How Do I Fix a Steel Column to the Wall?

A steel column running alongside a masonry wall needs lateral restraint to prevent it from buckling sideways under load. This restraint is typically provided by fixing the column to the adjacent masonry at regular intervals.

There are two accepted methods. Both provide lateral (out-of-plane) restraint and improve load-sharing between the column and the adjacent wall.

Option A: Frame Cramps into Masonry Bed Joints

Frame cramps (also called wall cramps or masonry anchors) are mild steel straps or angles that are welded or shot-fired to the web or flange of the column at 450 mm vertical centres and then built into the masonry bed joints as the wall is constructed.

This method is:
– Straightforward to install during construction
– Invisible in the finished wall (embedded in the masonry)
– Most suitable where the masonry is being built new alongside the column

Procedure: Position the column. Weld or fix cramps at 450 mm centres. Build masonry up around and alongside the column, with each cramp embedded fully into the mortar bed joint.

Option B: Bracket Fixings Through the Wall

Where the masonry wall is existing and cannot be rebuilt alongside the column, brackets are welded to the column flanges at 450 mm vertical centres and bolted through the wall using chemically bonded M12 anchors.

Procedure: Position the column. Weld brackets to column flanges. Drill through the wall at bracket positions. Install M12 chemical anchors. Fix brackets to anchors with washers and nuts.

This method provides the same structural function as Option A and is the standard approach for retrofitting column restraints into an existing wall.

What Both Methods Provide

– Out-of-plane restraint of the column — prevents the column from buckling sideways under axial load
– Tie-in of adjacent masonry — the fixings also improve lateral stability of the masonry panel alongside the column
– Load sharing — under horizontal loads (wind, accidental impact), the column and masonry share the lateral force

Specification

All welds: 6 mm fillet. All bolts: Grade 8.8 black. All plates and brackets: S275 structural steel.

Where the wall is a party wall, check whether a party wall notice is required before drilling through or building against it.

Contact us if you need clarification on the column wall fixing detail for your project.