What are gallows brackets?

Gallows brackets are triangular, right-angled units, a bit like a shelf bracket, that provide support for your remaining chimney breast or chimney stack when removing an internal chimney breast. They are used in pairs. They are made from either steel or iron and can be purchased from builders’ merchants as well as specialist companies which can supply bespoke gallows brackets. Gallows brackets will usually be welded and then fixed to the wall with resin anchored bolts and have a steel plate or metal angle spanning between them to support the chimney.

When should a gallows bracket be used?

Gallows brackets should be used when a steel beam (RSJ) is not being used. They are a crucial mechanism for chimney breast support.

Click for Gallow Bracket Calculations

Call us on 07922 148 701 or 0208 058 0078 or email us support@onlinebeam.co.uk for a quote. Or complete the quote form at the bottom of this page.

How do I fit a gallows bracket?

Gallows brackets are used in pairs and attached to the party wall, as shown in this picture here. (Make sure you have party wall agreement for your project, as we explained in our previous article).

Gallows Bracket gallow brackets chimney Gallow Bracket – for fire breast support Gallows Bracket Medium 1024x645

When is a gallows bracket not suitable?

Chimney breast gallows brackets cannot be used if:

  • They are being fixed to a wall that is less than 225mm thick.
  • The projection of the breast is more than 340mm (more than 150% of the thickness of the supporting wall).
  • Your neighbour next door has already removed, or partially removed, the chimney breast on their side, and has installed gallows brackets.
  • The supporting wall’s brickwork or mortar is in poor condition.

Please scroll down to read our full guidance notes. Feel free to download and print to assist your project.

Do gallows brackets require building regulations approval?

Removing a chimney breast and fixing chimney breast gallows brackets is a structural alteration and requires building regulation approval. There is some useful guidance on the LABC website. 

We provide a full Structural Engineering Service to design and calculate gallow brackets to support your fire breast removal project. We provide all calculations for the steel brackets, bolt connections, and brickwall for Building Control. We can visit your site if required, we cover London, Surrey and South East for site visits. We also provide an online service at extremely competitive prices. We require drawings, dimensions, joist direction and photographs, we can then design a bracket or beams for you.

 

Call us on 07922 148 701 or 0208 058 0078 or email us support@onlinebeam.co.uk