Padstone and bearing pressure illustration

Explore average bearing pressure for an entered reaction and contact area. This tool does not design or recommend a padstone.

How to use this tool

  1. Enter a support reaction and an assumed rectangular contact length and width.
  2. Calculate average pressure. The example dimensions are not a padstone recommendation.
  3. Ask your engineer to establish actual contact, load spreading, material resistance and the complete bearing detail.

Bearing pressure illustration

Calculate average pressure over an entered contact area. This does not choose a padstone, establish allowable masonry stress or check a bearing detail.

The defaults are arbitrary arithmetic examples. A chartered structural engineer must design the beam bearing, padstone and supporting masonry. Obtain the applicable Building Control approval. No padstone dimensions, strength or depth are specified by this tool.

Approved Document A (England) provides structural guidance, not approval of this example.

Questions and limitations

Does the calculator size a padstone?

No. It divides force by an assumed area. It does not determine padstone depth, strength, load spreading, eccentricity or supporting masonry resistance.

Data and editorial responsibility

Published by Krystian Welcel, a software developer. These tools have not received an independent structural engineering review. Read the data sources and calculation method.

Structural work must be designed by a chartered structural engineer and receive the applicable Building Control approval. These educational calculations are not construction specifications.