Joining two brick walls

[The Medway Handyman]

I need to 'join' two parallel brick walls - about 3' long & 5 courses high and about 1" apart.

They are in a garden and one wall has a small gate post fixed to it. This wall has partly fallen down & needs rebuilding, the other wall is as solid a rock.

Plan A was to use steel frame ties to bond the two walls together & improve the overall strength. Plan B could be to pour a wet concrete or mortar mix into the 1" gap once the wall has been rebuilt or indeed as it's being rebuilt. In the latter case I could PVA everything.

Any thoughts as to which method will be stronger? Would mortar be better than concrete?

[Cicero]

========================================= If strength is more important than appearance consider inserting lengths of studding from side to side with large load spreading washers (pattress plates) at each end of the studding. Filling the void would then be a substantial extra stiffener.

Cic.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Use both!

Walls of solid material outside without ties will crack and cracks will get water in and freezing water will split them. So the steel is a must.

I built a double wall of concrete block and brick. Its cracked in the one place I didn't use ties..everywhere else there is a bow tie per joint, and plenty between the two layers, which were filled with crap mortar after I had finished each mix.

[George]

Is the other wall a neighbours wall? I'd be very wary of building onto their wall if it is?

[The Medway Handyman]

Odd situation actually. Street of terraced houses which apparently has a right of way or something through the back gardens, so each house has a gate into the neighbours garden. I'm told its in the deeds or something that they can't block them off?

Anywho, they are jointly employing me, so no probs.

Good point though.