Historic Mill - Masonry Structural Repair in Kent

Leading UK masonry structural repair experts utilise the Twistfix advanced range of renovation products for their brick reinforcement and masonry repair projects.  We regularly pass leads to our network of Registered Contractors and often the successful contractor then shares a case-study of the project once it has been completed. Most recently we distributed to four contractors an enquiry for repairs to a prestigious and historic property on the outskirts of Swanley in Kent that was showing signs of severe distress to its aging masonry, including cracks in brickwork and out of plumb walls.

The property owned by Greenwich-based Vision Homes, a development company specialising in premier property conversions in and around London, who awarded the structural repair works to Newman Building Services. Trained surveyors from NBS fully analysed the extent of the cracked superstructure through a detailed structural survey, finding that the external masonry leaf had suffered the most, with brickwork cracking severely and causing damage and danger. The masonry around the bay windows was found to be experiencing extreme levels of stress; all of these problems were caused by subsidence that, along with a total lack of lateral restraint at all levels of the property, threatened the structural integrity of the attractive mill house.

Other refurbishments of the building were being undertaken simultaneously, meaning that designers had to skilfully engineer a bespoke solution that would strongly reinforce all brickwork in order to make the superstructure strong enough to carry the intended loads as well as completely restrain any further lateral movement.

Newman’s proposed design was in full accordance the BRE guidelines, taken from the BRE Report for the innovative second-generation retro-reinforcement system supplied by Twistfix.  The system design was given full approval by all structural engineers on the project and the work was given the green light to begin.

The masonry reinforcement scheme used almost 500 metres of helical wire. Installed in twin pairs, the wire creates deep masonry beams that span underpin pads, strengthen brickwork and redistribute loads. More than 100 Twistfix brick stitching bars were also installed to the many localised areas of cracking to the main property and other buildings around the historic Mill House Estate.

Used in conjunction with the brick reinforcement were more than 50 lateral restraint ties of 1.5m and 2.0m lengths; installed to tie the flank wall and bay window walls into the substantial floor structures. These tie bars were load tested to a tensile force of 2.5kN to ensure the restraints will hold the walls in place and prevent any further outward movement.

The project was given a four-week schedule for completion, though with dedicated and professional workmanship coupled with easy to use Twistfix products, it was complete well ahead of schedule. We look forward to receiving more case-studies from Registered Contractors and will share them here and in our regular newsletter. 

Twistfix supply a wide range of professional structural repair materials, tools and accessories, with daily deliveries to London, Kent and other UK mainland destinations. For more information on the selection, please contact our team on 0845 123 6006 or by email at sales@twistfix.co.uk.