Bowed Wall Repair Services

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Is your cinder block foundation bowing into the basement? This can be a sign of structural integrity failure. Don't wait until it's too late to repair your foundation.

Carbon Fibre Stabilization Straps:

Bowed walls are almost always concrete block and this problem is becoming more and more prevalent with the extreme weather recently experienced. Bowed walls are caused by 3 things: 1) Frost push, 2) Ratcheting affect from soil shrinkage and expansion caused by extremes of weather and 3) Static soil pressure is simply greater than the design load of the wall. Depending on the severity of the push, this problem is resolved two different ways.

Fortress Carbon Fibre/Kevlar Foundation Stabilization Straps

Fortress Carbon Fibre Straps This is the preferred way to stabilize a foundation wall. Carbon fibre is the strongest tensile strength material known to man. When a concrete block wall begins to push in, the mortar joints on the inside must open up or to allow the "deflection" in order for the push to continue. Carbon Fibre straps are bonded to the wall with high strength epoxy resin to eliminate the deflection and stop the opening up of these mortar joints thereby increasing the load strength of the wall. The Carbon Fibre straps eliminate the continuance of the wall push and permanently stabilize the wall from further movement.

If a wall is extremely bowed then it can first be excavated from the outside, pushed back into place and then stabilized with carbon/Kevlar straps.

Bowed Wall Repair Service Process:

Carbon Fiber is Marked:
Placement of Carbon / Kevlar straps is marked using chalk or pencil.

Block Wall is Grinded:
A dustless grinder is used to grind down the block in the area of install to reach the aggregate (stone) within the block. This is important since the weakest part of this system is the foundation wall.

Hardened Epoxy is Applied:
Fortress hardened epoxy is then applied to the wall or the strap to form an epoxy bed.

Protective Backing is Peeled:
Protective backing is peeled from the back of the strap and strap is placed in the epoxy bed on the wall.

Carbon Fibre Strap is Applied:
The strap is pushed into the epoxy bed and as the epoxy encapsulates the mesh strap. Small epoxy rivets are formed creating a bond between the strap and the wall. The bond that is created is stronger than the wall itself.

Installation is Complete:
The installation is complete after the strap is fully encapsulated in the hardened epoxy. The wall is now ready to paint.

Pros - Bowed Wall Repair:

The strength of the Carbon Fibre exceeds the strength of the concrete block.The strap will never break and is warranted for the life of the structure
Life of the structure warranty
Carbon Fibre is virtually indestructible and will not corrode or react with the concrete block
Straps are only 1/8" thick and therefore can be painted over to make the straps "disappear" into the foundation wall
The straps are "low profile" and therefore not scary to a new home buyer, especially if they have been painted over
Carbon Fibre is not a conductor and therefore does not represent a problem with respect to thermal bridging or ghosting
Straps don't intrude into the basement living space or decrease the basement living space
Stud walls can be constructed directly over the straps and straps will not obstruct the stud wall construction
Bow-ties can be used to anchor the foundation wall to the header, thereby making additional bracing in older homes unnecessary
Can be used even if the top of the foundation wall has separated from the sill plate by using Bow-ties

Cons - Bowed Wall Repair:

Cannot be used if the concrete block is disintegrating
Cannot be used as a "stand alone" in the presence of an "off-set". Additional bracing of the off set is needed (core fill and pin)
This repair is structural only and does not address any basement leaking issues that may be present