Cracking, Wall/Brickwork Archives - Page 3 of 3

Replacement of Failing Timber Lintels

This low rise apartment block in the North West of London had severe distortion in 2 of the large support lintels. These failing wooden lintels were supporting the stone corbels and brickwork above. There was also deterioration of the brickwork piers including cracked and spalled bricks and cracks in the plinth render.

Failing Timber Lintels in Occupied Apartment Block

The remedial work on entrance hall of this London Soho low rise apartment block was carried out with the residents still in situ. The work was carefully planned to ensure the safety and security of the residents.

Temporary support was provided by specialist props and bracing. This required removal of a section of the stone cornice with a specialist diamond chain saw. The stone cornice and timber beams were then removed.

Installation of New Timber Beams

The remedial work included:

Installation of new timber beams
Realignment of the stone cornice & making good the disturbed brickwork
Spalled bricks were resurfaced
Defective pointing was replaced with colour matched mortar
Damaged render on the plinths was cut away and made good with a specialist concrete repair mortar system.

AWT provided a long lasting and cost effective structural repair with the minimum of inconvenience to the residents. The buildings facade was left ready for decoration to restore it to its former glory.

AWT provide structural repairs for low rise blocks of flats and period properties in London plus the whole of Essex, Kent, Sussex and Surrey.

Contact AWT today to discuss how our structural repair skills could save you time and money in the long term compared to cosmetic repairs by a traditional builder. To book a time for one of our surveyors to visit your property, call us today on 01227 721255, email us at enquiries@actionwallties.co.uk or use our contact form to get in touch.

Bulging Brickwork and Brick Slips on 60s /70s Apartment Blocks

Concrete frame blocks of social housing in Wandsworth, London with clearly visible bowing to the brickwork and infill brick slip. Defective support to infill wall with cracked and detached brick slips.

The Structural Problem

The structural survey report on this South West London social housing block

The survey of these circa 1960s/1970s blocks of flats revealed, that due to a construction defect, the external brickwork had insufficient support. AWT also found heavily corroded wall ties plus a lack of weep vents and no horizontal expansion joints.

The infill wall external brickwork was originally only supported onto the concrete floor beam by less than 50mm. Where the wall had bulged outward this was reducing the support to just 30mm with the loads onto the brick-slips causing them to bulge out.

Our Structural Repair Solution

The infill wall brickwork was leaning and in danger of becoming detached. AWT promptly made the elevation floor safe (erecting a scaffold to provide access) by installing AWT’s specially developed props.

The remedial work included:

Installation of stainless steel support angles and cavity trays
Clearing debris from the wall cavities
Rebuilding the brickwork by removal, re-bedding and fixing of brick slips
Installation of stainless steel wall ties
Provision of horizontal expansion joints.

Repair and Replacement of Brick Slips

The original bricks and brick slips were reused when possible. Replacement bricks, mortar and sealants were colour matched to maintain the visual integrity of the apartment blocks.

Action Wall Ties are the apartment block structural repair specialists. Our brick slip and wall tie replacement solutions are available to clients in the South East i.e. in London & in Kent, Sussex, Surrey & Essex.

Action Wall Ties (AWT) are specialists in structural repairs to concrete framed buildings and tower blocks. From movement issues to wall tie replacement and brick slip repairs. We provide specialist professional solutions to a wide variety of structural problems. Contact us on 01227 721 255, or email us.

Unstable Bay Window

Bay Window Cracking & Sagging After Installing New UPVC Windows

The bay windows in this London, SW2, property had become unstable due to the removal of the original timber windows for replacement double glazing installation. Problems were manifested as cracks in the plaster and brickwork. Gaps also opened up between the ceiling and the bay wall.

AWT was able to restore structural integrity to the bay window without the need for slow, costly rebuilding work. AWT provided a cost effective, long term repair with minimal disruption to the ongoing restoration project.

case study 5b62dbe93c42d4.63894392 - Unstable Bay Window — Gaps, cracks & damaged brickwork. Structural issues caused by replacing windows in period bay windows.

Common symptoms of structural issues arising from fitting replacement windows into bay windows include:

Cracks in internal walls around bay window
Gaps opening up between the ceiling and the bay window wall
Difficulty opening/closing windows
Cracks in external brickwork
Bay window masonry sagging
Bay window masonry leaning/pulling away from the main elevation

The Structural Problem with the Bay Window

During the refurbishment of this mid-terraced Victorian/Edwardian period property in Brixton, South West London it became evident that there was a serious structural issue with the bay windows. Cracks were radiating out from the bay window brickwork and the first floor bay window was leaning outward. Both the plaster and the brickwork showed significant cracking.

The Action Wall Ties team quickly discerned that when UPVC windows had previously replaced the original timber sash window frames the supports afforded at the head of the bay had been removed. This had allowed the bay window to sag, drop and rotate away from the main elevational house wall.

Initially, temporary supports were put in place to the underside of the first floor front bay window masonry. This prevented further deterioration of the brickwork.

This is a common problem that AWT is called to repair. Removal of timber sash windows from a bay window often leaves the bay window brickwork without sufficient support. Structural problems with the bay window masonry may become evident during or after the fitting of new double glazed units to the bay window.

Restoring Structural Integrity to the Bay Window

Action Wall Ties’ plan involved restoring the structural strength integrity of the bay window and redistributing the load from the upper storey of the property.

Utilising our specially developed equipment, tooling, methods and skilled staff allowed the realignment of the leaning masonry. This was followed by the fabrication and installation of remedial steelwork and fixings. The introduction of bed joint reinforcement beaming, to form composite beams within the masonry, together with lateral restraints restored the structural strength, all with minimal impact on the face of the brickwork.

Action Wall Ties used bed joint reinforcement beaming, lateral restraints and grout tie injection to reinforce the masonry. Steel lintels and columns were also fitted.

Replacement bricks were colour matched to blend with the original masonry. The pointing style and mortar mixture were also designed to match the original texture and colour.

Action Wall Ties serve customers in SW London and throughout the South East i.e. in Kent, Greater London, Sussex, Essex and Surrey. We are often called in by homeowners encountering bay window problems following the fitting of new double glazed windows. We are experts in repairing and stabilising bay window brickwork and stonework.

Action Wall Ties (AWT) are specialists in masonry reinforcement and repair, providing professional solutions to a wide variety of structural problems including issues with bay windows. Contact us on 01227 721 255, email us or use our contact form.

Bowing and Bulging Wall

The joint owners of this 4 storey semi-detached Victorian villas (converted into flats) reported visible bulging, dropping brickwork arches to the rear and gable solid brickwork walls and long cracks developed internally.

The Structural Problem

The Action Wall Ties surveyor inspection identified ineffective and inadequate restraining plus spreading of the of the brick arches as the root cause of the problem. This had allowed the main elevation brickwork to bulge outward and brick arches over the doors and windows to spread and drop causing the brickwork above to crack. It also caused long cracks in the internal plaster work of the flats.

This is a common problem with properties of this type and age. As well as damaging the structural integrity of the property it often makes doors and windows difficult to open and close as the frames are warped by the pressure of the sagging brickwork load above.

Restoring Structural Integrity

The introduction of remedial reinforcement to the masonry and lateral restraints was recommended to provide restraint and support to restore the brickwork’s integrity.

Specialist equipment developed by Action Wall Ties was used to install bed joint reinforcing beaming, stainless steel lateral restraints and pins within the structure of the property. This restored the structural integrity of the masonry without the need for any visible restraints.

The cracked mortar was raked out and repaired with new coloured sand, lime and cement mortar that was a match for the existing mortar’s colour and texture.

Action Wall Ties’ specialist knowledge allowed them to restore the property’s structural stability without the need for costly rebuilding work. Their specialist equipment also minimised the disruption for the residents.

Action Wall Ties (AWT) are specialists in masonry reinforcement and repair, providing professional solutions to a wide variety of structural problems including issues with bowing and bulging brickwork in Victorian properties. Contact us on 01227 721 255, email us or use our contact form.

Action Wall Ties serve customers in North West London and the whole South East of England.

Rendered Victorian Terrace with Bulging and Sagging Brickwork

Victorian Terrace with Bulging and Dropping Brickwork

This Victorian terraced home with rendered brickwork in Walthamstow, East London was suffering with dropping and outward bowing of the brickwork.

The Problem

This rendered Victorian terrace home in Walthamstow, London E17, was suffering with significant distortion of the masonry. It also had dropping and outward bowing movement of the brickwork on the upper floor.

The left hand side external brickwork had bulged outward from the centre first floor. Internal movement to the junction of the dividing wall and external wall was also noted.

If structural repairs are sought early enough, AWTs specialist repair techniques may allow for repairs without removing render/pebble dash finishes. However, due to the advanced structural issues with this property, it was necessary to remove the render.

The Solution

The first step, after the initial survey, was to carefully remove the render finish on the front elevation to expose the underlying brickwork. As well as giving access to the brickwork this also allowed for a secondary survey to ensure there were no further issues with the masonry.

Our remedial work included:

Bed Joint Reinforcement Beaming
Crack Stitching
Fenestration Lintel Repair
Lateral Restraints
Grout Tie Injection
Brickwork Repairs
Realignment and Pinning of the Coping Stones

The repair work was designed to reinstate the uniformity of the walls and provide restraint in order to restore the tensile strength of the brickwork. It was also necessary to reconnect the main elevational brickwork to the brick internal dividing and party walls.

Action Wall Ties used specialist drilling rigs that enable precision drilling. State-of-the-art stainless steel fixings were then installed within the framework of the building. These techniques have been designed to deal with the root cause of structural faults rather than just provide a short-term cosmetic fix.

Carefully matched coloured sand and cement mortar was used to make good the drill holes. As can be seen in the photo, there are no visible fixings once repair works are complete. The exposed brickwork is left clean, tidy and ready for repointing. The facade of the house can either be left as exposed brick or the render can be replaced if desired.

AWT’s specialist skills allowed these serious structural faults to be repaired quickly and economically. No long and costly rebuilding work was required.

Action Wall Ties (AWT) are specialists in masonry reinforcement and repair. AWT can advise on structural repairs to properties with render, pebble dash and spar dash. We provide professional solutions to a wide variety of structural problems for home owners in East London as well as the rest of London, Kent, Surrey and Sussex. Contact us on 01227 721 255, email us or use our contact form.