Browse Forums Building Standards; Getting It Right! 1 Feb 17, 2015 9:53 am The brickies are half way through my internal walls and I'm concerned with some of the brick joins. I've heard from a friend working for a different builder that the "Australian Standard" stipulates a maximum 50mm gap between bricks. Does anyone know the specific standard and where I could find a copy (preferably free). Thanks My first home progress: viewtopic.php?t=74975 Follow my build here: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=74975 Re: Gaps in brick work 2Feb 17, 2015 11:21 am Quote: "Australian Standard" stipulates a maximum 50mm gap between bricks. The 50mm refers to cavity wall construction and is the minimum air gap between external and internal bricks. All the vertical joints (perpends) between adjacent bricks should be filled with mortar. (except for weep holes and control joints) Re: Gaps in brick work 3Feb 17, 2015 12:03 pm Thanks Beetaloo. Quote: The 50mm refers to cavity wall construction and is the minimum air gap between external and internal bricks. I might need to grab my ladder and check this. Quote: All the vertical joints (perpends) between adjacent bricks should be filled with mortar. (except for weep holes and control joints) Can you please tell me where your information is coming from? I'd like to make sure it's relevant in WA (and I'm not sure the builder will take "because Beetaloo said so" as a valid reason if I should complain about the gaps ) Cheers Follow my build here: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=74975 Re: Gaps in brick work 4Feb 17, 2015 12:35 pm These are extracts out of AS 4773 Masonry in small buildings. The key items are references to "full bed Joints" and 10mm +/-3mm thick mortar joints. AS 4773.1 1.5.4 Masonry unit A preformed component intended for use in bonded masonry construction. The term includes the following: (a) Solid unit A unit without cores but which may contain recesses (commonly called frogs) not greater than 10% of gross volume and intended to be laid with full bed joints. (b) Cored unit A unit with cores intended to be laid with its cores vertical and with full bed joints. (c) Hollow unit A unit with cores intended to be laid with its cores vertical and with face-shell-bedded joints. (d) Horizontally cored units A unit with cores intended to be laid with its cores horizontally and with full bed joints. 14.2 MORTAR JOINTS The nominal thickness of mortar joints shall be 10 mm. NOTE: A construction tolerance of ± 3 mm is typical (see AS 4773.2). For joints in the external faces of walls constructed with hollow unit, ungrouted masonry shall not be raked. In other masonry, the depth of raking, if any, shall be not closer than 5 mm to any perforation in cored unit masonry or 20 mm in grouted hollow unit masonry. The maximum depth of raking shall be 10 mm. Single-leaf masonry and masonry in marine environments, requiring mortar classes M3 and M4 in accordance with the durability requirements of Table 4.1, shall have tooled mortar joints. Re: Gaps in brick work 6Feb 17, 2015 3:56 pm Hi Alex Had quick look at the photos Potentual issues, clarification required? 1.The perps arent filled..where are you building? 2.Did they specify/put in horizontal rods along any of the courses? 3.Is your roof frame trusses or stick frame? 4.Your ceiling height looks 28c and the unsupported/Braced internal walls dont look that long ...I am guessing, more info required. You can leave a PM Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Gaps in brick work 7Feb 17, 2015 4:32 pm Building in WA. No perps are filled, but most gaps are pretty small. I don't believe, and can't see, any horizontal rods Truss frame, steel. Correct with the ceiling height, walls aren't too long, plans can be found on my build post, link in Sig. Sorry for brevity and typos, posting from my phone. My first home progress: viewtopic.php?t=74975 Follow my build here: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=74975 Re: Gaps in brick work 8Feb 17, 2015 4:49 pm alex_6169 Building in WA. No perps are filled, but most gaps are pretty small. Are you coastal? and what is your wind loading N-rating on site plan? alex_6169 I don't believe, and can't see, any horizontal rods You wont see them when embeded.. if desperate you will need to drill for them. alex_6169 Truss frame, steel. Truss roofs should have the loads transfered to the stronger cavity perimeter wall..no chocking under struts and ties Are your internal walls wet plaster or plasterboard? the later hides wall cracking alex_6169 Correct with the ceiling height, walls aren't too long, plans can be found on my build post, link in Sig. Years ago they allowed unbuttered perps but the walls were cracking ask your SS for guarantees? alex_6169 Sorry for brevity and typos, posting from my phone. Short and sweet... I would be taking better photos! My first home progress: viewtopic.php?t=74975[/quote] Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Gaps in brick work 9Feb 18, 2015 5:59 pm Quote: Are you coastal? and what is your wind loading N-rating on site plan? I wouldnt consider it coastal, about 7km from the closest beach. I cant see a N-rating on the site plan. Quote: Are your internal walls wet plaster or plasterboard? the later hides wall cracking Pretty sure its wet plaster. I think I will ask the SS about the gaps, take some really good photos and if I have any cracking down the track I can refer back to them. Thanks for your advice! Follow my build here: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=74975 Re: Gaps in brick work 10Feb 18, 2015 6:08 pm Good not coastal Insist on wet plaster, as I am seeing Plasterer board more and more on walls They hide the cracks..but the kicker is, I would rather want to see the cracks on the wall if you are hanging shelves, Large TVs etc The reason Engineers dont like seeing large joints is because the mortar is generally a lot weaker than the Brickwork...do the mortar scratch test, no need to calibrate your keys . Designer,Engineer (Civil,Const & Envir),Builder,Concrete & Masonry Contract.Struct Repairs Re: Gaps in brick work 11Feb 18, 2015 8:37 pm alex_6169... that brickwork is crap and needs to be redone. The extract Beetaloo gave out of AS4773 is exactly what is requried. Re: Gaps in brick work 12Feb 19, 2015 11:13 am How did you go with raising your issues with your builder? Re: Gaps in brick work 13Feb 19, 2015 11:59 am I haven't yet. They should finish the with this week, I have a friend working for a different building company looking at it this weekend, then we meet with the ss soon. Depending on how things look this weekend, I'll see how things go My first home progress: viewtopic.php?t=74975 Follow my build here: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=74975 Re: Gaps in brick work 14Feb 23, 2015 12:54 pm As an update, the SS is going to get the brickies back to fix up the issues, fill all the perp joints and replace a couple of bricks. Thanks for the advice everyone. Follow my build here: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=74975 Re: Gaps in brick work 15Feb 23, 2015 12:57 pm alex_6169 As an update, the SS is going to get the brickies back to fix up the issues, fill all the perp joints and replace a couple of bricks. Thanks for the advice everyone. Good outcome. Glad they are going to rectify the issues you found Re: Gaps in brick work 16Feb 23, 2015 1:00 pm Good work Alex - good to know they will do something about it. Brass fly wire, you will need to cut it, shape it and jam it into brick slots 1 7465 DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair could be the footing or being hard up against the other wall with no expansion joint or both. You could try again with brick mesh and use some sticky back foam against the… 1 1086 Building Standards; Getting It Right! Hi, sorry if this is the wrong place - I’m new to the property/building journey (trying to buy my first home) so not sure where/who to go with these sorts of… 0 19156 |