A steel column and a brick or block wall are connected with ties or anchors that hold the wall to the column sideways while letting the two move independently up and down. The column carries its own load down to its own footing; the masonry leans on the column for lateral support, usually against wind. Where a column has to sit on a masonry wall instead, the Ontario Building Code requires solid masonry or concrete under it and, for thinner walls, a pilaster.
This guide covers the three situations people mean when they search for a steel column and wall connection: masonry built against or around a column, columns in cavity walls, and columns that bear on brick or block. It explains what goes on the drawings and who designs what. It isn't a DIY guide; these are structural details.
Three ways steel columns and masonry meet
| Situation | Typical example | What the connection does |
|---|---|---|
| Masonry wall built against or around a column | Concrete block walls between columns in a commercial or industrial building | Ties the wall to the column for lateral support |
| Column inside a cavity wall | Steel frame behind brick veneer, column in the backup wall | Ties veneer and backup across the cavity at the column |
| Column bearing on masonry | Post carrying a beam set on a brick or block wall, or a pilaster | Spreads the column load into solid masonry below |
The first two are about tying. The third is about bearing. They need different details, and mixing them up is where problems start.
Tying block and brick walls to steel columns
In a steel-framed building, block walls often run between columns. The wall is not usually meant to carry the frame, and the frame is not meant to load the wall. What the wall does need is lateral support at its edges and top, so it can span between supports against wind and other sideways loads. The steel columns provide it.
Common ways to make that connection:
- Weld-on tabs or tie anchors. Short steel pieces welded to the column flange at the masonry coursing height, with a tie that drops into the mortar joint or bond beam.
- Anchor slots or channels. A slotted channel welded or bolted to the column, with adjustable ties that slide in and can be set at whatever height the coursing lands.
- Ties into grouted cells. For reinforced block walls, ties or bent bars from the column into grouted, reinforced cells or bond beams. Our post on rebar in concrete block walls covers how those cells are reinforced and grouted.
Whichever is used, two principles run through a good detail:
- Allow vertical movement. Steel frames deflect and drift under load, concrete block shrinks as it dries, and clay brick expands slightly over time with moisture. A rigid weld from column to wall fights all of that and cracks the masonry. Slotted or adjustable ties carry sideways load while letting the wall and column slide vertically.
- Leave a joint where they meet. A sealant joint between the masonry and the column flange lets each move without crushing the other.
Masonry design in Ontario follows CSA S304 for structural design, CAN/CSA-A371 for construction, and CSA A370 for masonry connectors. The tie type, size and spacing come from the masonry designer or structural engineer, not from a supplier's catalogue page.
Steel columns in cavity walls
A cavity wall has an outer wythe (often brick veneer), an air space with insulation, and an inner backup wall. When a steel column sits in or next to the backup wall, the veneer still needs ties across the cavity at the column line.
The Ontario code's Part 9 rules for veneer ties describe corrosion-resistant straps fastened to wood framing or tied to masonry backing, spaced to Table 9.20.9.5. (for example, a maximum of 400 mm vertically with 800 mm horizontally). A steel column is neither, so the tie at the column has to be detailed: typically an adjustable tie anchored to the column or to a channel fixed to it, reaching across the cavity into the veneer joints. Match the spacing to the rest of the wall unless the designer says otherwise.
Other things to sort out at a column in a cavity wall:
- Corrosion protection. The cavity is damp by design. Steel there should be primed, painted or galvanized as specified. Our post on whether structural steel needs paint or galvanizing explains the options.
- Drainage. The column must not block the cavity. Water running down the inside of the veneer needs a clear path to the flashing and weep holes.
- Insulation and air barrier. The column interrupts insulation and the air barrier; the architect's wall section should show how they are continued around it.
- Fire separation. Where the column is part of a fire-rated assembly, the rating applies to the column too.
- Veneer support. Where veneer is carried at floor levels on shelf angles fastened to the frame, those angles and their connections are designed with the column and spandrel beams.
When a column bears on a brick or block wall
Sometimes the masonry carries the column instead of the other way round: a post on a basement block wall supporting a beam, or a column landing on an older solid brick wall during a renovation.
For buildings under Part 9, Article 9.20.8.4. of the Ontario Building Code sets the basic rules:
- Pilaster for thin walls. Where the masonry wall or wythe is less than 190 mm thick, the column must be supported on a pilaster.
- Solid masonry under the column. At least 190 mm depth of solid masonry or concrete must be provided under the column.
- Bonded or tied. The pilaster must be bonded or tied to the wall.
- Minimum pilaster size. Unit masonry pilasters must be at least 100 mm by 290 mm; concrete pilasters at least 50 mm by 300 mm.
Hollow block face shells cannot take a concentrated load. Under a column, the cores are filled solid, or a solid unit, concrete or a steel bearing plate spreads the load. Brick veneer should never carry a column at all: veneer supports only its own weight. The same thinking applies to beams, covered in our post on steel beam bearing on concrete and masonry.
Old brick deserves a closer look. Soft brick, lime mortar, past water damage and unknown repairs all affect what an existing wall can carry. A designer checks the wall and decides whether it can take the load, needs a spreader or pilaster, or should be bypassed with a column on its own footing.
Fastening a column to an existing brick wall
A common renovation question is whether a new steel post can be bolted to an existing brick or block wall. The answer depends on what the fastening is for.
- To hold the column in position: often fine. Anchors through a clip angle or a plate on the column can keep it from moving sideways. In hollow brick or block, anchors need the right type (for example, adhesive anchors with screen sleeves) and the right location, away from mortar joints and edges.
- To carry load: no. The column should take its load straight down to a footing sized for it. Hanging a load off anchors in masonry relies on brick strength, mortar condition and edge distance that are rarely known in an old house.
Our guide to steel post base plates and concrete connections covers the base end of the same post, and installing steel columns and posts walks through what happens on install day.
What goes on the drawings
For the fabricator and mason to build it right, the structural and architectural drawings should show:
- column size and location relative to the wall faces and gridlines
- tie or anchor type, spacing and how it attaches to the column (welded tab, channel, bolted clip)
- any steel welded to the column for masonry, so it is shop-welded rather than field-welded
- joint widths and sealant at the column face
- finish: primer, paint system or galvanizing
- pilaster or solid bearing details where a column bears on masonry
Anything welded to a column for masonry is best done in the shop. Adding tabs in the field after the column is up is slower, harder to inspect and damages the coating.
Columns detailed for masonry, made to your drawings
Send your structural and architectural drawings through our quote form and we'll price the columns with their masonry tabs, anchor channels and base plates welded on in the shop. We prepare shop drawings in-house, weld to CWB certified procedures, can prime or galvanize to suit the wall conditions, and supply and install structural steel across the GTA and Ontario. See our services for the full scope.
Frequently asked questions
How do you tie a brick wall to a steel column?
With engineered masonry ties or anchors that attach to the column, usually through welded tabs, slotted anchor channels or weld-on tie anchors, and are built into the mortar joints as the wall goes up. The detail should let the column and wall move vertically relative to each other while transferring sideways load.
Can a steel column sit on a brick wall?
Only on masonry designed to take it. Under the Ontario Building Code Part 9 rules, a column on a masonry wall thinner than 190 mm needs a pilaster, and there must be at least 190 mm depth of solid masonry or concrete under the column. Heavier loads need an engineer's design.
Can a steel column be built inside a cavity wall?
Yes, it is common in steel-framed buildings, but the column has to be detailed for corrosion protection, cavity drainage, insulation and fire separation, and the veneer ties that cross the cavity at the column need a tie detail suited to steel rather than wood studs.
Should a steel column be anchored to an existing brick wall to hold it up?
No. A column should carry its load to its own footing. Fastening to a brick wall can hold it in position sideways, but anchors in old or hollow brick have limited capacity and the wall's condition needs to be checked by a designer.
