Description
The base track 163mm 2.5m is the widest aluminium starter profile Renders World sells. Fixed level along the bottom of an insulated wall, it sets the line every board above it follows, carries the first course, covers the lower edge of the insulation and sheds rain off the facade through a drip on its front. Each length is 2.5 m, and the track sits on the shelf beside the other starter tracks, plugs and EWI fixings.
Where the Base Track 163mm 2.5m Is Used
The maker, PROFIGIPS of Poland, calls this part a plinth profile or starter trim, code AC, and produces each width to suit a given thickness of polystyrene or mineral wool board. At 163 mm it is the widest track in the shop's range, for walls insulated with a board too thick for the 103 mm track.
Typical jobs:
- deep retrofits, where an older solid wall is wrapped in a thick layer of insulation before it is rendered;
- walls where the insulation was sized for a low heat loss and the boards come out far thicker than usual;
- long elevations where one level base line has to run unbroken from corner to corner.
163 mm Base Track Specification
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Product | Plinth profile (starter trim), code AC |
| Maker | PROFIGIPS Sp. z o.o., Poland |
| Material | Aluminium |
| Width | 163 mm |
| Length sold | 2.5 m (also made in 2.0 m) |
| Front edge | Drip against rainwater run-off |
| Insulation | Polystyrene (EPS) or mineral wool |
| Carton | 10 lengths (25 m) |
| Pallet | 1,500 lengths |
| Declaration | PN-EN 13658-2:2009 (declaration 01/2023) |
One thing sets this width apart when ordering by the box: the maker packs the 163 mm track ten to a carton, half the twenty that come in a carton of the narrower widths. A carton therefore holds 25 m of track rather than 50 m.
Why Fit the 163 mm Track First
- It sets the line. Boards, beads and sills above all follow the level of the track, and on a deep wall a small error at the base shows as a clear step higher up.
- It holds a deep first course. The channel is made wide to take a thick board, so the first row stands in it square from the start.
- It sheds water. The aluminium profile has a drip along the front edge, so rain running down the render drops clear of the base.
- It guards the edge. The bottom of the insulation is closest to the ground and easiest to damage; the profile covers it.
- It is one module. Every track in the range is 2.5 m long, so the order is simple arithmetic whatever the width.
Setting Out the 163 mm Track
Begin with a fit test: push an off-cut of your insulation board into a length of the base track 163mm 2.5m. It should sit in the channel firmly, without a gap behind it and without forcing. Then set out the run:
- Before the track goes on, mark where the new, thicker wall face will land against sills, door thresholds and meter boxes — at this depth they usually need extending or moving.
- Mark one level line round the building and carry it round every corner.
- Fix each length to the line with fixings that suit the wall, keeping the front edges straight from one length to the next.
- Push a clip-on profile onto the front of every length. Its drip nose and glass-fibre mesh wing run up the face of the board and are bedded into the base coat; the shop recommends the same number of clip-on profiles as tracks.
The starter track guide for external wall insulation walks through the first day on site.
Fixings for the Boards Above the Track
The track carries the first course; the boards above it are held by adhesive and by plugs driven through each board into the wall. Plug length is chosen for the board thickness and for the wall behind it, so it is settled once the board is chosen, not from the track. Every plug length and the discs that go with them are on the render fixings shelf, next to this track.
The boards for the first course are on the EPS insulation boards and mineral wool shelves.
The 163 mm Track Beside the Other Widths
All the tracks are 2.5 m long; only the width changes. Match it to the board at the base.
| Track | Width | Length | Maker's carton |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 mm base track | 23 mm | 2.5 m | — |
| 33 mm base track | 33 mm | 2.5 m | 20 |
| 53 mm base track | 53 mm | 2.5 m | 20 |
| 83 mm base track | 83 mm | 2.5 m | 20 |
| 93 mm base track | 93 mm | 2.5 m | 20 |
| 103 mm base track | 103 mm | 2.5 m | 20 |
| 163 mm base track (this track) | 163 mm | 2.5 m | 10 |
PROFIGIPS also makes the AC track at 183 and 203 mm. Renders World stocks a second track of this same width, sold by its stated sheet thickness: the 1.0 mm gauge 163 mm track. Choose it when your specification asks for that sheet thickness.
Ordering, Delivery and Collection
For the quantity, take the length of wall in metres, divide by 2.5 and round up, then add a length for corners and offcuts. A 30 m run round a house: 30 ÷ 2.5 = 12, so twelve lengths plus one spare.
- Dispatch: the same day when the tracks are in stock.
- Delivery: the team gets in touch after the order with the most cost-effective option. Parcels up to 25 kg go next day; pallets next day, or within two business days on the economy service. Deliveries are kerbside.
- Collection: from the Renders World counter, Unit 9A, Central Trading Estate, Southampton SO14 5JP — Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm, Saturday 7am to 12pm.
Unused tracks in their original condition can be returned within 14 days; see cancellations and returns.
FAQ — 163 mm Base Track
How many lengths do I need?
Divide the length of wall by 2.5 m and round up, then add one for corners. A full carton of ten lengths covers 25 m.
Which plugs hold the boards above this track?
The plug is picked for the board thickness and the wall, not for the track. Choose the board first, then the plug length that goes through it into the wall.
Will my boards fit the 163 mm channel?
Test with an off-cut. A board that sits firmly in the channel is the right match; a loose one needs a narrower track, and the next width down in the shop is the 103 mm.
How is this track different from the 1.0 mm 163 mm track?
Both are 163 mm wide and 2.5 m long. The other one is sold by its 1.0 mm sheet thickness; this one is the PROFIGIPS AC aluminium profile with a drip, packed ten to a carton.
Can I use it with mineral wool?
Yes. PROFIGIPS makes these starter profiles for polystyrene or mineral wool insulation.
Is there a declaration of performance?
Yes: PROFIGIPS national declaration of performance 01/2023, issued under PN-EN 13658-2:2009.
Technical Documentation for the 163 mm Base Track
- PROFIGIPS plinth profile (starter trim) — product page — widths, lengths, cartons and pallets for the AC range.