Project: Masonry wall support for controlled demolition
Location: Gymea Bay, NSW
Sector: Demolition / residential
Client: Beasy
Services Provided: Temporary works engineering, equipment hire, installation
Equipment Used: Legend Tilt Props, vertical timber LVL strongbacks, through-bolt fixings
Project Overview
Beasy needed to demolish an existing masonry block wall in Gymea Bay, NSW. The wall was exhibiting signs of structural failure, creating a collapse risk before demolition could begin. A narrow access corridor between the wall and the site boundary ruled out mechanical bracing or large plant equipment.
Legend Hire engineered a temporary propping system using vertical timber LVL strongbacks bolted through the wall, braced back to ground level by a row of Legend Tilt Props. The system distributed load across the masonry and held it stable until it could be safely brought down.
The Challenge
With the wall showing signs of failure, it could not be relied on to remain self-supporting during demolition works. Any uncontrolled movement risked collapse and posed a serious safety hazard to crews working in close proximity. Compounding this, the wall sat within a tight access corridor against the site boundary fence, ruling out larger mechanical propping plant or crane-assisted bracing. The temporary works solution had to be lightweight enough to install by hand in a confined space, yet capable of stabilising a degraded, load-bearing masonry structure throughout the demolition sequence.
The Solution
Legend Hire engineered a raking prop arrangement that paired vertical timber LVL strongbacks with a Legend Tilt Propping system. The LVL strongbacks were bolted through the wall and run vertically against the masonry face to act as continuous spreader members, distributing load across the full height of the wall rather than concentrating the prop reaction at single fixing points on already-compromised blockwork.
Each strongback was then braced by a Legend Tilt Prop installed as an inclined raking shore down to ground level. The through-bolted strongbacks tied the wall and the propping into a single restrained system, controlling lateral movement while demolition progressed. Because the props and LVL timber were modular and hand-installable, the arrangement suited the constrained corridor without requiring heavy plant, and Legend Hire coordinated the installation sequence with Beasy’s demolition crew.
Equipment Used
- Legend Tilt Props configured as raking braces to ground level
- Vertical timber LVL strongbacks as load-spreading members
- Through-bolt fixings tying strongbacks to the masonry
The Outcome
The degraded masonry wall was held in a stable, fully restrained state throughout the works, with lateral loads safely managed despite the structure’s pre-existing failure. The lightweight, hand-installable system overcame the access constraints without heavy plant, and Beasy was able to demolish the wall safely and in a controlled sequence, with zero incidents on site.
Checkout these related case studies
- Needle Beam Propping for Masonry Wall Support
- Boundary Wall Propping for Stormwater Excavation
- Propping for Load-Bearing Wall Removal Under a Suspended Slab
Frequently Asked Questions
Tilt props are adjustable raking braces installed at an incline against a wall or structure to resist lateral movement, transferring load to a stable foundation while works are carried out.
LVL strongbacks spread the prop reaction across a wider area of the wall, preventing point loads that could damage or collapse weak or degraded masonry.
A row of raking props braced against vertical spreader members restrains the wall laterally, holding it stable so it can be demolished in a controlled sequence rather than failing unpredictably.
Yes. Modular, hand-installable propping like Legend Tilt Props can be deployed in confined corridors where cranes or heavy plant cannot reach.