Steel Reinfoced Ledger

[i_am_fubar]

As part of my flat roof repair, I'm mounting a ledger to the wall.

The plans call for a steel plate on the back of the 2x6 ledger to remove loading from over a lintel that is in the middle of the wall.

Section by section, I've removed the damaged brickwork from between the old roof joists (they were built into the wall, and it seems the builder used a lump hammer to make the holes for them), cut the ends of the joists off, and re-bricked the wall.

Unfortunately, working around the existing masonry, has meant that while the wall is generally straight, there are some differences in alignment of the brick faces (3mm maximum).

My concern now, is that when the compound ledger is bolted to the wall, unlike a piece of timber that will deform to the face of the brickwork, the steel will apply point loads to areas of the higher brickwork.

As a solution to this, I am currently considering injecting resin between the steel and the wall before tightening the anchors up. Is this a viable option, needed at all, or are there better options?

Cheers,
Fubar.

 

[regsmyth]

If you can access the gap from the top, you could/should use a proper Steel erectors baseplate grout, but it'll be messy stopping it dribbling out of the bottom.

 

[i_am_fubar]

I can always run a mastic bead at the bottom to stop it flowing out. Though doesn't it have a slight elastic property to it that would prevent the full clamping force being transferred into frictional sheer?

I was thinking of drilling a series of holes (other than those for fixing), tightening the steel to the wall 50% tight, injecting resin/grout through each hole, then finishing tightening up the nuts. Allow to set, then remove nuts, fit timber and re-tighten.

While I'm sure this is overkill and probably not needed, I don't like the idea of high pressure point contacts against imperfect brickwork.

Fubar.