Lintel Failure - A Case Study

Twistfix-registered contractors Newman Building Solutions recently completed a project in South-east London. It is always rewarding to us to hear from our contractors about their various successful projects and this time was no exception.

The initial contact to Twistfix was instigated by a private homeowner who had recently noticed cracks appearing to the rear of the property, a five-storey Victorian house. Surveyors from Newman Building Solutions diagnosed that severe lintel and lateral restraint failure was to blame for the newly-appeared cracks and designed a specification that would restore the structural integrity of the property's lintels and alleviate the need for highly-disruptive and expensive rebuilding. Unfortunately, lintel failure is a common problem, particularly amongst period properties. Many owners fail to realise the significance of cracking masonry and allow the problem to continue unchecked; this neglect can have serious implications as, once cracking has begun, it will continue to get worse unless repaired.

Pinning ties and bed joint reinforcement were installed, creating helical beams within the existing masonry. The pinning ties were used to attach the brick arch lintels back to masonry that was structurally sound and the helical bars, which were embedded in cementious thixotropic grout, create tension and compression within the masonry. This tension distributes the structural load right across the masonry panel, preventing any further movement.

Also in need of repair was the property's flank wall, which had begun to bow. This is another common problem, mainly due to a lack of ties at floor level. The wall was tied to internal floor joists and the existing stud-partition walls were converted into structural stud partitions, allowing 1.5 metre lateral restraint ties to be installed to restrain the bowing wall. After the masonry crack repair was complete, the area was made good utilising a combination of colour-match repointing and brick tinting, providing a durable and superior finish guaranteed for ten years against any further movement.

Twistfix are proud to provide the high-quality products that enable contractors like Newman Building Solutions to carry out their complex and important work. We believe our damp proofing, crack stitching kits, lateral restraints and cavity wall ties to be the best on the market and we offer support, advice and guidance at every step.

For more information on our products or on how to become a Twistfix-registered contractor, please browse our website or contact a member of our team directly. Call 0845 123 6006 or email sales@twistfix.co.uk.