gable wall cavity closer

YourAverageJoe

Should the gable wall have a cavity closer? Mine doesn't and the roof is almost finished, only noticed yesterday. All of the other walls have the usual block cavity closers

sydthebeat

the idea of a cavity closer under a wall-plate is to spread the loading evenly onto both leaves.

as the gable isnt supporting wall plate loads the theoretically it doesn't need a closer from that point of view. However, in my opinion it should be closed for the following reasons:
1. it reduces air flow in the cavity, thus reducing thermal looping
2. it reduces air flow thus reducing air leakage cause by wind suction
3. it reduces risk of vermin entering the dwelling.

Builderfromhell

I agree with Sydbeat comments above.

The Homebond manual advises using cavity closers and even has a detail or two in their maunal.

I always understood the reason you would close cavity was to seal insulated wall - stop warm air rising and leaving via open cavity. I should mention I don't build using cavity wall construction anymore.

johnny_adidas

gable walls typically dont have cavity closing blocks and as the blocks can be all over the place when 'cut' (ie smashed with a hammer to rough slope ), usually gets closed with a slate as u dont have any wallplate to fix on top. (thats how we do it anyway)
in terms of the other walls we find it better to use a standard block to close the cavity as it still allows insulation to be fitted internally and finish in the same plane as the internal blockwork face. those 300mm cavity closers were one of the worst things ever created

Poor Uncle Tom

They were great for deadwork though.

Have seen the gables closed with slate or cast-in barges. I've never seen blocks close gable cavities.

Mellor

Poor Uncle Tom wrote: »

They were great for deadwork though.

Have seen the gables closed with slate or cast-in barges. I've never seen blocks close gable cavities.

slate or insitu closers, and has to be done doe the reasons Syd listed above