What are movement control joints?
Movement control joints are small joints designed to be installed between finishes to absorb localised stresses. Such stresses can arise from drying shrinkage, thermal gradients, change in substrate depths and localised loading conditions and normally do not exceed +/- 1mm of movement. Within this website available movement control joints are shown under the Ti-Lock brand name.

How do movement control joints differ from expansion joints?
Expansion joints are designed to accommodate the large movements generated by a structure as a whole, including settlement and sometimes, seismic deflections. These joints are normally evidenced by physical breaks in the structure where a gap is left in the continuity of construction to allow movement to occur. Expansion joints are designed to accommodate large movements up to +/- 600mm. Within this catalogue available Expansion Joints are shown under the React brand name.

Why should I use proprietary movement control joints rather than just use a sealant?
Sealant failure in finishes is an all too common problem resulting in unsightly cracking and splitting of the sealant and, over time, trapping dirt and compromising the integrity of adjacent finishes. Many of the problems associated with sealants installed in floors arise from the fact that they are not specifically designed to withstand the impact and abrasion from pedestrian (or vehicular) traffic. They fail to support adjacent finishes and damage to the edges of such paving is the result. In addition, sealants are installed on site in less than ideal conditions with the result that workmanship is compromised. Proprietary joints are designed to be 'fixed and forgotten'. They accommodate the movement, support the finishes and resist the most rigorous levels of impact and abrasion. As they are factory-made in an ISO9000 environment, the vagaries of site workmanship never arises.

Where should I install movement control joints?
Movement control joints are normally installed to form flooring modules into discrete bays, each of which is isolated from its adjoining bay by the intervening movement control joint. This creates 'continents' of finishes that are able to move without affecting abutting bays. Typically, movement control joints are installed in internal applications to form bays of side 8 to 10 metres long, and externally at 4.5 metre centres. Particular care should be taken where movement control joints are to be sited in floors of suspended construction. In this case, movement control joints should be installed directly over all beams and at the mid-point of spans where the anticipated deflection exceeds 20mm and hard tile paving is being installed. In all cases bay lengths should not exceed 10 metres.

Are there any Standards or Norms that apply to movement control joints?
There are a number of International Standards that direct attention and give advice on the type and location of movement control joints including:

British Standard: BS 5385 Parts 1 to 5 inclusive.
UK Stone Federation: Code of Practice 2001.
US Standard: ANSI 108.3
French Norms: DTU26.2 and DTU 56.1
German Norm: DIN 18157
Australian Standard: AS 3958.1

In addition, joints that are installed in below ground applications should incorporate *Vamac rather than standard synthetic cores.
*Vamac joints have been specifically designed for projects where a high degree of fire resistance and low toxic smoke emission is required. Such installations include underground rail terminals, basement levels of air terminals, hospitals and other areas where personnel (or passengers) work (or transit) below ground level. Vexcolt's *Vamac synthetic rubber extrusions have been tested and approved to the latest London Underground Limited Engineering Standard
E1042:A4 September 2000' Engineering Standard for the fire safety performance of materials used underground'.