You’ve got a big steel beam carrying half your house. Now — what’s it actually sitting on?
If the answer is “the wall,” you might have a problem. Here’s why a little block called a padstone matters far more than its size suggests.
What a padstone actually does
A padstone is a solid block — usually high-strength concrete or engineering brick — that sits under the end of a beam where it lands on a wall.
Its job is simple: take the huge, concentrated load from the beam and spread it out over a bigger area of wall below.
Without it, all that load presses down through a tiny contact patch. Brick and block are strong, but squeeze them hard enough in one spot and they crack, crush or crumble — right under a loaded beam. Not where you want a failure.
“The beam fits, so we’re fine” is a trap
A beam can be perfectly sized and still overload the wall where it bears.
That pressure at the contact point is called bearing stress. The padstone brings it down to something the masonry can safely handle. It’s not decoration — it’s part of the load path.
What a good padstone looks like
A few things your engineer is checking:
- Material — high-strength concrete or engineering brick, not just another block.
- Size — long and wide enough to spread the load, and deep enough to work.
- Bearing — enough beam actually sitting on it, often 100–150mm.
- The wall below — strong enough to carry the load once it’s spread.
Get those right and the load travels cleanly: beam, to padstone, to wall, to foundation.
The mistake to avoid
Sitting a heavy new beam straight onto existing brickwork “because it looks solid.” It might hold for a while. Then comes cracking, sagging, or worse — buried behind plaster where you can’t see it coming.
Putting a beam in? WhatsApp us your questions and we’ll be able to assist.
Bottom line
A padstone is a small, cheap block doing a big job: stopping a heavily loaded beam from punching into your wall. Specify it properly and you’ll never think about it again. Skip it and it becomes the most expensive thing you didn’t budget for.
Not sure what your beam should land on? WhatsApp us your questions and we’ll be able to assist.
