CI/SfB

(22.3) Rf7

Product
This Certificate relates to The Trower Panel Internal Wall System,
which is manufactured by Trower Industries Ltd in Matamata and
Manukau City.
The product has been appraised for use as an interior non-load bearing
APPRAISAL wall panel system, for buildings which come within the scope of NZS 3604:
1990, and where a fire resistance rating is not required. The panels may
CERTIFICATE be used to form Wall Bracing Elements.
No. 328(1996) The panels are installed by Trower Industries Ltd, or their approved
agents, after the building has been closed in and the ceiling structure to
which the panels are to be fixed has been installed.

THE TROWER
PANEL INTERNAL
WALL SYSTEM

Trower Industries Ltd.

P O Box 189, Garland St
Matamata
Tel: 0-7-888 7407
Fax: 0-7-888 5467
P O Box 7608, Joval Place
Manukau City
Auckland
Tel: 0-9-262 3038
Fax: 0-9- 262 3046

Please refer to this document as "BRANZ

Appraisal Certificate No.328, September, 1996".

Readers are advised to check that this
Certificate has not been withdrawn or
superseded by a later issue, by either
referring to the “Current Certificates
Index” in BUILD, the bi-monthly magazine
published by the Building Research
Association of New Zealand (BRANZ), or
by contacting Building Technology Limited
(BTL).
Building Regulations
New Zealand Building Code (NZBC)
In the opinion of BTL, if the Trower Panel Internal Wall System is used in accordance
with the statements and conditions of this Certificate, the relevant performance
requirements of the following NZBC Clauses will be met:
B1 STRUCTURE; B2 DURABILITY; AND F2 HAZARDOUS BUILDING
MATERIALS.
Specific NZBC compliance details are contained within this Certificate.

BTL, Private Bag 50908, Porirua
New Zealand
Fax: 0-4-235 6070
Telephone: 0-4-235 7600
This Appraisal was produced by BTL,
a company wholly owned by BRANZ.
Product Information
Description
The Trower Panel Internal Wall System consists of a series of non-load bearing wall
panels, which are joined together to provide an internal wall system for a building coming
within the scope of NZS 3604 : 1990. Wall Bracing Elements can be formed as required
to form part of the internal wall system.
A range of panel sizes are manufactured.
 Panel widths vary from 150 mm up to 1200
mm. Using a combination of 1200 mm wide
panels and other width panels from the range,
a wall of any length can be constructed.
The standard panel height is 2400 mm but
panel heights up to 2700 mm are available on
request.
In addition, a range of door-head wall
panels are manufactured to accommodate the
various sizes of doors available.
All Trower panels have an overall
thickness of 60 mm.
Trower Panels consist of a timber frame
and a cardboard honeycomb core, clad with
one sheet of 9.5 mm thick Gib Board® on each
face. The Gib Board® sheets are fixed to the
cardboard honeycombing and timber frame
with a urea formaldehyde (UF) adhesive.
The amount and configuration of framing
timber within the panel determines whether the
panel is a Standard or a Special Fixing Panel.
• Standard Panels have a perimeter frame and
a single central horizontal rail.
• Special Fixing Panels also have a perimeter
frame, but have rails or part timber infills
inserted at appropriate locations for specific
functions, such as for the fixing of over-
cupboards.
Panel framing timber is dressed radiata
pine with a section size 41 mm x 45 mm. All
framing timber has a 15 mm x 15 mm groove
located centrally on one of the 41 mm faces
which is used to accommodate the panel
timber joint fillets.
The panels are joined together by timber
fillets, which fit into the grooves of the
vertical perimeter framing. The timber
fillets are nail-fixed through the panel faces.
The top of the panels are nail-fixed to
ceiling battens.
The bottom of the panels are nail-fixed
directly to timber floors and via galvanised
steel brackets to concrete floors.
Panels are nail or screw-fixed to external
walls and other internal walls or panels.
Wall Bracing Elements can be formed by
using Standard or Special Fixing panels
(minimum total length is 1.2 m), and by the
provision of specific fixings including the
Trower Bracing Brackets.
The panels are finished by plaster stopping
and applying a suitable wall covering (outside
the scope of this Appraisal).
Panel Materials and accessories
Timber rails and joint fillets:
Kiln-dried radiata pine which meets
Trower Industries Ltd’s grading criteria, and
meets the requirements for untreated timber
as specified in Clause 105.5 of NZS 3602 :
1995.
Cardboard honey comb core:
300 g/m2 G.P. box-board grade cardboard,
50 mm square aperture size.
Lining:
9.5 mm thick Gib Board® sheets.
2
GibBoard®/ timber rail adhesive:
Manufactured panels:
Urea-formaldehyde (UF) Aerolite UL1400 or
Aerolite KL resin with powdered hardeners
appropriate for these resins.
Site Cut Panels :
Gib® Fix, Fosroc Construction Adhesive WB,
Selleys Liquid Nails, or other construction
adhesive assessed by BTL as being suitable for
this application.
Trower Bracing Bracket :
1.85 mm thick G250, Z275 galvanised steel
flat sheet.
Concrete floor connection bracket and 6kN
Trower External Wall Connector:
0.8 mm thick G250, Z275 galvanised steel
flat sheet.
Fixings
6 kN Trower External wall Connector:
Six 30 x 2.5 mm coated flat-head clouts
(external wall leg) and four 30 mm x 10 gauge
self-tapping screws (wall panel leg).
Timber joint fillet to join panels:
30 x 2.5 mm coated flat-head clout pairs at
600 mm centres on both sides of panel.
Trower Bracing Bracket fixings to concrete
floor:
32 mm long x No.10 Tapcon anchors (4 per
bracket, each embedded 30 mm).
Trower Bracing Bracket fastenings to timber
floor:
Six 30 mm x 10 gauge self-tapping screws.
Base of panels to timber floor:
One 90 x 3.15 mm flat-head nail at 400 mm
centres on both sides (skew driven).
Base of panels to concrete floor:
A minimum of 2 concrete floor connection
brackets (cleats) per panel, spaced at 600 mm
centres (maximum), fixed to the concrete floor
with Ramset R842 concrete nails and to the
panels with 30 x 2.5 mm coated flat-head clouts.
Top of panels to ceiling framing:
One 90 x 3.15 mm flat-head nail at 400 mm
maximum centres.
Panel intersections:
90 x 3.15 mm flat-head nails, 100 x 4.0 mm
flat-head galvanised nails, or 75 mm x 10 gauge
coated Surefast screws, at frame rails for "T"
junctions and at 600 mm centres for "L"
junctions.
External wall intersections:
One 90 x 3.15 mm flat-head nail at 600 mm
centres on both sides of panel.
Coated fixings are fixings that are either hot-
dip galvanised or plated with a corrosion
resistant coating.
Handling and Storage
Panels must always be stored on a level
floor, under cover, and protected from moisture
and direct sunlight.
To minimise surface damage, panels must be
stacked flat on special purpose made Trower
pallets for transportation, and remain this way
until installation. Panels must be handled
carefully to avoid damage. Damage to the Gib
Board ® must be repaired by stopping with
gypsum-based plaster once installation is
complete.
Design Information
General
The Trower Panel Internal Wall System has
been appraised for walls up to 2.7 m high, in
light timber frame constructed buildings which
come within the scope of NZS 3604. The main
use of the Trower Panel Internal Wall System is
in domestic dwellings.
The use of the Trower Panel Internal Wall
System for wall heights greater than 2.7 m, or for
buildings which fall outside the above scope, is
not covered by this Appraisal, and the
manufacturer must be consulted for advice.
B1 Structure
When used in accordance with the provisions
of this Certificate, The Trower Panel Internal
Wall System will meet the provisions of NZBC
Clauses B1.3.1, B1.3.2 and B1.3.4 for the
relevant conditions in B1.3.3.
NZS 3604 may be used to specify other parts
of the building such as the foundation, building
platform, external walls, floor and ceiling/roof
structure; or alternatively these elements may be
specifically designed using the NZBC
Verification Method B1/VM1.
The “Trower Technical Information”, dated
June 1996, contains details of how Wall Bracing
Elements are formed.
The ratings for a 2.4 m high and minimum
1.2 m long Wall Bracing Element in terms of
Table K1 of NZS3604 are:
For earthquake: 63 bracing units per metre.
For wind: 70 bracing units per metre.
Where the Wall Bracing Element is 2.7 m
high and a minimum 1.2 m long the ratings
reduce to:
For earthquake: 56 bracing units per metre.
For wind: 62 bracing units per metre.
B2 Durability
When installed maintained, and used in
accordance with this Certificate and the “Trower
Technical Information”, dated June 1996, the
Trower Panel Internal Wall System will meet the
performance requirements of NZBC Clause B2.3
(a), 50 years for bracing applications and (c), 15
years for non-bracing applications.
This durability statement is dependant on the
wall system not being exposed to sustained high
humidities (greater than 90% RH), liquid water,
or temperatures in excess of 35ºC for prolonged
periods or 60°C for short periods.
Maintenance
Any surface damage to the panels must be
repaired with gypsum-based plaster. A suitable

Vertical Loads
Trower panels are non-load bearing. Floor,
ceiling and roof structures must therefore be
supported by other load bearing structural
elements.

Face Loads
The Trower Panel Internal Wall System,
when used in accordance with the provisions of
this Certificate, will resist soft body impact loads
associated with normal residential use, and will
be adequate to resist internal wind pressures
associated with the Very High Building Wind
Zone as defined by NZS 3604.

Suspended Loads
A special fixing panel is available where it is
necessary for the panels to carry light-suspended
loads, such as loads imposed by over-cupboards.
These panels have vertical rails at 300 mm
centres. Trower Industries Ltd should be
consulted for all suspended load applications to
ensure that these panels are not overloaded.

Bracing Loads
Trower Panels can be used to provide
suitable internal Wall Bracing Elements to meet
bracing requirements.
Each complete Wall Bracing Element must
have the specified ceiling and external wall
connections, and a Trower Bracing Bracket
installed at each end of the Wall Bracing Typical Trower Panels with part of the Gib Board® removed
Element. from one face to show construction.
3
finish appropriate to the room use must be re-
applied to the panels.
C1 Outbreak of Fire
In buildings fitted out with the Trower Panel
Internal Wall System, fixed appliances using the
controlled combustion of solid, liquid or gaseous
fuel, shall be installed in a way which reduces the
likelihood of fire. Appropriate separation
distances and protection measures are given in
Acceptable Solution C1/AS1 and Verification
Method C1/VM1 which may be used to meet this
requirement.
C3 Spread of Fire
There are no spread of fire requirements for
detached dwellings where people live as a single
household or family (purpose groups SH and
SR).
For other uses, surface finishes in
conjunction with the Trower Panel Internal Wall
System must comply with Table 4 of NZBC
Acceptable Solution C3/AS1, as appropriate.
The Trower Panel Internal Wall System must
not be used in situations where a fire resistance
rated (FRR) internal wall is required.
E2 External Moisture
The Trower Panel Internal Wall System is
intended for dry internal situations. The building
must therefore be maintained in compliance with
NZBC Clause E2.
To ensure the rated structural performance
can be met it is important that the floor is
protected against the effects of external moisture.
Suspended timber ground floors must be
protected by separation, and by ventilation and
vapour barriers in accordance with the provisions
of NZBC E2/AS1, Paragraphs 4.1.1 to 4.1.8.
Concrete slab-on-ground floors must be
Typical Trower Panel Installation
4
protected by a vapour barrier and have floor
levels set in accordance with the provisions of
NZBC E2/AS1, Paragraphs 4.2.1 to 4.2.5.
E3 Internal Moisture
The Trower Panel Internal Wall System must
be kept dry to comply with NZBC Clauses
E3.3.2, E3.3.4, E3.3.5 and E3.3.6. When used in
wet areas such as bathrooms, laundries, etc,
precautions must be taken to ensure bottom
edges of panels are protected from accidental
overflow, and where adjacent to sanitary
fixtures, be coated with an impervious finish.
Details of suitable methods for controlling
internal moisture are described in NZBC
Acceptable Solution E3/AS1.
The Trower Panel Internal Wall System must
not be used for the construction of sauna rooms,
commercial laundries, boiler rooms or other
rooms where a relative humidity of 90% or more
is expected, or where continuous high
temperatures are expected.
F2 Hazardous Building
Materials
Although the product uses UF adhesive,
vapour emissions are less than from some other
UF sources within a new building.
It is therefore the opinion of BTL, when the
Trower Panel Internal Wall System is used in
accordance with this Certificate, the “Trower
Technical Information”, and adequate
ventilation is provided as required by NZBC
Clause E3.3.1 or G4.3.1, the requirements of
NZBC Clause F2.3.1 will be met.
Products containing UF adhesive will release
vapour over time. The degree of health hazard
caused by this vapour release will depend on the
total amount of vapour released from all sources
in the building, including flooring and furniture,
the ventilation rate, and the degree of
encapsulation provided by surface finishes, such
as coatings, wallpapers and carpets.
When considering ventilation levels for
buildings containing Trower Panels, it should be
assumed that the formaldehyde emission rate for
the panels is 25% of that for an equivalent area
of 20 mm thick particleboard flooring.
Installation Information
Installation must be carried out in accordance
with instructions given in the “Trower Technical
Information”, dated June 1996.
The building must be weathertight with the
roof clad before the Trower Panel Internal Wall
System is installed.
Where panels are installed on concrete slabs
the slab surface must be dry and, before
impervious floor coverings are installed, the
relative humidity of air in equilibrium with the
slab, when measured with a flooring hygrometer,
must not exceed 70%.
The following is a summary of the important
installation aspects:
External walls are temporarily braced until
the Trower Panel Internal Wall System is
installed. Panel locations are marked out and
erected in a similar manner to conventional wall
frames. Panels are fixed to timber floor
sheathing by skew nailing through the bottom
framing of the panel. Fixings are 90 x 3.15 mm
flat-head skew driven nails at 400 mm centres,
both sides of the panel. Nails are punched
through the Gib Board® lining so that nail heads
bear against the timber rail. Individual panels are
fixed to concrete floors using galvanised steel
nail cleats. The cleats are fixed to the floor with
Ramset R842 concrete nails.
Wall Bracing Elements are fixed at each end
using Trower Bracing Brackets. These are fixed
to timber floors with six 30 mm long x 10 gauge
pan-head coated timber screws. The timber
screws are replaced by four 32 mm long x No. 10
Tapcon anchors, where bracing panels are to be
fixed to concrete floors. The “Trower Technical
Information” contains details.
Trower internal wall panels are fixed at
ceiling level to timber ceiling battens or another
specifically designed ceiling system (not covered
by this Appraisal). Fixings must be no less than
either a single 90 x 3.15 mm flat-head nail at 400
mm maximum centres, driven down through the
ceiling battens; or opposing pairs of 90 x 3.15
mm skew driven flat-head nails at 400 mm
centres up through the panel top rail into the
ceiling battens.
The maximum gap between the top surface of
the wall panel and the under surface of the
ceiling batten must not exceed 15 mm, where
wall panels form part of a Wall Bracing Element,
and, 20 mm for other non-bracing wall panels.
Panels are joined together by means of a
continuous single 30 x 14.5 mm timber joint fillet
which fits tightly into a continuous 15 mm square
groove in the vertical timber framing at the edge
of each panel. This connection is completed by
fixing the vertical edge framing of each panel to
the timber joint fillet with 30 x 2.5 mm coated
clouts. Every 600 mm up the joint line,
opposing pairs of clouts (i.e. 4) are driven into
the timber joint fillet, one pair from each side of
the panels.
Sometimes panels are cut on site and
connected to other panels or walls. The "Trower
Technical Information" contains details.
The 6 kN Trower External Wall Connectors
are used to connect walls containing Wall
Bracing Elements to external walls at top plate
level. Door frames, which must be compatible
with the Trower Panel Internal Wall System, are
fixed in position by nailing through jambs into
the panel framing.
In light timber frame construction where
related details are not covered by the “Trower
Technical Information”, they must be in
accordance with NZS3604; e.g, the subfloor
detail beneath a non-load bearing wall.
Suitable details for stopping and finishing the
Gib Board ® are provided in Winstone
Wallboards Limited’s “Stopping and Finishing
Systems”, dated November 1992.
Services
Penetrations for services are allowed for as
follows: For electrical services, outlets are
marked and cut into panel faces, holes are drilled
through the framing timber and cardboard
honeycomb core, and a pull-string installed for
electrical cabling, prior to panel installation.
Trower Industries Ltd manufacture a range of
plumbing panels which will accommodate pipe
work and fittings. The vertical framing timber
of a panel within a Wall Bracing Element, which
is connected to a Trower Bracing Bracket, must
not be cut or drilled within 800 mm of the floor.
Where support for services is required, Special
Fixing Panels with timber rails or infill at the
appropriate location must be used.
Basis of Appraisal
Tests
In the opinion of BTL, the following tests
and investigations demonstrate the product is fit
for purpose and that it can be used to meet the
relevant provisions of the New Zealand building
Code.
The change in shear strength of the UF
adhesive with time has been investigated by
BTL.
Bracing tests (P21) to determine a rating for
Wall Bracing Elements have been carried out by
BTL.
Load transfer between the wall panel and
ceiling framing when a gap exists has been
investigated by BTL.
The face load-deflection characteristics of a
typical Trower Panel was investigated by BTL
and compared with that determined for a Trower
Panel by Wakefield Laboratories in 1971.
A test carried out by Trower Industries Ltd
to simulate fully laden over-cupboards attached
to a Trower Panel was examined by BTL.
5
Other Investigations by BTL
Site visits to observe installation
techniques and completed buildings have
been carried out by BTL.
The “Trower Technical Information”,
dated June 1996, which includes
manufacture and installation details, has
been examined by BTL and was found to
be satisfactory. Details have been
obtained of the quality and composition of
the materials used. The manufacturing
process and quality control at Trower
Industries Ltd, Matamata and Manukau,
was also examined and found to be
satisfactory.
Formaldehyde emission levels
obtained from the adhesive manufacturer
have been assessed by BTL.
Letters from various territorial
authorities, permitting the use of the
Trower Panel Internal Wall System as an
internal non-load bearing and wall bracing
system in their regions have been sighted.
The satisfactory structural, durability
and non-hazardous performance of the
Trower Panel Internal Wall System over
the last 23 years has been considered.
Sources of Information
• BRANZ Technical Paper P21: 1979
(revised 1982, 1987, 1988) A wall
bracing test and evaluation procedure.
• BRANZ Technical Recommendation
No. 10 - December 1991, Supplement
to P21: An evaluation method of P21
test results for use with NZS 3604:
1990.
• NZS3602:1995 Timber and wood
based products for use in building.
• NZS 3604:1990 Code of practice for
light timber frame buildings not
requiring specific design.
• NZS 4203:1992 Code of practice for
general structural design and design
loadings for buildings.
• New Zealand Building Code,
Handbook and Approved Documents
1992, Building Industry Authority.
• The Building Regulations 1992.
• Winstone Wallboards Limited
“Stopping and finishing systems”,
November 1992.
In the opinion of BTL,The Trower
Panel Internal Wall System is
suitable for the appraised use.
This Certificate is valid until
further notice, subject to the
conditions below.
Conditions of Certification
1. The Certificate holder continues to
have the product reviewed by BTL.
2. The product continues to be
manufactured according to, and in
compliance with the manufacturing
specifications and quality assurance
measures which applied at the time
of issue or revalidation of this
Certificate. These specifications
and quality assurance measures
are as considered by BTL.
3. The overall quality of the product is
maintained by the manufacturer.
The Certificate holder shall notify
BTL of any changes in product
specification or quality assurance
measures prior to the product being
marketed.
4. The product is installed and used in
accordance with the manufacturers
instructions, and any instructions
and limitations contained in this
Certificate.
5. The Certificate does not cover uses
of the product outside the scope of
this appraisal, nor does it infer
fitness for purpose of products
similar in function, appearance, or
standard of workmanship that are
not specifically included in the
scope of this Certificate.
6. The product is appraised against
performance provisions contained
in the NZBC at the time of the
Appraisal. BTL is not responsible
for the product failing to meet any
subsequent or revised provisions
introduced after the date of
Certification.
G M Lawrance for BTL
G H Rowe for BTL
September 1996
©BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
LIMITED 1996
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No part of this
publication may be reproduced, stored in a
retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without
the written permission of the publisher.
ISSN 1173-8677