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Brick Reinforcement

Brick Reinforcement

Stop shrinkage cracks before they start

Hairline fissures around window heads and long masonry panels are almost always shrinkage- or movement-related—not workmanship. Bed-joint reinforcement cures the problem by spreading loads and tying panels together. At Spechunter you’ll find every major option in stock and ready for site:

Ladder & Truss Mesh – traditional 20–50 mm bar spacing for brick/block courses. See our full ladder reinforcement range.
Coil Mesh / Coil Lath – lightweight expanded-metal strip for general crack control and arch work; browse expanded metal lath.
Murfor® Compact – Bekaert’s pre-galvanised steel cord (I-series) or stainless steel cord (E-series), supplied in 30 m rolls that unroll straight from the box for fast bed-joint reinforcement. Explore Murfor Compact.
Stainless & Galv Options – 304 & 316 stainless for coastal or aggressive sites; hot-dip Galv for sheltered internal work.

Order before 12 : 00 and spend £200 ex-VAT for free next-working-day delivery. Need help choosing? Call our technical desk on 0118 922 7941—35 years of masonry know-how, free.

Why reinforce brickwork?

Control shrinkage & thermal movement

A 10 m brick panel can move ±6 mm between winter and summer. Bed-joint mesh absorbs that strain so the brickwork doesn’t have to.

Enhance robustness & impact resistance

Schools, hospitals and retaining walls get an extra safety margin when horizontal reinforcement locks headers together.

Tie in openings & changes in thickness

Mesh bridges stress points above windows, door heads and thin piers—greatly reducing the risk of stepped cracking.

Picking the right format

Situation	Good	Better	Best
Standard cavity walls	Spechunter galv ladder mesh	Ancon AMR-S truss	Murfor Compact I-series (galv)
Fair-face / stainless spec	Vista stainless ladder	Ancon AMR-S SS	Murfor Compact E-series (SS)
Thin-joint blockwork	Coil mesh	Murfor Compact	—
Brick arch centres	Coil lath	Murfor cut strips	—

Need extra-wide 450 mm bed joint for blockwork flats? Browse our coil-mesh widths.

Material & finish guide

Hot-dip galvanised – tested to BS EN 845-3; suitable for sheltered internal applications and below-DPC work.
304 stainless steel – Class C; coastal towns or mild industrial sites.
316 stainless – Class D; aggressive coastal, chloride or swimming-pool zones.
Murfor Compact – pre-galvanised (I-series) or stainless (E-series) steel cord supplied in 30 m rolls; lightweight, flexible and easily cut with snips.

Quick-order size chart

Mesh	Cavity width served	Roll/length	Link
Spechunter Galv Ladder (3 × 60 mm)	90–110 mm	2.7 m lengths	Add
Vista Coil Mesh V44 (112 mm)	105–125 mm	20 m roll	Add
Ancon AMR-S (3 × 60 mm)	80–100 mm	2.7 m lengths	Add
Murfor Compact E-35 (35 mm)	100 mm blocks	30 m roll	Add

Installation best practice

Bed centrally — 50% mortar cover top and bottom within the standard 10 mm bedding mortar.
Lap 225 mm at joints (one full mesh module).
Stagger meshes on either side of the cavity—do not align joints vertically.
Recess over movement joints—stop mesh 50 mm back and link with movement ties.
Use stainless clips when weaving through wall ties so metals match and avoid bi-metallic corrosion.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I insert bed-joint mesh?
Every third course (225 mm) in high-risk panels, or as per the engineer’s spec. Above openings, run two continuous courses.

Can I bend Murfor Compact round corners?
Yes — Murfor Compact’s flexible steel cord construction allows it to be bent around shallow curves. For steel ladder/truss mesh, cut and lap at the corner.

Does stainless mesh work with galvanised wall ties?
Mixing is allowed internally, but for lasting durability match stainless to stainless—see our type 2 & 4 stainless ties.

Is next-day delivery guaranteed?
Order before noon, spend £200 ex-VAT and check our delivery information for remote-area surcharges.