Impact resistant building materials

Some building materials are more resistant to impact damage than others. Walls ain't walls, to paraphrase a well-know ad.

These days it's worth thinking a little more about the purpose of the wall, before you reach for the nearest sheet of bog-standard plasterboard.

For builders interested in differentiating their homes with quality features, products like PineRidge lining can be used instead of plasterboard to line garage walls.

Leading Coffs Harbour builder Hopwood Homes includes PineRidge lining as part of the standard specification. PineRidge lining is an impact-resistant internal wall lining that has a timber panelled finish.

Director Brian Hopwood says that PineRidge lining is a better product specific to garages.

"It's stronger than (standard 10mm) plasterboard and you can hose out the garage and you don't have to worry about it rotting. It also presents well, "he says. "It looks good". He add thats he can "lock up a little bit easier because the carpenters can install it when the roof mightn't be fully finished."

Other builders feel that PineRidge lining is suited to the trend of garages being converted to home offices, workshops and playrooms, after the home is finished.

They also like the fact their carpenters can quickly install the product because of the PVC joining system. They're not waiting for joints to be set and sanded before being able to paint it, as they are with plasterboard.