Remedial Wall Ties

Wall Tie Installation

Newman’s have completed a wall tie replacement repair to a property purchased by a private home owner. The home owner became concerned after the purchase as short horizontal cracks were appearing in the outer leaf of the brickwork as well as some of the bricks lifting and rotating.

Wall Tie Installation

Newman’s carried out a wall tie survey using a visual survey and an endoscope survey to determine the condition of the existing wall ties. The wall ties were found to be in a poor state with high levels of corrosion and inadequately spaced.

Current Wall Ties Corroded and Wrongly Spaced

Our specification included the installation of Twistfix’s patented CD 9mm stainless steel Remedial Wall Tie. Installation is a simple process with the helical tie being installed through a 6mm pilot hole.

 

Isolation of the tie is carried out by locating the existing wall tie and encompassing it with a clan sleeve also supplied by Twistifx. With sleeves in place and the ties isolated re-pointing of the cracked masonry can be carried out and tie holes filled with a mortar to match the existing bricks.

Replacing Current Wall Ties

All of our repair schemes are covered by our own guarantee and for consumer protection we are also members of Insured Guarantees Limited enabling us to provide you with an insurance backed guarantee, which for this particular project guarantees the installation for 20 years even if Newman’s are no longer operating.

 

 

 

Author: Jon Newman
Posted:
Categories: Building and Structural Repairs, Current Projects, Wall Ties

Wall Tie Replacement, London

Newman’s are currently undertaking wall tie replacement, London for one of our council clients.

We were called upon to carry out a wall tie survey to 15 properties suffering signs of wall tie failure. The classic signs of horizontal cracking within bed joints highlighted the defects and upon our visual and intrusive wall tie survey we found that the existing ties had corroded causing them to expand and lift the bricks work.

Wall Tie Replacement
Wall Tie Replacement

Wall tie failure is a common defect among houses built in prior to the 1980’s and buildings of all types and constructions suffer from wall tie failure due to the ties being constructed from mild steel or wrought iron and moisture penetration through the pointing of a building reacts with the metal and causes it to rust and expand lifting the masonry. There are other causes of wall tie failure of which we will cover in future blogs.

With this particular project that is underway wall ties are being located using a metal detector and isolated using Twistfix’s unique Clansleeve’s that encompass the failed tie in a sleeve filled with resin that prevents any further corrosion. The sleeve slips onto the tie within the bed joint alleviating the need to remove any bricks.

Wall Tie Replacement
Wall Tie Replacement

The replacement wall tie we are using for this wall tie replacement, London is Twistfix patented 9mm stainless steel patented CD tie which enables us to install the wall ties quickly as only a 7mm pilot hole is required to drive the tie in. Using this tie enables us to complete over an elevation per day and it also becomes load bearing as soon as it is installed removing the need to wait for any setting times for resins or fixings.

If you have signs of wall tie failure or require a wall tie replacement specialist be sure to contact Newman’s today on 0333 444 0154 or email enquiries@newmans.com

Author: Jon Newman
Posted:
Categories: Current Projects, Wall Ties

Tower Blocks

Tower block construction began in the 1950’s with the first tower block in Britain being built, The Lawn in Harlow, Essex. The need for housing influenced the decision for tower block construction and it boomed.

the Lawn, Harlow, Essex
The Lawn, Essex

Tower blocks are constructed usually using three methods; in-situ, Steel frame with infill panel and pre-fabricated panels. In theory all three methods of construction should have provided structures free from structural defect and with stand the test of time. In reality many high rise structures are in urgent need of refurbishment to ensure they do not enter a state of disrepair with the only solution being demolition.

With all three methods of construction there are common structural defects found that are often similar across the country. Cracking is usually evident within the external and internal fabric of the structure and the defects are often linked to one or more of these causes of movement, thermal movement, lack of movement joints and failed wall ties or inadequate wall ties. Poor construction methods during the build phase. Concrete failure as well is a common structural defect found which can be caused by many factors such as oxidisation of the reinforcing steel, the reinforcing steel being too close to the surface of the concrete which again causes oxidisation freeze thaw action and chemical reaction to name but a few.

Trellick Tower, West London
Trellick Tower, West London

Newman’s are approved designers and installers of the Twistfix and Thor Helical repair systems combined with our experience we provide our own specifications for wall tie replacement schemes as well as crack stitching and masonry beams. We are also approved installers for Fosroc and Sika concrete repair mortars and resins, mastic and coatings.

When assessing the requirements for repair to tower blocks you should only use an experienced contractor and Newman’s surveyors and engineers have extensive experience carrying out structural surveys and designing structural repair programmes to reinstate the structural integrity to tower blocks. We have worked closely with many principal contractors and façade installation specialists to provide insurance backed repair schemes prolonging the life of the tower block.

We can also provide rope access surveys and installation on schemes that it isn’t feasible to supply and erect traditional access methods such as tube and clip scaffolding or cradle access.

Author: Jon Newman
Posted:
Categories: Building and Structural Repairs, Rope Access, Social Housing, Surveys, Wall Ties