Frame Ties (Frame Cramps)

Frame Ties (Frame Cramps)

Frame ties — also known as frame cramps — secure masonry construction to concrete or steel frames. They resist lateral loads transferred between the masonry leaf and the structural frame, ensuring the building remains stable under wind and impact loading. Frame ties are specified at every junction where masonry meets a structural frame element: column faces, beam soffits, slab edges and abutments.

Spechunter stocks frame ties in two principal configurations — with drip and without drip — covering every cavity wall buildup from solid-wall to wide-cavity construction.

Frame Ties With Drip vs Without Drip

The single most important distinction in the frame-tie family is the presence or absence of a drip detail.

Frame Ties With Drip — for cavity wall installations. The integrated drip prevents water from tracking across the cavity along the tie shaft. Specify these where any moisture on the outer leaf could find its way to the inner leaf via the tie. Standard choice for most cavity wall construction.

Frame Ties Without Drip — for solid-wall applications, external timber-frame buildups, and any application where there's no cavity to bridge. Without the drip detail, these ties are slimmer, cheaper and faster to install — but they should never be specified in a cavity wall.

Selection Criteria

The right frame tie for your project depends on:

  • Cavity width — frame ties are sized to span specific cavity ranges (typical: 0–24mm, 20–44mm, 45–69mm, 70–99mm, 100mm+)
  • Frame material — concrete vs steel frame requires different fixing methods and tie geometries
  • Structural load — high-rise and high-wind sites require heavier-duty ties; domestic two-storey can use lighter variants
  • Movement requirements — where the masonry and frame may move differentially, slotted or sliding-anchor frame ties may be specified instead

Installation

Frame ties typically attach to the structural frame via mechanical fixings (bolts, anchors or proprietary clip systems) and embed into the masonry as the wall is built up. The tie's frame-end is fixed first; the masonry-end is then bedded into the appropriate mortar joint as the bricklayer progresses. Spacing follows project structural specification — typically 450mm vertically × 900mm horizontally, but check the engineer's drawing for project-specific requirements.

For project-specific advice, call our specifier desk. Trade pricing on all variants. Free next-day delivery on orders over £200 ex-VAT.

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