Remedial Wall Ties: A Brief Guide
Remedial wall ties come in a variety of forms, each suited to a particular repair application. Whilst each system works by different means, they all deliver the required result of securing the outer brick façade to the inner layer of a cavity wall structure. Twistfix supply a comprehensive range of these vital structural components.
Cavity wall tie failure is typically caused by the aging process of a building, whereby steel wall ties begin to rust. As the wall ties corrode, the load-sharing capacity and stability of a cavity wall structure may be impaired. On newly built structures, tie failure may be a result of at least some of the original 'built-in' brick ties having been omitted. Whatever the cause, you will find the right retrofit product here at Twistfix in the dedicated 'Wall Ties' section of our website.
Helical Wall Ties
The Thor Helical® CD Tie is a patented one-piece stainless steel tie of superlative quality. Formed by a process that delivers work-hardened threads, these helical brick ties are designed to deliver fast, consistent results in all types of masonry. Installation is exceptionally easy; a tiny 6mm diameter pilot hole is drilled into the walls and the tie is hammered into it using the SDS driving tool. The oversized threads cut into the masonry as the tie corkscrews into the wall, gripping the masonry on either side of the cavity and locking it in place. Our helical wall ties have been independently tested and accredited for use in solid bricks, perforated bricks, concrete blocks, aircrete blocks and concrete.
Mechanical Wall Ties
Our Platinum® range of mechanical ties are available with a choice of expanding neoprene or expanding brass sleeves. The expanding mechanisms are located at each end of an integral austenitic stainless steel tie bar and a partially-threaded 'tall-nut' is attached at one end. The ties are inserted into a 10.5mm diameter hole and a drill-powered drive-socket is used to rotate the bar to force open the first sleeve, which grips strongly to the remote masonry layer. Once a factory-set torque level is reached the 'tall-nut' travels down the tie bar, forcing the second mechanism to expand and grip the wall to form the near leaf connection.
Screw-in Cavity Ties
Tiger Screw-In Wall Ties are used when the only repair option is to re-build the outer layer of a cavity wall. The tie has a neoprene expanding mechanism at one end with a traditional triangular shaped tie-wire at the other. To fit the stainless steel tie you simply require a drill and 8mm drill bit. The neoprene end is inserted into the hole and the tie is turned by hand to tighten the expanding mechanism. The triangle end is simply laid into the mortar beds as construction of the outer layer proceeds. These are the quickest and easiest ties to use in partial rebuild applications and require no special tools for installation.
Find out more about our comprehensive collection of remedial wall ties on the website. Need help choosing the correct tie? Get in touch with the Twistfix Wall-Tie-Guys for clear, expert advice.