to discuss your specific application.
The minimum bearing required is 30mm. However, for added safety and to prevent any possibility of panel displacement, we strongly recommend using the shear stud on steel beams or the rebate wall on concrete beams to ensure a secure fit. For instance, consider a scenario where a Mek-Dek panel becomes dislodged and moves towards the shear stud, which is positioned 70mm from the face of the stud to the edge of the beam. To determine the recommended bearing length at each end of the panel, simply add the 70mm distance to the minimum requirement of 30mm and then divide by 2. This calculation yields a recommended bearing length of 50mm for each end of the panel, ensuring a stable and secure placement.
Absolutely. Our panels and sealants can cater for almost all supporting structures. With decades of experience in the GRP permanent formwork industry, we’ve successfully tackled a diverse range of project scenarios. Our expertise allows us to provide comprehensive support throughout every stage of your design phase, ensuring your chosen solution inspires confidence.
This is a frequently asked question, and as you’d expect, our lead time is contingent on factors such as the quantity of panels, their size, and complexity. Typically, once we’re in full production mode, we can manufacture over 500 square meters a week.
Yes absolutely. The panels are designed to suit live loads of 1.5kN/m2. This load-bearing capacity makes them suitable for personnel to walk on during various phases of construction and maintenance work. The durability of the GRP material ensures that the panels can withstand the rigours of construction environments.
Mek-Dek Glass Reinforced Polymer Permanent Formwork panels are designed to support bridge decks during concrete pours and remain in place thereafter. This technique is otherwise known as stay-in-place formwork or sacrificial formwork.
