Description
DuraPost PRIMA reinforcement rods slide inside PRIMA composite boards to stiffen the board where the installation requires additional structural support. They are not a decorative accessory: the number required depends on whether PRIMA is being used as a gravel board or stacked into a complete fence.
When do I need a reinforcement rod?
- PRIMA stacked as a full fence: Birkdale specifies a reinforcement rod in every third board.
- PRIMA used as a gravel board retaining earth: use one reinforcement rod in every board.
For a typical stacked full-height panel, Birkdale's installation sequence describes reinforcing the first, middle and top boards.
Which rod length do I need?
- 1825mm rod: for the approximately 1.83m PRIMA board
- 2398mm rod: for the approximately 2.4m PRIMA board
Match the rod length to the PRIMA board being installed rather than cutting a shorter rod into a longer board.
How is the rod fitted?
The galvanised steel rod slides inside the hollow PRIMA board before the board is placed into the fence. Once reinforced, the board is installed between the posts in the normal PRIMA tongue-and-groove stack.
Why is reinforcement important?
The rod increases rigidity across the span. This is particularly important where the boards are stacked to full fence height or where a gravel board is resisting pressure from retained soil.
Birkdale states that reinforcing each 1.8m PRIMA gravel board when retaining earth increases the stated load capacity to 1.5kN per board.
What else do I need?
For a stacked PRIMA fence, combine the rods with PRIMA composite boards, suitable posts and the chosen capping/finishing components. For a single gravel-board application, make sure the supporting posts and the fence above are compatible with the selected PRIMA board length.
Installation manual
Use the official DuraPost PRIMA technical sheet and installation guide.