New suspended brickwork literature – 4 ways to create attractive soffit details

Brick soffits and reveals are an increasingly popular design feature that add an extra depth and dimension to masonry façades. Creating these effects can be key to the aesthetics of the building but can pose an engineering challenge as the main building façade must be maintained across an opening, while seeming to be unsupported by structural steelwork.

Brick Slip Systems – Ideal for large / numerous soffits

Nexus® Brick Faced Support System
Combining a specially developed Ibstock Kevington lightweight brick-faced steel unit with Ancon’s MDC brick support angle, the Nexus® brick soffit system is our recommended solution. This two-part system, available in virtually any brick type or bond pattern, is simply bolted together on site providing quick and simple soffit alignment without mechanical lifting.

Precast Concrete System
Ancon MDC masonry support systems can be designed and manufactured to suspend precast concrete brick- faced units. The system removes the build of complicated, time-consuming masonry soffits from a tight schedule. Due to the considerable weight of precast concrete systems a mechanical lifting device is required when bolting to the underside of the Ancon brick support angle.

Full Brick Systems – Ideal for occasional / small openings

Hanger Tie System 
A soldier course of solid bricks can be suspended from dowelled Ancon hanger wall ties fixed to Ancon 36/8 channel welded to the underside of an Ancon brick support angle. The system is suitable for small, simple openings and is assembled on site.

Stirrup and Stitching Rod System
A brick soffit can be created by suspending a soldier course of cored brickwork on stainless steel stirrups located at 225mm centres. The stirrups fit over the Ancon brick support angle and stitching rods span between the stirrups, supporting cored or holed bricks.

All systems are manufactured to meet individual project specifications. System designs vary depending on factors such as load, cavity, soffit dimensions, brick pattern and coursing. Contact us today for technical support.

Related Projects

Silchester Estate, Kensington & Chelsea, London

Nexus® brick faced soffit units and lintels were installed at the window heads and entrance way of this major regeneration project on the edge of the 1969 Silchester estate.

Bow River Village, London

This mixed use development, on the southern fringes of the Olympic Park, utilised the Nexus system to achieve flawless brick-faced soffits to the hundreds of door and window heads.

Muirfield Community Centre, Scotland

235 Nexus® brick faced soffit units and lintels were installed in window heads and ground level colonnades of this modern, purpose-built community hub.