Street Housing Cavity brickwork Archives - Page 2 of 2

Large expanse of brickwork with extensive cracking

Contemporary terrace of houses with large expanse of brickwork with extensive cracking – introducing remedial movement joints and repair the cracking brickwork.

The subject buildings were a terrace of domestic residences of cavity construction, circa 1970s typical of London and Kent.

The Structural Problems

Our inspection revealed many significant cracks to and from windows and to the lower valley of the roofs, along with evidence of many previous repairs. No expansion joints were noted.

Discussion

The cracking noted was not attributable to significant subsidence but to seasonal moisture, thermal expansion and contraction (i.e. hygrothermal).

This considerable length of continuous brickwork had been constructed without the benefit of any expansion joints.

Structural Repair Solution

AWT completed a structural repair / remedial scheme that provided a viable repair by introducing expansion joints, bed joint reinforcement beaming and crack stitching.

With a hydraulic twin diamond bladed saw we cut a 10mm wide joint to the full depth of the external skin and thereafter formed a flexible joint, all in accordance with AWT’s methods.

Action Wall Ties (AWT) are specialists in masonry reinforcement and repair, providing professional solutions to a wide variety of structural problems in London and Kent. Contact us on 01227 721 255, or email us.

Corroded mild steel cavity wall ties

An 1950s estate of street housing with corroded mild steel cavity wall ties – remedial wall tie treatment

The subject buildings form an estate of terraced and semi-detached social street housing of cavity construction under pitched roofs.

The wall tie problem

The existing wall ties viewed were found to be mild steel vertical twist ties, commonly known as fishtail ties.

The galvanised coating was found to be in varying stages of corrosion, blackened with red rusting noted.

The corrosion of the embedded mild steel wall ties had resulted in the forming of ferrous oxide (rust), which had expanded to several times the thickness of the metal it had resulted from, in turn lifting and cracking the brickwork.

Remedial Wall Tie Solution

AWT completed a remedial programme providing a viable repair through the introduction of a pattern of remedial wall ties and isolating the existing ties, together with general brickwork repairs and re-pointing.

Call us for a quote for our specialists wall tie repairs, our tools and techniques allow us to complete the work quickly with a minimum of disruption and at a very reasonable price.

Action Wall Ties (AWT), covering Kent, London, Surrey and Sussex are specialists wall tie replacement and in masonry reinforcement and repair, providing professional solutions to a wide variety of structural problems. Contact us on 01227 721 255, or email us.