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Reinforced concrete
Bond beams & tie columns
The safety belt of a blockwork house: bottom ring beam on the foundations, vertical tie columns at corners and openings, top ring beam under the roof. They stitch the masonry into a solid box resisting settlement, wind and earthquakes. The most neglected element of self-built sites.
Typical dimensions & rules
- •Section: 15×15 to 15×20 cm, 4 HA10 + HA6 stirrups @20 cm
- •Vertical ties: at every corner, junction and opening edge > 1.5 m
- •Continuity is mandatory: bars lap at corners (L-bars)
- •Top ring beam: anchor the wall plate/roof into it
Common mistakes to avoid
- ✗Corners without continuity L-bars ('decorative' ring beam)
- ✗Top ring beam removed 'to save money' → X-cracks at corners
- ✗Roof not anchored into the top ring beam (wind pull-off)
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