Twistfix

Lintel Repair with Helical Bars

Lintel failure is a serious structural issue. The majority of doors and windows have heavy masonry or brickwork above them, so the issue of failing lintels is common. A reliable, cost-effective solution to the problem comes in the form of high-tensile helical bars bonded with specialist grout; these items are available separately from Twistfix or as part of our bestselling Lintel Repair Kit.

The first sign that there is a problem with a lintel is often the appearance of diagonal cracks in the lintel itself. Sometimes, the masonry above windows or doors can suffer from step cracking. Before developing and implementing a remedial repair strategy, one should immediately investigate such issues. Repairing the cracks is not enough; the wall must be reinforced with helical bars, converting the brickwork into a beam strong enough to carry the masonry bearing on it.

Lintel failure often occurs following the installation of new double glazing. Unlike steel or wood, the uPVC material used to create replacement door and window frames are lightweight and not sufficiently strong to bear the load of the brickwork. The lack of rigidity can cause brick panels over windows to weaken and sag, making windows and patio doors challenging to open.

Masonry lintels work by using the brickwork's compressive strength to transfer vertical loads horizontally to the brick abutments on either side of the window opening. A reliable method of repairing failed lintels, arches and soldier courses is the introduction of a pair of helical bars which, embedded in WHO60 specialist masonry grout, act as a reinforcing chord to strengthen the masonry.

Reinforced bed joints, representing the lower and upper flanges of a beam, form tendons. Using the surrounding masonry, one of these tendons carries compression while the other acts in tension.

Twistfix helical bars are robust high-tensile Grade 304 stainless steel rods that are twice the strength of rebar, four times that of epoxy glass fibre rods and a massive seven times that of wound helix plate spiro bars. Tried and tested at the Building Research Establishment, the lintel reinforcing system offers a structural repair technique that increases the tensile and flexural strength of the masonry.

The Twistfix Lintel Repair Kit contains four helical bars and a 10kg tub of WHO60 masonry repair grout, along with all required tools and accessories to achieve lintel repairs of professional standard. For more information about this specialist kit, please browse the Twistfix website.

Posted in Blog and tagged repairing cracked brickwork above windows on