Bulging Walls and Lateral Restraint
Help with Bulging Walls and Lack of Lateral Restraint
Stone and brick walls will often bulge over time. Sometimes this is due to a lack of lateral restraint and/or wall tie failure. Lack of lateral restraint can effect solid and cavity walls.
A thorough inspection by Brick-Tie’s experienced surveyors will identify the cause and then arrive at a solution which suits the building and, your pocket.
Clues as to whether poor lateral restraint is the issue include internal cracks at wall/floor and ceiling junctions, as well as other more subtle symptoms; we’re expert in diagnosing the real cause of cracks or bulges.
The good news is that poor lateral restraint, as well as other causes of bulging, can be economically fixed by Brick-Tie’s own trained technicians. They do this by retro-fitting specialist lateral restraint and tie systems, which are guaranteed to stop bulging in its tracks.
We’re Approved Installers for the best known and most reliable systems too, including Helifix and Cintec. Read our case studies and news pages – you’ll see that we really are practiced experts.
What has poor lateral restraint got to do with my bulging wall?
What is Poor Lateral Restraint?
Lateral restraint is something all buildings need.
Most garden walls are only 1m or 2m high; there’s a reason for that. If they were any higher the wind would blow them over.
House walls are often 5 meters high or more. Of course they cannot fall inwards, because they are supported by the house, which is in effect, a quite rigid box, divided by internal walls. However, they can be ‘sucked’ outward by the wind.
In fact, on windy days the walls of all houses experience a push and pull as the weather dictates. Most of the time there is no damage, but occasionally bulges and cracks happen as buildings age. We can fix these problems for you.
Here is a guide on wind induced gable collapses caused by lack of lateral restraint.
Outward movement of a wall is initially resisted by the weight of masonry and in newer houses by internal steel strapping – old houses lack these ‘straps’. A small bulge or fine cracks may signal the onset of worse to come. This is why a prompt survey is important, so that defects do not get out of hand.
Watch our managing director’s video explanation for more details or contact us for help and free advice.
Brick-Tie charge a small fee for structural surveys of cracks and bulges, which is good news because we don’t need to sell you anything to pay for the visit. You can rely on your surveyor’s honest and impartial advice.
Call our team and we’ll listen to you and give you our best advice. We may recommend our services or even direct you to an independent structural surveyor, if we feel this is right for you.
Our Accreditations
How Brick-Tie Can Help You
We understand structural repair problems of all kinds. This comes from years of helping clients deal with all sorts of issues around cracks and other defects in walls. We can steer you through these by recommending the right course of action, quickly, accurately and at the right price. A survey, detailed report and if required, a fixed price for the repairs.
We guarantee the work with cover which is insured and accepted by building societies and banks too.
Need advice or want to book a survey?
Latest Brick-Tie News, Projects, Articles and Videos
Another valuable training day under our belt
A ‘cracking’ job completed in Leeds