windpost projects

The UK's Stormy weather changes the landscape for structural steel

Over recent months, the UK has experienced increasingly frequent and intense wind conditions, particularly during autumn and winter storm periods. Strong gusts, prolonged high wind speeds, and exposed weather fronts have once again highlighted the importance of designing buildings that can safely withstand lateral wind loads. For masonry structures, wind remains one of the most critical environmental forces acting on external walls. Without adequate restraint, wind pressure can lead to excessive movement, cracking, or in extreme cases, structural failure.

Why Wind Loads Matter in Masonry Construction

Wind pressure applies horizontal forces to walls, especially on:

These forces increase with building height and exposure, making lateral support essential in modern construction. Properly specified steel windposts play a vital role in transferring these wind loads safely back into the main structural frame.

Galvanised Steel Windposts: A Reliable Solution

At Windpost, we supply high-quality galvanised steel windposts designed to provide long-term strength, durability, and corrosion resistance. Galvanisation ensures suitability for harsh UK weather conditions, extending the lifespan of the windpost even in exposed environments. Our windposts are engineered to:

• Improve lateral stability of masonry walls
• Support panels with wide openings such as doors and windows
• Meet structural design requirements and site-specific loadings
• Integrate seamlessly within cavity wall construction

Building with Confidence in Challenging Weather Conditions

As weather patterns continue to place greater demands on buildings, ensuring correct wind restraint is no longer optional — it is a fundamental part of safe construction. Specifying the right windpost solution helps reduce risk on site, improves long-term performance, and provides peace of mind for contractors, engineers, and developers alike.

Stay Informed

We will be updating our Latest News section more regularly with insights related to construction best practice, wind loading considerations, and our galvanised steel windpost solutions. For technical advice or to discuss your project requirements, please contact the Windpost team.

A Crucial Component in Modern Construction

Windposts, while not frequently discussed outside of engineering and architectural circles, play a pivotal role in the construction industry. These elements, essential in ensuring the structural integrity and longevity of a building, act as silent guardians against the ravages of strong winds. In the complex world of construction, it's often the unseen elements that play the most vital roles. Windposts, though largely hidden from view, serve as the backbone of many structures, ensuring they stand tall against the relentless forces of nature. As we advance in architectural design and push the boundaries of what's possible, the role of such reinforcing elements only grows in importance.

What are Windposts?

At its core, a windpost is a vertical structural element designed to counter the lateral loads, primarily from wind pressure, on masonry walls. These loads can exert significant pressure, causing potential deformation or even collapse of walls. Windposts are installed within cavity walls or other wall constructions to provide the necessary stability and support.

Material and Design

Windposts are generally made from durable materials, with stainless steel being a common choice due to its resistance to corrosion and its impressive strength-to-weight ratio. The design of a windpost can vary based on the specific requirements of a construction project. Common designs include:

• Channel section: Offers resistance to twisting and can easily be incorporated into cavity walls.
• Double channel section: Offers resistance to twisting and can easily be incorporated into cavity walls.
• ‘I’ section: Resembles a steel beam in cross-section and offers significant resistance to wind pressures.

Applications

• Large buildings: In skyscrapers or large commercial complexes, where wind loads can be especially high.
• Bridges: Providing stability against both wind and dynamic loads from traffic.
• Cavity walls: Offering reinforcement and preventing the walls from bowing outwards due to lateral pressure.
• Areas with high wind exposure: In geographical regions prone to high winds or cyclonic conditions, windposts are integral to the structural safety of buildings.

Installation and Maintenance

Proper installation of windposts is essential. They must be correctly positioned, anchored, and tied to the walls for optimum performance. Typically, ties are used to link the windpost to the inner and outer leaves of masonry. Maintenance is generally minimal, especially when using corrosion-resistant materials like stainless steel. However, periodic inspections are advisable to ensure the structural integrity remains uncompromised.

WP|WindPost have been around for quite some time and know a thing or two about windposts. We provide quality product at a good price and deliver on time. As well as being a key UK supplier - we provide assistance and advice ... free of charge. Contact us when you are planning your next project, our years of experience with windposts can really come in handy.

We can advise you on what you're going to need, we can help when it comes to budgeting and delivery schedules. There are many ways in which our assistance can be of great value - we are here to help, use us! Our core product would be the 80x80 windpost, but we make them in other dimensions too. Whether you are going to need off-the-shelf windposts, or, windposts that are constructed bespokely for your project. WP|WindPost can help. We love to get involved at the project stage, it means that we can prepare things for you and get them delivered right when you need them.