Helifix has introduced SockFix, a grouted sock anchor for stabilising damaged masonry in a variety of heavy duty, high load applications. It provides an economical means of restoring structural integrity, particularly in situations where high levels of performance are required in bending.

The new SockFix system comprises a stainless steel threaded bar and heavy duty plastic grout feed tube housed in a durable fabric mesh sleeve. Once inserted into a core-drilled clearance hole, the sock is pumped full of SockFix Grout and expands to fill the hole and any voids in the substrate. A shut off valve simplifies installation and prevents excessive grout use. The specially formulated thixotropic cementitious grout cures in a composite action with the threaded bar and the host material to form a strong mechanical-chemical bond, ensuring the system becomes an integral part of the structure.

SockFix can be used for stabilising rubble-filled walls, stitching cracked solid and multi-leaf walls, securing external walls to internal hollow concrete floor slabs and securing unstable parapet walls and arches. A versatile system, SockFix offers a far more economical and sustainable solution than demolition and rebuilding, helping to extend the life of existing buildings.

SockFix further expands the Helifix range, complementing the grouted CemTie which is generally suitable for lighter duty applications. SockFix is available up to 3 metres long as standard, with couplers used to form longer lengths where required.