How to Prop a Wall Safely

Why Temporary Propping Is Required

Load-bearing walls carry the weight of the structure above them — floor joists, roof timbers, upper floors, and any loads on those floors. When part of that wall is removed or opened up, the load path is interrupted. Without temporary support, the structure above has nothing to bear against, and movement or collapse becomes a risk.

Temporary propping re-establishes a load path during the period when the permanent structure — the RSJ, lintel, or padstone — is being installed. Once the permanent steelwork or masonry is in place, cured, and checked, the temporary props can be removed.

When to Use Acrow Props

Acrow props support loads from below. They're used to:

• •Support floor joists above the working area while a wall below is being opened up
• •Hold ceiling timbers or boards while a lintel is replaced
• •Support a needle beam that is being used to carry the load of a wall section above an opening

The prop sits on the floor below and bears up against the structure above. It adjusts in height to suit the floor-to-ceiling dimension and locks at the required height.

When to Use Strongboy Brackets

Strongboy wall support brackets attach to acrow props and allow the prop to bear directly against the face of a wall section or pier. They're used when it's the wall itself — rather than the floor above — that needs to be held in position.

On an RSJ installation where a wall is being partially removed, the remaining piers on either side of the opening often need to be propped to prevent them moving or tilting while the steel is threaded in and the padstones are packed. Strongboys on acrow props provide this support.

In most RSJ installations, both acrow props (for the floor above) and Strongboy brackets (for the wall piers) are used together.

Setting Up Correctly

1. 1
   Follow the structural engineer's temporary works specification. Any structural alteration affecting a load-bearing element should have a structural engineer's design and a temporary works specification. Follow it.
2. 2
   Use the correct prop size for the height and load. Acrow props are available in different sizes with different safe working loads. Using the wrong size for the load being carried is a safety failure.
3. 3
   Ensure a firm base and head. The prop base must sit on a solid floor — not on a suspended timber floor without additional spreader boards. The head must bear against solid structure, not just plasterboard or a thin ceiling board.
4. 4
   Use a spreader board where required. On timber floors, place a spreader board under the prop base to distribute the load across multiple joists rather than concentrating it on one.
5. 5
   Do not use improvised propping. Stacked timber, bricks, or improvised arrangements are not a substitute for purpose-built temporary support. The loads involved in domestic structural alterations are significant.

Hiring Props in Manchester

Manchester Diggers hire acrow props and Strongboy wall support brackets with delivery across Greater Manchester and the wider North West. Multiple props and brackets can be hired on a single booking.