Technical Advice:

Structural Masonry Repair

Masonry failure - no matter what the cause - can leave a structure vulnerable to further damage, and a potential risk to the user and third parties - and can be unsightly.

Those affected can include:

Domestic buildings
Commercial and public buildings
Listed buildings
Retaining walls, bridges and other civil structures

and problems can occur with:

Brick and block
Brick and timber frame
Stonework
Precast panels

The changes that are being experienced in ground conditions due to variations in weather patterns, the reduction in areas for rain water run off and new build in close proximity to existing structures has produced both subsidence and heave causing cracking to masonry at building substructure and superstructure levels.

Helical stainless steel reinforcement can be installed in the bed joints spanning the cracks prior to making good the masonry surfaces to restore structural integrity.

Bowed walls and other signs of movement may by due to the lack of or failure of the existing ties.

A wide range of remedial tie options is available to suit the variety of inner and outer leaf materials and size of cavity. All involve drilling through one leaf into the other and include:

self-tapping ties
mechanical ties
resin ties
cementitious ties
a combination of the above

The benefits of remedial systems are:

Cost effective solution
Less disruption than traditional repairs
Simple and relatively quick installation
Versatility – can be designed to suit a variety of structures.

As with any structural fault it is important to establish the cause of the problem and advice should be sought from a qualified professional such as a structural engineer or building surveyor or from a supplier or an approved installer.

It is here that we can assist you offering advice, design and installation.