This Post Isn’t Supporting Anything — Why Is It Required?

If your structural drawings show a column or steel post in an external wall — and you can’t see what it’s holding up — the answer is almost always wind loading, not vertical load.

The Role of a Wind Post

External masonry walls must resist lateral pressure from the wind, not just carry the weight of the building above them. Building Regulations Part A sets out limits on how large a freestanding masonry panel can be before it needs additional lateral support — this is set out in Diagram 14 of Approved Document A.

Where a wall panel is too large to stand up to those pressures on its own (assessed by its height, length, thickness and the degree of restraint at its edges), a vertical steel post — a wind post — is introduced. Its job is not to carry vertical load but to act as a stiff spine within the wall, bracing it against sideways movement.

What Does a Wind Post Look Like in Practice?

A wind post is typically a steel hollow section (SHS or RHS) or a UC/UB column built within or against a masonry wall. It is bolted or strapped to the wall at regular intervals and fixed at top and bottom to provide lateral restraint. The post transfers wind pressure back into the floor and roof structure via these fixing points.

From the inside, the post may be concealed behind plasterboard. From the outside, you would not see it at all — it sits within the wall cavity or against the inner leaf.

Your Three Options

If the wind post position or size is inconvenient, you typically have three alternatives:

1. Accept the steel post — usually the most economical and slimmest option
2. Use a timber post — acceptable in some situations but may need to be larger than the equivalent steel section
3. Build a masonry pier — a brickwork or blockwork pillar, typically around 400–500 mm in plan length, which achieves the same bracing effect

If you prefer one of those alternatives, raise a Change Request with your structural engineer so the design can be reviewed and updated.

Do Not Simply Remove It

Removing a wind post without replacing it leaves the masonry panel inadequately braced. This is particularly serious in extended or exposed elevations where wind loads are high. Building Control will check for compliance, and removing the post without an alternative means your works may not receive sign-off. Your structural engineer’s professional indemnity insurance also covers the design only as specified — deviating from it is at your own risk.

Get Your Post Checked or Changed

If you think the wind post position does not work for your layout, contact PorthouseDean to discuss your options. Changes are handled as straightforward design reviews and are usually quick to turn around.