Concrete spacers, chamfer strips and waterstops from Progress Profiles

Why this brand · Progress Profiles #2 · The brands Saniso stocks, and why

Long before the first tile goes down, a building site needs parts that disappear into the concrete: spacers that hold the reinforcement in place, chamfer strips that shape the edges and waterstops that close the joints. In this second Progress Profiles edition of our series Why this brand we look at concrete spacers and the other site products the brand makes for formwork and concrete work. For the brand overview, start with Progress Profiles tile profiles and installation systems; for the brand's shower system, read building a level walk-in shower with Progress Profiles.

Why does concrete work need spacers, chamfer strips and waterstops?

Reinforced concrete works as designed when the steel sits where the structural engineer drew it. Spacers keep that distance during the pour, so the reinforcement ends up fully embedded with the planned concrete cover, which protects the steel against corrosion and fire. Chamfer strips shape the edges of walls and columns while the concrete is still in the formwork, and waterstops seal the joints between two pours where water could otherwise find a way through. All three are small parts that are hard to correct once the concrete has set, so it pays to choose them before the pour. For how reinforced concrete came about, see the history of concrete.

What does Progress Profiles make for formwork and concrete?

Next to tile profiles and shower systems, Progress Profiles makes a line of site products in grey HD polyethylene and rigid PVC. On saniso.nl you can open, among others, the linear spacers Rapy 100 and Rapy 200, single spacers such as PAS spacers, PAX spacers, PAU spacers and PAL spacers, the multi-foot spacers, the Prodistanz spacers, the triangular chamfer strip, the drip course profile and the Waterstop profile. The table sums up what each product page says.

What are the strengths and opportunities of Progress Profiles for concrete work? (a positive SWOT)

We wrote this SWOT for the person preparing a pour: what the Progress Profiles site range does well, where it opens doors, where it fits best and why we carry it.

Which concrete spacers do you need for your reinforcement?

Start from the drawing: the structural engineer or the specification gives the concrete cover and the bar or mesh diameter. Then choose the type. Linear spacers such as Rapy 100 give long, even support under bars and mesh. PAS spacers are made for heavy reinforcement and large rods, PAX spacers for horizontal mesh, PAU spacers for the crossing points of welded mesh, horizontal or vertical, PAL spacers to join up mesh in floor slabs and Doppy spacers for mesh up to Ø 8 mm. For PAS, PAX and PAU the product page lists the formwork distance in mm per article, so you can match the spacer to the required cover.

How do you place concrete spacers so the cover stays right?

Place the spacers before the pour: under the bottom reinforcement and against the side formwork, at the spacing the engineer or the spacer maker gives. They carry the reinforcement and the people who walk on it during the pour, so use a type that is made for that load. Check that every bar and mesh rests on a spacer and that no steel touches the formwork. Look again just before the concrete arrives: mesh that has been trodden down loses its cover.

How do Prodistanz spacers help with formwork?

According to the product page, the patented Prodistanz spacers simplify, improve and speed up placing and securing shuttering panels for concrete, so you avoid cutting tie-rods and assembling washer plates on site. They come in sizes from 15 to 40 cm and with two plug types: a hollow plug for walls that will be plastered and a smooth plug for walls without plaster. Choose the size and the plug that match your wall, and ask us if you are unsure.

Why do you put chamfer strips in the formwork?

A chamfer strip sits in the inside corner of the formwork and gives the concrete edge a bevel instead of a sharp corner. A bevelled edge is less likely to chip when the formwork comes off and in daily use, and it looks neater on walls and columns that stay visible. The Progress Profiles triangular chamfer strip is made of rigid grey PVC, comes in several widths (PST 10 to PST 30, 2 m bars) and is described as tough and easy to lay. There is also a rounded triangular chamfer strip. Fix the strips straight and tight, so no concrete runs behind them.

Where do you use a waterstop profile?

A waterstop is cast into the concrete across a joint, half in the first pour and half in the next, so water cannot follow the joint through the structure. Typical places are basement walls and floors, pits and tanks, where the concrete has to hold back water. The Progress Profiles Waterstop profile is made of blue plasticised PVC with good mechanical strength, elasticity and ageing resistance, for a watertight seal even under pressure. You can choose flat waterstops (WP 100 to WP 300) and waterstops with a bulb (WB 200 to WB 300), on rolls of 25 m; anchoring clips are available on request. The structural engineer decides which type and width each joint needs.

What is a drip course profile for?

A drip course profile is cast into the underside of a concrete overhang, such as a balcony slab, a canopy or a window sill, to form a drip groove. Rainwater then drips off at the groove instead of running along the underside back to the wall. The Progress Profiles drip course profile is made of rigid grey PVC in 2 m bars (GCT 20 and GCT 30).

Which tips help you prepare a good pour?

• Take the cover, bar diameters and joint details from the drawing before you request a quote.
• Order spacers to the spacing the engineer or the maker gives, with a little extra for the site.
• Fix chamfer strips and waterstops firmly, so they stay in place while the concrete goes in.
• Keep waterstops clean, so the concrete bonds around the whole profile.
• Request the quotation early, so the parts are on site before the concrete is ordered.
• Working out quantities for the mix? Read how many bags of sand-cement you need. Fixing things to the concrete later? See fixing into concrete, brick and aerated concrete.

What can you order from Progress Profiles at Saniso for concrete work today?

Open the Progress Profiles brand page for the full range. The concrete spacers, chamfer strips and waterstops in this article are sold on quotation: open the product page, click "Request Quote" and give the article codes and quantities you need, or collect everything on your Project List first. Prices on saniso.nl and at checkout include VAT; your quotation shows the price.

What is the delivery time at Saniso?

Order on a workday before 15:00? Then your order is delivered the next workday, as long as it fits in a parcel. Pallet shipments have a different delivery time. Saniso has thousands of products in stock in the Netherlands. Saniso is on its way to becoming the e-commerce platform for construction across Europe, and already delivers to more than 20 countries.

How do you order at Saniso if you're not a customer yet?

Your first order is easy to place:

1. Create an account via register. Already have an account? Log in here with your email address or phone number.
2. Choose your product and click "Add to cart", or go straight to "Buy now". For products without a listed price, click "Request Quote" or add them to your Project List.
3. Check out: all prices at checkout include VAT.
4. Choose delivery or pickup: have it delivered, or pick up your order for free in our showroom.

How do you stay up to date on offers?

Want to know when there are new offers? Sign up for the newsletter: scroll to the bottom of any page on saniso.nl, enter your email address under "Newsletter" and click "Subscribe". You'll get updates on offers and discount coupons, and we don't spam. With an account you also collect loyalty points for a discount on your next purchase.

More about this in the Saniso FAQ under "How do I sign up for the newsletter?". Questions about ordering, payment, shipping or returns are answered there too.

Frequently asked questions

Header images: Progress Profiles product images from the product pages on saniso.nl (Waterstop profile, Rapy 100, PAS, triangular chamfer strip, PAX, Prodistanz, Rapy 200, rounded triangular chamfer strip, PAU, drip course profile, multi-foot spacers), shown at original size.

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