What is the Biax foundation system and how does it work?

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Who are Worthington Homes?

Liam Worthington prides himself on the standard his residential building company, Worthington Homes, delivers to clients across Sydney. “We consider ourselves to be a high-quality builder and that’s not just in the finishes, but also the main structure,” Liam says. As a business, Worthington Homes is always open to new products that meet that goal, which is how they came to start using Biax, an innovative foundation system made from recycled plastic. 

“About a year ago, we trialled Biax on a couple of smaller house slabs to see how it went together. We were really impressed,” Liam says. “Then we went straight to using it on a 40-lot subdivision,
and we did 36 slabs in just over four weeks.”

How Bunnings Trade can help with using Biax

Liam credits his Bunnings Trade Account Manager, Leah, for streamlining the process of using Biax and other Bunnings-supplied products.

“Our Account Manager has done a great job of helping us get comfortable with the process
[of ordering Biax],” Liam says. “Once our engineers complete the engineering design, we then get the materials list, send it over to Bunnings [Trade], and they take care of the rest. It’s a seamless, straightforward process that fits really well with the way we operate.”

They are quick and simple to install

Biax pods fit together like LEGO and there’s no cutting to size, as with waffle pods

The builder’s verdict: “Biax is efficient to roll out. The pods have a connecting system – you just pop them on the ground and they connect to each other. You can see how neat they look when they’re on the ground,” Liam says. “We get the designs done through our engineer, and then we shoot [the designs] off to Bunnings Trade and Biax. They will then organise everything and it arrives onsite when we want it. Bunnings Trade’s ability to supply key items, including frame and truss and Biax, also helps us to meet delivery timeframes, and their account management makes the back-end process easy for us.”

Cost effective foundation

Biax is a modular system designed to suit the requirements of each site that is quick to work with, and easy to transport and store. 

The builder’s verdict: “There is less labour involved from the concreter,” Liam explains of the cost savings onsite. “On our projects, we buy the Biax system and the concreter supplies a rate to install them. Plus, Biax needs less space than traditional waffle pods, which means you can reduce the amount of site cutting. Looking at the system as a whole, you’re going to find efficiencies.”

They’re better for the environment

Entirely made from recycled plastic, Biax pods can be recycled at the end of the building’s life.

The builder’s verdict: “If you put polystyrene under a concrete slab, it will still be there in
50 years' time. If the house is ever knocked down, then the whole slab becomes contaminated with
a non-recyclable material. Biax is different to that because you can just pop it out and recycle the pods,” Liam explains. 

There is less mess involved 

Polystyrene is often seen floating around jobsites. With Biax, there’s no such hassle.

The builder’s verdict: “You don’t ever see a Biax pod blowing around anywhere. It’s nowhere near as messy as polystyrene,” Liam explains. 

They are convenient to transport and easy to store onsite

Each Biax pod weighs less than 2.5kg, and the ones used for an 180sqm home can be delivered stacked on a single-axle trailer, which is then neatly stored onsite. 

The builder’s verdict: “Because the pods stack inside themselves, we can stack enough to do 20 houses in the same area as what we could with just one house-load of traditional waffle pods. The Biax pods are easy and efficient to store,” Liam says.

Biax pods are simple to use at scale

For new estates and subdivisions, the Biax system streamlines the construction process because the pods are light, stackable and easier to transport and store. 

The builder’s verdict: “This is when the efficiencies really come to light,” Liam says. “When we’re tight on space onsite, or we’ve got a very narrow road that connects houses together, we can still move quickly.”

They’re stronger than waffle pods

Because of the way they click together, the system locks into place. 

The builder’s verdict: “I was noticing a lot of the traditional waffle pods were getting heavily damaged because they would get crushed and broken every time the concreters walked on them,” Liam explains. “This resulted in what I consider to be an inferior product delivered in the end. Biax is a lot stronger.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): Biax pods

1. What is the Biax foundation system and how does it work?

The Biax foundation system is a modular system of recycled‑plastic pods that interlock to form voided ribbed slabs; it’s laid to the engineer’s design with reinforcement and concrete.

2. How does Biax compare to polystyrene waffle pods?

With less mess to clean up on site, Biax pods require no cutting, with the pods clicking together easily for faster installation. They are also sturdy under foot, and easy to store on-site (as they stack into each other).

3. What are the onsite time and cost benefits?

Quicker installs with less labour, reduced site cutting and efficiencies across rollout, pours and clean‑up.

4. Is Biax better for the environment?

Pods are made entirely from recycled plastic and can be recycled at end of life, thus avoiding polystyrene contamination in demolished slabs.

Want more help to source the materials you need?

Check out our story on the Bunnings Trade assist crew saving tradies time.