A helibar is a stainless steel bar used to strengthen and stabilise masonry in both new builds and remedial works. Not only is it used to strength and stabilise masonry, it can also be used to create movement joints, to create or repair flat arch lintels and crack stitching.
Crack stitching is done by installing helibars into spaces cut into the grout and is a way of repairing and stabilising cracked masonry with some added benefits;
• It is cost effective
• It reduced the likelihood of cracking nearby
• It avoids the need to re-build a wall
Helibars are good for creation of remedial movement joints which accommodates differential building movements. The helibars are installed vertically between the two walls in order to absorb the pressure from the movement of the wall, which stabilises the wall. It too has many advantages such as;
• It is a fast and economical solution to lack of expansion joints
• It causes minimal disruption to building fabrics
• It avoids having to rebuild a wall
Another use of helibars is to create or repair flat arch lintels. The alternative to using a helibar is to remove and replace the lintel(s), which has many downsides compared to using a helibar. The direct benefits of using a helibar in order to create or repair a flat arch lintel includes;
• It can be cost effective
• It can be a quicker solution
• It can be less disruptive
K Rend approved