I have to work on a house in the new year where the downstairs needs re-configuring and will need a load of acros and strongboys for a few months. Always hired them previously but thought I would check how the prices would compare now - still very expensive for 6 and strongboy heads but saw "a brick brace" listed for sale. http://www.brickbrace.com/ http://www.brickbrace.com/video/ It is one of those things that looks like it shouldn't work but does. It does state eventually that they can't be used to replace Acros for load bearing walls but could give that extra bit of bracing to stop cracking Anybody used one of these and are they any good ?
Seen them at a trade show,intresting idea, but I'm old school, prefer my acrows & needle beams I'm afraid. If a wall is correctly support, then it sholdn't crack. I had a load of acrows off the bay a few years ago for a job, used them, put them back on the bay afterwards & still made a profit. Watching these on the bay (281867540741) shame they are not size 1's. If you buy new acrows, some firms offer a buy back opition, Heaton Products was one firm who did this.
Interesting idea except your using the bricks your trying to support for support in the main, also how strong is a scaffold pole???, for light work yes, but would I use it, No.
Exactly. A galvanised scaffold tube is only 48.3mm with a wall thickness of 4mm,a quick google gives a 3mtr pole a 100kg safe load at it's centre point. And a square metre of brickwork is 60 metric bricks, so a bit of weight, block work even more weight.
I looked at it and thought the same, the idea looks good but don't fancy the idea of a pile of rubble on the floor and even bigger job to fix
Doesn't always work like that though, does it? I mean, if brickwork is built well, and a course of bricks for some length is removed, that above the gap are essentially self-supporting as long as they are not loosened, So initial weight is virtually nil. If supported from disturbance that is likely to remain so. So if the whole run is prevented from any brick dropping vertically, there is possibly no weight to bear! But there is no guarantee!!!!! Mr. HandyAndy - Really
If you support the scaffold bar at 600 centres what's the safe load in the centre of that 100kg will be support at either end and load in the centre if you support the bar along its length it will take an amazing amount of weight.
Don't touch this. There is a reason why temporary works are designed by structural engineers. On a domestic scale project, the SE who spec'd the beam/lintel etc. should also be advising on sequencing/methodology.
Has anyone used the Brick Brace? yes, I have! Does exactly what is says on the tin, it supports the triangle of masonry above openings up to 3metres long. A scaffold tube is used in the same manner when bracing Acrow props together as recommended in the updated instructions of use of the Strongboy, the tools do all the work, ideal for smaller openings and for supporting unheld brickwork in between props. Well worth spending the time to read up on as you will only benefit from it. Sadly due to the false ease of the strongboy builders don't use structural engineers for every job, the fact that pre stressing masonry to reduce the risk of collapse is so obvious it should be compulsory.
How can a single scaffold tube placed horizontally bear the same load as 3 or 4 vertical props for the same opening? - A horizontal tube can bend whereas a vertical prop will be stronger in compression until the point at which it will buckle. Props have always been used, they work, they are safe and it is easy for SE's to calculate and spec/no/spacing of props. If an SE is specifying the beam/lintel size in any case, a builder may as well take their advice on the propping.
The brickbrace, as I understand is not to be used by itself for load bearing walls they explicitly state the need for additional supports. The manufacturer does state that the product has undergone extensive testing. Its the horizontal force exerted between the brick perps relying on the lateral forces to hold the bricks in place with weight bearing down that doesn't feel right.
They may hold the lower bricks in place, but it is still the total weight of the 'triangle' above which is being supported by the horizontal tube and the fittings each end. Youtube vid shows it in use.
Concentrically loaded props should always be used to support load bearing joists and beams as the loads will always be different, One concentric Acrow prop has the same safe working load as ten props fitted with strongboys.
How can prop attachments allow safe fitting of a 100mm cavity lintel or a steel with a welded 300mm top plate when the maximum eccentricity permitted is 225mm? The strongboy was designed way back in the Eighties when cavities were 50mm. whether you like it or not the industry requires further equipment to make a task safer and easier.
The tools do the work; the scaffold tube only holds the tools together. If I need to create an opening of 900mm I would fit a Brick brace above and remove the four bricks without a prop and a Strongboy in the way, easy! Using a prop and strongboy to support 6 bricks within the triangle of masonry above a 900mm opening is overkill and very awkward. When fitting a 6 metre steel I would use props and needles as it allows me to fit a steel safely. The right tools for the task ahead!
That is correct in the scenario of when a steel beam is fitted underneath joist height but every task is different, what about when a steel is fitted in line with the existing joists and the joists are running parallel with the wall, (not bearing onto the wall)?
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