Hebel Matters

Hebel – As seen on The Block. Get The Block look

It’s Australia’s favourite renovation show, so it makes sense that it uses Australia’s favourite building material – Hebel.

If you’re a fan of The Block – and what homeowner isn’t? – the latest season of Channel 9’s hit show has all the excitement you have been waiting for.

Full of drama, but sprinkled with practical advice and the ups and downs of home renovation, this year viewers will see just what Hebel can do, as one team creates a beautiful and contemporary family home that you will want to live in. Be prepared for inspiration!

In 2021, The Block is set in a cul-de-sac of prime Melbourne real estate as teams compete for huge prize money. Each house has a different aesthetic, creating almost a village of styles that sit well in the neighbourhood. Find out more about Hebel on The Block 2021

 

 

Josh & Luke’s house

House 4 – the home of Love Island twins Josh and Luke – is all about presenting a strong and contemporary aesthetic with an industrial feel, so Hebel was chosen for its façade, rendered to look like concrete.

“A rendered finish is a modern, slick look, which is what we are going for,” explains Josh. “It will suit us and suit the style of the house.”

The twins chose Melbourne renderers Danton Rendering to complete the exterior of their home.

Danton’s Tony Budinoski used a new rendering product from Dulux, AcraTex AcraShield Concrete over the top of the Hebel, to create a concrete-like finish for the exterior.

Render as a membrane

The AcraShield product is an acrylic render system that works as a flexible membrane, Budinoski says, allowing the finish to have an industrial-style appearance while mitigating the risk of any cracking. He said that it is a perfect match for Hebel.

“This concrete finish is durable and flexible,” he says. “It’s actually like a membrane or a rubber product. Concrete finishes are popular, but because they are cement-based there is a risk that as soon as the timber structure shrinks and expands and you get movement, the render can crack or stain.”

The risk of the render cracking is higher because of Melbourne’s notorious clay soils, which tend to create movement in the substructure.

However, a multi-step rendering system, which is offered through a variety of reputable companies as well as Dulux, allowed the twins to create the industrial look they wanted without risking cracking in the future.

Indeed, for the build teams behind The Block, Hebel ticks all the boxes, especially when it comes to installation.

Josh and Luke loved the fact that because it is quick and easy to install, Hebel takes half the time that an equivalent sized brick façade would take – especially important given the time constraints of television.

 

Hebel provides:

A contemporary façade that’s perfect for smooth rendering Easy assembly that can be done by a multitude of trades without specialist training Fast construction

Soundproofing and thermal insulation Anti-corrosion steel reinforcement in panels Flexible uses, including residential and commercial applications

About Hebel

Hebel is a strong, versatile, high performance building product made from Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC). As Australia’s only manufacturer of AAC, CSR Hebel has more than 30 years of experience meaning you can be assured you are getting a high-quality product with the technical expertise to back it up. Available in blocks and panels, Hebel is easy to handle and quick to build with. Hebel panels contain anti-corrosion steel reinforcement for added strength and are available in a range of lengths for applications including walls, floors and external cladding.