Since the early 1900s buildings with outer walls of Cavity construction have become common. A Cavity Wall consists of two leaves of masonry connected together with Cavity Wall Ties. Very early types of Wall Ties included slate, cast and wrought iron. Mild Steel Cavity Wall Ties have however been the most commonly used Wall Tie and since around 1910 the Steel has been Zinc coated to protect from corrosion.

Typically, Cavity Walls are constructed with an outer skin of brickwork, a 50mm wide cavity, and an inner skin of brickwork or blockwork, the average total thickness commonly being 250mm to 300mm.

The two skins are tied together with Cavity Wall Ties, usually 900mm apart horizontally and 450mm vertically. Extra ties are installed around window and door openings.

The Zinc coating on older Wall Ties was relatively thin and proved be inadequate to stop the Wall Ties from corroding. A British Standard came into force in 1945 which regulated the thickness of Zinc coating applied to Mild Steel cavity Wall Ties. The standard has been revised over the years and in 1981 revisions more than tripled the requirement for Zinc Coating for some types of Wall Ties.

The Zinc Coating on wall ties does however break down, the time this takes is dependent on a number of factors which commonly include the buildings exposure to the elements and the materials used in construction. The Building Research Establishment has predicted that the Zinc Coating may have a life expectancy of 12 – 26 years for Wire Cavity Wall Ties and 25 – 46 years for Vertical Twist Cavity Wall Ties. The resultant unprotected mild steel Cavity Wall Tie will corrode readily and eventually break down completely.

There are two principle Structural problems created by corroding Cavity Wall Ties, which can lead to the need for wall tie replacement.

1. The ties can corrode in the cavity and break, such that the outer and inner skins are no longer tied together. If this occurs, there is a distinct risk of the outer skin collapsing, especially under high winds which cause suction on the face of the wall.

2. The more common problem is when the part of the Cavity Wall Tie embedded in the outer skin corrodes. This tends to occur on South and West facing elevations which are exposed to driving rain and which are often wet. Rust occupies a greater volume than the original steel and therefore the expansion of the corroding tie in the bed joint forces it to crack. Cracks running along the bed joints, every 450mm up the wall, are a good indication of Cavity Wall Tie corrosion.

If suitable/required, the exact position of the Wall Tie can be determined using a metal detector and then drilling a small hole using an endoscope to examine their condition. If ties are corroded or if there are insufficient ties, a suitable type of replacement wall tie must be installed. Corroded ties will need to be cut out of the outer skin to prevent further cracking, either by complete removal, bending back into the cavity or by isolation.

Protectahome’s experienced contractors carry out Cavity Wall Tie inspections and have a wide range of remedial strategies to choose from in the event that Wall Tie replacement is deemed to be required. Our remedial Wall Tie Replacement and Installation Service usually carries a long term Guarantee from the company and may be subject to the issue of further insurance backed guarantees (Guarantee Insurance) if required.

With offices in Bristol, Bromsgrove, Cheltenham, Leamington Spa, London, Plymouth and Stockport, and across South Wales in Cardiff, Newport and Llanelli, you will never be too far away from a Protectahome Surveyor.

For advice or to book a Survey please Contact Us on 0800 055 6966 or alternatively email us via web@protectahome.co.uk.