Five Reasons to Use Carbon Fiber and One Reason Not To
We announced last month that we offered Rhino Carbon Fiber as one of the many outstanding tools that we use to repair your home. Carbon fiber supports are a great resource, but don’t take our word for it. Here are five reasons to use carbon fiber for your home repairs and one instance where you may not want to implement it.
Reasons to Use Carbon Fiber Wall Supports
In the past, if your foundation walls were leaning or bowing, your only option was the installation of steel I-beams. The beams would be placed against the inside of the wall and anchored at the top and bottom of the beam. This would keep the wall from moving further, but it’s unsightly and relatively costly.
Rhino Carbon Fiber uses a fabric that is practically indestructible. The strip is affixed to the leaning wall and the top part is secured to the sill plate with a galvanized bracket and the other end is attached to the foundation floor with a carbon fiber pin. The wall won’t be able to bulge any further once the wall support is secured.
- Rhino Carbon Fiber strips are strong and virtually unbreakable. Carbon fiber, with its combination of strength and lightweight, is used throughout the world from everything from bicycles to armor to airplanes. The strips used for your walls will not break or stretch, giving the walls permanent support.
An upside to carbon fiber wall supports is how quickly they are installed. The wall is prepared and the strip is affixed with an epoxy. The carbon fiber strip is anchored to the floor and ceiling and then the area is cleaned up. Depending on the size of the wall and the number of strips needed, the job can usually be completed in one day.- As mentioned above, steel I-beams used to be the go-to solution for bowing or leaning walls. Carbon fiber wall supports costs around half the cost of steel beam installation.
- Once the strips are affixed and the epoxy is cured, the carbon fiber fabric is only a fraction of an inch thick. You can paint over the wall supports, making them practically invisible. If you want to finish the basement, you can install a normal stud over the wall with little problem.
- You won’t have to do anything more with the carbon fiber wall supports once they are installed. There is no maintenance, no upkeep. Just attach them and let them do their job.
An upside to carbon fiber wall supports is how quickly they are installed. The wall is prepared and the strip is affixed with an epoxy. The carbon fiber strip is anchored to the floor and ceiling and then the area is cleaned up. Depending on the size of the wall and the number of strips needed, the job can usually be completed in one day.One Warning Regarding Carbon Fiber Wall Supports
As amazing and useful as carbon fiber wall supports are, they can’t be used all the time. If the wall is leaning more than two inches, the carbon fiber won’t work. However, if your wall moved two inches before you noticed, you may have more problems lurking.
If the wall has bowed that much, you will have to resort to using steel beams. This alternative is better than a collapsed wall or replacing a foundation.
Hire an Expert
If you have a bowing or leaning wall, you need to contact a foundation repair expert as soon as possible. They will determine the best solution and be able to implement it correctly. Although carbon fiber wall supports are relatively easy to install, it still takes a professional’s knowledge to do it correctly and effectively.
Contact Rapid Foundation Repair today for any questions about bowing walls and carbon fiber wall supports.