Why Contractors Should Choose Carbon Fiber for Basement Wall Repair

If you are a contractor specializing in structural repairs, you have probably seen your share of cracked, bowing basement walls. And for years contractors turned to a few basic techniques to structurally stabilize the walls. You could trench along the outside of the wall, install an anchor that extends out into the ground and secure it to a plate on the inside of the basement wall. Or, you could install a series of steel I-beams along the inside of the basement wall.

A basement wall repaired with Carbon Fiber Straps

These days, however, there is another, better option to fix bowing basement walls: carbon fiber straps.

An increasing percentage of contractors are turning to carbon fiber over other structural stabilization methods, and for good reason: carbon fiber provides significant advantages over other basement wall repair options both for contractors and homeowners.

Reasons to Choose Carbon Fiber for Basement Wall Repair

1. It Works

We can talk about ease of installation and profit potential all we want, but if a type of repair doesn’t work, contractors will simply be left with angry customers and a stain on their reputation.

That, however, won’t be a problem with carbon fiber.

With a tensile strength of 195,000 psi, or more than 45,000 pounds per carbon fiber strap, carbon fiber is, simply, stronger than steel. That is more than enough strength to stabilize the wall and prevent further bowing and cracking.

2. Ease and Speed of Installation

Many traditional bowing basement wall repair methods can be pretty invasive. Tasks such as excavation along the outside of the basement wall take time and effort. This can extend the amount of time spent on each project significantly, especially if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

With carbon fiber, weather isn’t an issue since in almost all cases the repairs are exclusively done indoors. You also don’t need to make extensive excavations in the basement at all. The most invasive part of the installation process is drilling a hole in the floor to pin the bottom of the strap.

Not only is installation fast, it also is relatively simple to learn. Most contractors can learn to install carbon fiber straps in a two-hour training session.

3. Increased Profits

Many contractors we work with say that carbon fiber is their highest profit product.

You get shorter project timelines to be able to take on more work as well as minimal start-up costs. Installing carbon fiber requires no heavy equipment, and many of the tools required you might already own.

Wall repair with carbon fiber that has been painted over4. Satisfied Customers

Carbon Fiber straps are the least invasive basement wall repair option. No landscaping gets torn up. You aren’t left with large metal plates on your walls or I-beams sticking out from them.

The straps can be painted over or dry walled over as well, making it an ideal repair for finished basements as well.

This is a big selling point for homeowners and can help with getting jobs as well, which leads back to point No. 3, profits.

5. Versatility

With most other basement wall repair methods, the only question really is how many beams or tiebacks are you going to install. If you find the wall needs additional stabilization along a crack, you are going to have to tack on another repair.

With carbon fiber, however, you can run the carbon fiber straps horizontally or diagonally along the crack to provide the needed support in addition to the standard vertical straps. You can’t really do that with an I-beam.

Want to Learn More About Adding Carbon Fiber to Your Structural Repair Business? Contact Us Today

At Carbon Fiber Support, we are always looking for contractors to partner with. If you are interested in either adding basement wall repair to your list of services or upgrading to the next generation in structural strengthening and stabilization technology, contact us today.