Crack in a brick wall: "diagnosis" of the problem and solutions. horizontal cracks in the wall

23.06.2020

The content of the article:

Cracks in the walls are a diagnostic sign of a change in the stress state of enclosing structures. The reasons for the appearance of these shortcomings can be very different, but the vast majority of them are associated with deformations of the foundations that exceed the maximum allowable values for load-bearing walls. Such damage can reduce the structural reliability of the building and its performance. If cracks are found in the walls, they are inspected, the nature, place and cause of deformation are established. Based on these data, the necessary technical measures are planned and carried out.

Types and causes of cracks in the walls

Wall cracks can be classified by dividing them into groups:

Due to: shrinkage, deformation, temperature, structural, as well as those resulting from wear or weathering of the walls.
By destruction: shear, crush and tear.
In direction: inclined, vertical and horizontal.
By outline: curvilinear, straight and closed (not capturing the edges of the walls).
Depth: through and surface cracks.
According to the degree of risk: dangerous and not dangerous.
Over time: stable and unstable cracks.
According to the size of the opening: large - more than 1 mm, small - up to 0.3 mm, hairy - up to 0.1 mm, developed - up to 0.5 mm.

The main causes of cracks in the walls can be:

Uneven compression of soils. At the same time, the cracks on the walls are inclined and reach their edges. By the magnitude of the opening of cracks and their direction, it is possible to determine the type of settlement and deformation of the building, as well as to find the location of the cause of the defect. In addition, precipitation can occur from uneven loading on foundations, soil leakage into old pipes, damage during construction, and for other reasons.
Availability of extensions or add-ons. They cause a change in the state of the foundation: an additional compressive stress appears under the building in the ground, as a result of which the foundation settles. At the same time, adjacent walls can have inclined cracks with the direction "down", and the opening - "up". The same phenomena often occur when a partial superstructure occurs along the length of the building.
Uneven load on the foundation along the length of the building. Longitudinal walls of buildings often have glazed areas of considerable size, turning into blind parts of above-ground structures. All of them create different loads on the foundation, making its settlement uneven. With a large load from floors on the longitudinal internal walls, settlement can also occur. Cracks appear in the corners of the transverse walls.
Excavation near an existing building. In this case, the building is located near the slope or on it. Soil shifts capture the foundation area, and inclined cracks appear in the walls from the side of the pit. Sometimes the slope of the adjoining wall is associated with the threat of its collapse.
Interaction of adjacent foundations. In this case, the stressed sections of the foundations overlap and increase the local compression of the soil. They have an inclination to each other, subject to the simultaneous construction of buildings, if the buildings are built in different time, the slope is towards the building, which was erected later. An existing, for example, building on piles can receive settlement and inclined cracks in the walls with a new building located close to it on a natural foundation.
Effect of surface loads. They can arise from storage close to the walls of industrial raw materials, building materials or products. From the impact of such loads, the compression of the soil and the settlement of the foundation appear, causing cracks.
Dynamic influences. These include the movement of loaded vehicles, driving piles, the operation of compressors and hammers in production shops, etc. Such impacts affect the foundation soil and can lead to the formation of cracks in above-ground structures. At the same time, sandy soils are compacted, and clayey ones soften. As a result of such processes, foundation settlement occurs.
Soil freezing and thawing. Freezing of the bases can cause the foundations to be raised by heaving forces. This process is especially dangerous for buildings under construction, when their walls have light weight and low bending stiffness. The walls on which all other floors must be erected receive numerous cracks, which negatively affects the further work. The settlement of foundations during thawing of the soil is greater than during its freezing, while the walls can get new cracks. The presence of basements often exacerbates the situation: it is possible for the outer walls to detach from the transverse partitions. Cracks in this case occur along the entire height of structures and can cause a violation of their stability.
Temperature deformations. They can cause cracks if the building is long and there are no expansion joints. Damage in this case occurs in the middle part of the structure, the cracks have a vertical direction.
Shrinkage deformations. The cracks arising from their impact usually appear in the corners of the wall openings of large-panel buildings and have a radial direction. Such damage is not dangerous. Small closed, randomly located or oriented cracks sometimes appear on plastered walls, not reaching the corners. Their cause is the shrinkage of a solution of high fat content.
Wall overload. It leads to crushing of the masonry and is accompanied by the appearance of cracks in the supporting structures, pillars and piers. The cracks are closed and have a vertical direction. They are the initial sign of wall collapse and are extremely dangerous. Local deformations during overloading of structures of old buildings are manifested by cracks in the places of supports of beams and trusses.
Material wear. Periodic changes in temperature and air humidity affect the integrity of brick walls. Due to weathering, small cracks may appear on them over time. They are shallow, and do not pose a danger to massive structures.

In addition to the above reasons, cracks can appear at the junction of old and new walls, depend on the order of masonry, etc. Such cracks are straight, open along the entire height and are not dangerous. Sometimes cracks can also appear at the joints of the partitions and the ceiling. They indicate the deflection of the beams, the settlement of the floor or the shrinkage of the wall material.

Before you close the cracks in the wall, they should be carefully examined. During visual examination of cracks, the depth of their opening, age, location and direction are determined. When wall damage occurs at different times and for various reasons, their analysis becomes much more complicated.

For it, you need to have documentation on the history of design, engineering geology, operation of the building, location of underground utilities and a working draft. For a visual presentation of the results of the survey, cracks are indicated on the drawings internal walls, facades, then numbered indicating the beginning of their disclosure at a given moment in time.

The technology of eliminating cracks in the walls

After diagnosing wall cracks and eliminating the causes of their appearance, problem areas can be sealed in various ways.

Seal permanent cracks in the wall

Cracks of small depth can be repaired by plastering with mortar. When kneading, cement putty or PVA glue should be added to it. Plastering should be carried out on a previously prepared section of the defective surface. To do this, before eliminating a crack in the wall, the problem area and the area adjacent to it must be cleaned of destroyed fragments and dust, primed, and a special reinforcing tape should be applied to the gap.

Cracks of medium opening are eliminated using a metal mesh. In this case, the destroyed wall covering must be removed, and the resulting solid base should be primed. Then, along the crack, holes should be drilled in increments of 30 cm for mounting dowels, insert them and fix the mesh with screws equipped with wide washers.

The mesh size of the metal mesh is 5x5 cm. If it is necessary to apply several mesh strips to a large emergency area, they overlap by at least 10 cm. plaster mortar must be applied to the wall through the grid. After that, the surface should be slightly leveled, wait for it to dry completely and apply finishing layer plasters.

It is possible to effectively eliminate a crack in the walls mounting foam. During polymerization, it slightly increases in volume, so its dried excess must be cut off with a knife, and then cover the problem area with any suitable finishing material: plaster, paint, etc.

Elimination of unstable cracks in the walls

Determining a progressive crack is easy. This will require strips of paper that need to be glued in the middle, bottom and top across the crack. If after a while the strips break, you will need to look for and eliminate the causes of the defect.

It is possible to stop the development of large cracks with a significant opening by installing a channel (anchor) or metal plates. The work is done in this way:

First, it is necessary to knock down the plaster from the emergency section of the wall, focusing on the length of the selected plate. If it is 1 m, then the surface should be cleaned 50 cm on each side of the crack. The depth of the resulting strobe should be equal to the thickness of the plate.
Its fastening is carried out depending on the material and thickness of the wall by means of dowels or long bolts. For last version through drilling is carried out.
The crack and strobes should be cleaned and filled with mounting foam, and then the anchor should be inserted into the recess and fixed with fasteners. It is recommended to install the screed system in three places of the problem area: across near the end and the beginning of the crack, as well as in its middle. After that, it is necessary to fix the reinforcing material in the emergency area and perform plastering.

A similar operation can be performed using brackets instead of plates:

They can be made from rebar. After selecting the rods of the desired length, their ends should be bent at a right angle by 15-20 cm.
Then, across the crack in several places, it is necessary to make grooves so that the brackets sit in them deeper than the level of the existing wall surface. For example, with a reinforcement diameter of 10 mm, the depth of the furrows should be 13-15 mm.
The ends of the brackets must be inserted into the pre-drilled holes. Staple driving is excluded, since this process can lead to crack expansion.
After installing the required number of brackets, you need to perform a standard procedure: cleaning the surface, priming it, reinforcing it and plastering it.

How to remove cracks in a drywall wall

Such coatings are characterized by small cracks. Defects in the form of a cobweb indicate that when finishing the walls, too much layer of gypsum putty was applied to the plasterboard sheets or the thermal regime was violated when it dried using heaters and hair dryers. Vertical or horizontal cracks usually occur at the joints of sheets. The sources of such defects may be the weakening metal frame walls or the absence of reinforcing tape on the seams of the plasterboard.

You can get rid of the "cobweb" only by removing the damaged layer and applying a new one, its thickness should not exceed 2 mm. If you need to apply another layer, you need to wait for the previous one to dry.

When the frame is weakened, sealing cracks in a wall made of plasterboard is very problematic. And when reliable fastening covering its defects can be easily eliminated:

Cracks should be cut at an angle of 45 degrees with a sharp knife.
The resulting grooves should be filled with gypsum mixture.
Apply reinforcing serpentine tape on top of the closed crack, then level the surface with putty and sand with an abrasive mesh.

How to fix cracks in plaster walls

Before the cracks in the wall can be covered up, the loose plaster must be completely removed, and then primed and a new coating applied. Before performing this work, you should read the instructions on the packaging of the material. It indicates the proportions of the batch and the recommended layer thickness.

You can hide the existing cracks in the plaster with the help of fiberglass. It will counteract the expansion of old cracks and the formation of new ones. Before starting work, deep grooves should be sealed with gypsum putty and a penetrating primer should be applied to the wall.

How to remove cracks in the walls of log cabins

Cracks in the walls of wooden buildings arise from the influence of moisture from the inner layers of a log or beam. The formation of such cracks can be minimized by means of a compensation recess, which is sawn along the entire length of the log to a depth of no more than 1/5 of its diameter.

The formation of large cracks in old wooden structures is not a cause for panic. These defects do not pose a danger and absolutely do not affect the performance of the walls. An example of this is the cracked log cabins erected in remote villages decades ago.

Therefore, the repair of cracks in the walls of log cabins is only aesthetic in nature. Can be used for this various materials but none of them are durable.

The sealant does not provide long-term adhesion to the wood, the cracks in it will have to be repaired every 2 years, applying new layers on top of the old ones. Wood, absorbing and releasing moisture depending on the season, periodically changes its volume. For this reason, any sealing material peels off.

The best solution for sealing cracks in timber or logs is caulking cracks with linen hemp braids or moss.

Prevention of cracks in the wall

As mentioned above, the main causes of dangerous cracks are foundation deformations. Therefore, when designing them, it is necessary to comply with a number of requirements:

Columnar foundations located in heaving soils must be fastened with lower straps or grillages.
In houses with basements or technical basements, it is better to make recessed walls in a monolithic design. At the same time, it is not recommended to connect them with reinforcement into a solid structure with a slab foundation.
The foundations of heaving soils should not freeze under slab foundations with the built box of the house.
The widening of the drilling supports should be located below the level of freezing of heaving soils.

To prevent the appearance of cracks, the following measures can be applied:

Dismantling of emergency walls and installation of a new block or brickwork;
Production of a monolithic concrete reinforcing belt;
Replacing or strengthening supports;
Restoration of the blind area;
Increase the length of the bearing walls and strengthen the walls.

How to remove cracks in the walls - look at the video:

Most of the cracks that appear on the walls of houses are due to violations specifications, rules, building codes, lack of supervision over their observance or low qualification of performers. Therefore, when building buildings, it is important not to allow all this. Good luck!

The popular expression "life cracked" we usually perceive as a joke.

However, humor is not appropriate when cracks appear on the walls of a private house, signaling a violation of the foundation's bearing capacity.

It is difficult for an ordinary citizen to understand what to do with cracks in brick house. Only experienced builder can reliably determine the cause of their occurrence and give practical advice for elimination.

What causes cracks in the walls of a building? We will talk about this difficult topic in detail.

Classification and causes of cracking

The advent of durable and technologically advanced Portland cement has revolutionized the construction industry. However, the new binder, in terms of the risk of cracking, has one significant drawback - a high hardening rate.

As you know, the building after construction does not immediately take a stable place in the soil massif. The process of natural shrinkage takes several years. A mortar on cement, on the contrary, gains strength very quickly. Such a large difference between the decay time of sedimentary deformations and the active strength development of Portland cement leads to the appearance of cracks that break the masonry mass.

With lime mortar, things are easier. It hardens slowly, therefore, when the foundation is settling, through voids in the walls, as a rule, occur. That is why in buildings that have stood for centuries, we observe much fewer cracks than in modern high-speed new buildings.

Specialists Cracks in masonry are classified according to the following criteria:

The reason for the formation: constructive, deformation, shrinkage, temperature, wear;
Type of destruction: rupture, crushing, shear;
Direction: horizontal, vertical, oblique;
Outline: curvilinear, straight, closed (do not reach the edge of the wall).
Depth: through, surface;
Degree of danger: not dangerous, dangerous;
Time: stabilized, not stabilized.
Opening size: hairy (up to 0.1 mm), small (up to 0.3 mm), developed (0.4–0.8 mm), large (1 mm or more).

There are many reasons why a house cracks:

1. Ground settlement . It can be caused by uneven compressibility of the soil (dense and weak areas), uneven loading of the foundation, leakage of tap and sewer water into the ground. It leads to the appearance of inclined splits reaching the edge of the wall or the development of vertical (oblique) cracks in the middle part of the facade.

1 - sedimentary cracks; 2 - sedimentary funnel; 3 - deviation of the wall from the vertical.

2. Freezing and thawing of the soil . Freezing of heaving soils causes an uneven rise of the foundation (if its sole is located above the freezing point of the soil). This process is especially dangerous for a building under construction, the weight of the walls of which is small (low bending rigidity). In this case, many cracks form on the walls. During the spring thawing of the soil, the reverse process occurs - the settlement of the foundation. Walls receive new damage.

3. Repair a crack in the wall may be needed after the addition of a new premises. From this, additional compressive stresses develop in the foundation soil, leading to foundation settlement. As a result, oblique cracks appear in the adjoining walls of the existing building (open up).

4. Uneven loads on the foundation within the same building . V modern houses long glazed walls often alternate with blind areas. The difference in load leads to uneven settlement of the foundation.

5. Digging a pit next to the building . If the house stands on the slope of the pit or close to it, then the sliding of the soil affects the foundation and inclined cracks appear in the brick walls from the side of the pit.

6. Influence of adjacent foundations . Stress zones are superimposed, increasing the compression of the soil and its settlement.

7. Surface loads . When warehousing a large number building materials next to the building under construction, additional stresses appear in the ground. They can cause significant settlement of the foundation and the appearance of cracks.

8. Dynamic influences . As a result of pile driving, the constant movement of heavy vehicles, and the operation of compressors, sandy soils are compacted and clay soils are softened. As a result, the foundation gets a draft, and the walls crack.

9. Temperature deformations . Cause cracks in the middle part of the walls (vertical direction). Sealing cracks in brick walls is most often required for long buildings that do not have expansion joints.

10. Masonry overload . Appear in piers and on pillars. characteristic feature crushing cracks - closed and vertical direction. They are very dangerous, because they can cause the sudden destruction of one wall, followed by a chain reaction of the fall of all the others.

11. Shrinkage deformations (non-hazardous) . Observed on plastered walls (cracks are small, randomly scattered, closed, do not reach the edge of the wall). The reason for their appearance is the shrinkage of too greasy plaster mortar.

How to repair cracks in brick walls?

Answer the question about how to fix a crack in the wall brick house is possible only after identifying the cause of its formation and stabilization of the precipitation process.

To control cracks, gypsum patches are used, which are placed directly in the zone of their development. If the brittle gypsum has not burst within a certain time, we can talk about the termination of the process of cracking and proceed to its elimination.

Another option is a plate beacon with a scale

It is possible to cover the crack with a strong cement mortar and limit it to the case when it is small (up to 5 mm), non-through and does not increase in size.

Brick locks are used to repair wide cracks. To do this, from an array of masonry with external and inside the cracked bricks are removed from the walls, and a new one is put on the mortar in their place.

An improved version of this solution is the insertion of a metal anchor(powerful plate with two pins). It is placed on the side into which the crack develops (expanding upwards - the anchor is on top, expanding downwards - the anchor plate is placed below).

Two steel plates with tension bolts passed through the wall are placed on through cracks. An alternative option is to drive steel staples into the masonry on both sides of the wall.

If the crack has gone in the area of \u200b\u200bsupporting the floor slab on the wall (insufficient area of \u200b\u200bthe support platform), then a channel is brought under the slab. On the other hand, a steel plate is placed on the wall and fastened with tie bolts.

When cracks appear in brick piers outer walls use steel clips. Their size and design depends on the width of the wall.

All described repair options can be seen in the figure.

a - installation of a brick castle; b - a brick castle with an anchor; reinforcement with plates with tension bolts (in - flat wall; d - wall corner); e - repair of a through crack with steel brackets; e - repair in the place where the floor slab is supported; g - strengthening of the cracked wall.
1- brick wall; 2- crack; 3 - brick castle; 4 - cement mortar; 5 - coupling bolt; 6 - channel (anchor); 7 - steel lining; 8 - brackets (installation step 50 cm); 9 - floor slab; 10 - brick wall; 11 - corner; 12 - finishing layer.

When cracks appear that threaten the integrity of the house, more drastic measures have to be taken. They consist in the installation of steel rods on the outer and inner sides of the wall, covering the entire building in a powerful steel band.

a, b - steel rods on the outer (a) and inner (b) side of the wall; c - installation of non-tensioned channel bars;
1 - steel rod; 2 - corner; 3 - steel base plate; 4 - channel.

Summing up what has been said, we note that the condition of a brick and block house (especially new) must be carefully monitored. The sooner cracks are found, the less money and time it will take to fix them.

Any violation of the construction technology of load-bearing structures is fraught with the opening of cracks. In 90% of cases, the reason is the foundation of the house (soil) or the foundation, which is enough to strengthen using one of the technologies below.

If the crack on the wall surface is horizontal (girdle, local), the foundation has nothing to do with it. The reason often lies in the sagging of the jumpers or rafter system. In the absence of puffs, the hanging rafters try to push the opposite walls apart.

There are several main reasons if the foundation sank, cracks appeared in the house. Traditionally, the main ones are:

areas under the base, consisting of subsidence soils - rupture of the foundation tape, change in the geometry of the structure;
swelling forces - uneven loads tear the foundation, the walls warp;
violation of construction technologies - low grade of concrete, loading of the foundation to a set of 70% strength, low coefficient of reinforcement, corrosion of reinforcement, winter concreting without heating.

If the foundation has lost its integrity, restoration is necessary, in other cases it is enough to strengthen the base under the sole of the tape in separate areas. There are several technologies for this.

Attention! The crack is a "pointer" that makes it easier to find the boundaries of subsidence or swelling soils. This facilitates the localization of repair work for specialists.

There are inclined and vertical cracks with a divergence upward or downward, indicating the nature of the deformation as accurately as possible:

a vertical slit, diverging upward, in the middle part of the wall - swelling of this particular area;
the gap is vertical, the discrepancy downwards - subsidence of soils in the middle of the house;
a similar defect with a divergence downward - swelling on both sides of the wall due to lateral freezing;
inclined crack from the corner to the center of the facade - sank backfilling adjacent wall;
inclined crack from the center to the corner - the shrinkage funnel is located directly under this crack;
cracks converging in the form of an arch - soil subsidence in the central part of the foundation tape.

A crack in the wall radiating upward.

After determining the cause, in any case, it will be necessary to expose the foundation with a trench close to the tape to carry out measures to strengthen the soil, lay drainage, establish bulls, make a clip and other work.

Soil strengthening

If the foundation has vertical movements on soils with low design resistance to loads from the weight of the building (embankment, peat bog, dusty sand), it is necessary to strengthen the foundation according to the technology:

lifting the foundation with jacks - to the design level in compliance with safety measures (partial or complete unloading with props), meaning the lifting of sagging parts;
drilling of pits - for immersion of injectors with a diameter of 20 - 40 mm;
filling voids liquid glass(silicification), cement laitance (cementation), synthetic resins (tarring) or hot bitumen (bitumization).

These substances reduce water permeability, fix unstable soils, increase the design resistance ( bearing capacity) bases. The disadvantage of this technique is the need to use professional equipment, capable of injecting binders under a pressure of 5 - 10 atmospheres. Other methods are not available for an individual developer; they are used by restoration teams for architectural monuments.

Attention! These actions may not be enough, because if the foundation sank in a separate area, this means its destruction in 70% of cases. Instead of the costly demolition of the building, tape recovery methods are used.

Foundation reinforcement

There are several ways to strengthen the foundation tape, depending on the condition of the reinforced concrete structure:

unloading - the introduction of beams into load-bearing walls to support masonry;
restoration of bearing capacity - drainage for the removal of ground, soil, surface water, relocation, replacement, protection against mechanical damage (weathering, corrosion);
increase in bearing capacity - clips made of monolithic concrete, brickwork, reinforced concrete slabs;
hardening - epoxy, polymer resins, cement mortar, penetrating compounds are introduced into the drilled holes;
special methods - screw, pressed piles, "bulls" in the corners, injection of cement mortar into the masonry.

If the foundation has non-through cracks caused by weathering, the surface is plastered or tarred, covered or impregnated with penetrating mixtures. Tarketing is called pressure (0.4 - 0.6 MPa) spraying with cement milk with a minimum amount of quartz sand.

To strengthen the prefabricated foundation with a clip, technology is used:

tape exposure - a trench along the wall to a depth just below the sole;
reinforcement - own frame by analogy with a strip foundation, installation of bars in holes drilled in the foundation, tying them to the frame rods;
formwork - below the blind area or to the entire height of the basement;
concreting - standard laying of the mixture.

After stripping, the upper part of the clips, rising above ground level, is protected from moisture by ebbs.

Attention! Unlike the underlying layer created during the construction of the foundation, non-metallic materials under the widening (cage) are tamped into the ground without laying geotextiles.

Reinforcing clip around the foundation.

In the manufacture of reinforced concrete clips, the following points should be considered:

width - from 15 cm on each side for reinforced concrete, from 20 cm for concrete;
the thickness of the underlying layer - from 10 cm of crushed stone or sand;
anchoring with existing tape - rods with a diameter of 20 mm to a depth of 12-25 cm, rod length 25-40 cm, step 1 - 1.5 m;
clip reinforcement - mesh with a cell of 15 x 15 cm for the lower belt, 10 x 10 cm for the upper belt;
concrete - class B10 - B15.

When restoring brick strip foundations crushed stone must be removed. When repairing reinforced concrete structures, it is necessary to remove the film of oxides from the surface, increase the roughness with a notch.

If it is not possible to increase the bearing capacity of soils under the foundation (the thickness of the loose layer is significant), the technology of reinforcing the underground structure with piles is used:

short driven pipes - pipes with a diameter of 57 - 89 mm with a pointed tip made from their body (similar to SHS, but without a blade) are driven in next to the foundation, embedded in a clip;
screw remote - SHS are immersed around the perimeter, the building is raised, the heads are tied with a metal grillage, the house is lowered onto a new foundation (suitable for wooden houses);
"bulls" - the method is used when corners sink, screw piles are screwed obliquely from both sides of the corner, a beam (I-beam, channel) is welded onto their heads, on which the corner of the foundation rests.

The advantage of the technology is the unloading of the existing foundation. Piles are guaranteed to pass through unstable horizons, resting on a bearing layer with high resistance.

These measures are usually carried out in a complex, since during the subsidence of individual sections, the integrity of a monolithic or prefabricated structure is violated. For example, if the foundation partially rests on subsiding soil, the foundation is first strengthened, after which the reinforced clip is poured. When using screw piles, there is no need to strengthen the foundation, however, after raising the foundation to the design level, it is necessary to fill the voids formed under it with concrete or cement mortar.

Another option for strengthening the foundation with piles.

When the clip is deepened by 0.7 meters or more, standard thermal insulation measures are taken. This is necessary to reduce pull-out forces during swelling:

vertical surface of the cage with high-density EPS foam + horizontal thermal insulation of the blind area with a width of 0.6 - 1.2 m at a depth of 0.3 - 0.4 m;
sand, crushed stone of the sinuses of the trench + at the level of the sole of the clip;
or crushable-sliding thermal insulation - rigidly fixed on the vertical surface of the EPSS holder, polyethylene film(attached only in the upper part), expanded polystyrene PSB-S without attachment to the clip (pressed against the film with backfill material).

In some cases, it is possible to sufficiently strengthen the foundation in certain areas and strengthen the foundation in one of the indicated ways, but sometimes this may not be enough.

Due to the movement of the soil layers, the entire structure rolls, then to one side, then to the other. But the building itself stands solidly, due to the good.

In the event that a crack appears in the wall of the house, this may mean that the foundation is doing its job very poorly. But there are many more reasons why cracks can occur even without destroying the foundation.

If the supporting soils do not evenly accept the load, the tape will deform more than the walls of the building can withstand.

It's easy to do this:

If the markers remain intact or the cracks expand or narrow, then this means that the foundation is doing its job well, and there was stress in the wall materials that splashed out in the form of cracks.

To strengthen the wall in the emergency area, apply:

Reinforcement with carbon fiber or steel mesh, on the outside;
Metal frames or anchor fastenings;
Reinforcing elements that are laid along the strobes;
Use the injection method.

So before you start building, consider all the nuances. Well, if troubles did occur, then after reading this article you will know what to do.

We hope that the information in this article was useful to you. We wish you good luck!

Many people know the expression of the famous poetess Faina Ranevskaya that in a few years life gives cracks that will grow over time if they are not patched up in time. So with residential building if a split or a small crack appears on the load-bearing wall, then it is urgently necessary to address this problem.

The very first question that comes to mind is “ What to do if a brick wall cracked?”

First of all, it is necessary to consult with a professional builder, because a person who does not even have a minimum level of knowledge in the field of building and repairing a foundation will find it very difficult to understand how to get rid of this problem once and for all.

Why does brick crack how to fix cracks in brick wall, as well as similar brickwork? These questions need to be considered from many angles. So let's get started.

Types and causes of crack formation

Today, construction companies offer a revolutionary, strong and durable Portland cement, which has revolutionized the building materials industry. It is distinguished not only by its durability, but also by the instantaneous hardening rate, which, perhaps, is its main advantage among competitors in the field of strengthening materials.

All experienced builders know that immediately after construction, the building does not immediately firmly and for a long time take its place in the main foundation, this process takes about five to ten years, and the cement mortar, on the contrary, very quickly gains its strength. Such a very large difference between the time of subsidence and settlement of the house can lead to the appearance of cracks and large splits, which will intensively tear the mass of the bearing masonry.

Well, as for the solution of lime with the addition of sand, things are much simpler. It hardens rather slowly and at the beginning of the settlement of the foundation itself, empty or through voids in the walls should not arise. This strengthening technology is mainly used exclusively in the construction of new houses according to today's standard, and as time shows, in new buildings there are no problems with cracks and foundation settlement for a long time.

Builders - specialists share cracks among themselves in brickwork according to such signs:

Because of what they appear: deformation of the structure of the house, shrinkage or thermal wear of a residential building;
External and interior view the very destruction on the wall: Split, tear, cut;
Destruction direction: horizontal, vertical, inclined at various angles;
Shape: curved, straight, closed or torn in half (that is, it almost does not reach the edge of the load-bearing wall).
Size and depth: on the surface of the wall and inside it;
How complex repair work what is the risk of the destruction of the wall: dangerous and non-dangerous;
Time since destruction: stable or unstable;
The size of the opening of the split or crack itself: microscopic (up to one millimeter), small (up to three millimeters), medium (from four to eight millimeters), large (more than ten millimeters), very large (from fifteen millimeters or more).

A few main reasons for the appearance of such destruction on the wall, which, by the way, are quite a lot:

Settling or destruction of the soil itself. This problem can be caused by uneven natural burning of the soil (its strong and weak sections), incorrect and unacceptable load of the main foundation, leakage into the soil of a very large amount of runoff, as well as polluted water. It is these reasons that can lead to the appearance of large indirect splits or to the formation of vertical cracks that can reach right up to the edge of the load-bearing wall, and so on.
Strong hardening of the soil on which the house stands. A similar phenomenon can cause severe frosts, which can cause an uneven rise in the foundation. In particular, hardening of the ground is very dangerous for a building that has not yet been completed, the walls of which have not yet hardened and have not acquired the necessary stability. Specifically, in this case, uneven and deep cracks can form near the walls, and when the soil begins to thaw after the winter, it is more likely that the opposite process may occur - the foundation will settle, which can lead to new damage to the bearing walls.
A new repair for a load-bearing wall may be needed after the addition of a small building or room, as the foundation may not withstand the new, additional weight and settle.
Uneven and unstable loads on the foundation of the house. For example, if a house is built in Art Nouveau style, then luxurious and long glazing (which is very often used in this architectural style) can often alternate with small blind areas of the house, which will lead to a large difference in weight and ground settlement.
If the pit is located next to the building, then very high temperature conditions also adversely affect the soil, which in the future can lead not only to soil settlement, but also to its excessive looseness. It is for these reasons that medium-sized cracks can form on the walls.
Extra load due to neighboring houses. On a common foundation, the zones of greatest stress overlap each other and allow the soil to settle very strongly.
The reasons can be not only in the soil itself, but also above it. For example, picking up heavy building material in large quantities near the unfinished building and already in the ground itself, additional loads and stresses may appear, and it is they that can cause a very strong external settlement of the foundation and the appearance of large cracks and splits.
Permanent impact on the foundation. For example, if you drive piles on the territory of a residential building, you constantly move heavy vehicles, compressors work - all this leads to drowning of sandy soil and strong softening of clay masses in the soil. In the aggregate of all these factors, you can get soil settlement and cracks on load-bearing walls.
Exposure to high temperatures can cause vertical cracks and splits to form on the walls of your home. Filling cracks in masonry is mainly required for longer buildings that do not have expansion joints.
Reloading masonry. In this case, cracks can appear between the walls and on the pillars. Such cracks can be identified by the characteristic closedness and verticality of their direction. Overloading masonry. Appear in piers and on pillars. A characteristic feature of crush cracks is closedness and vertical direction.
Various non-hazardous shrinkage deformations can be observed on the plastered walls of the house - these can be small or small cracks that are very randomly scattered over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe wall and are mostly closed, and most importantly, they do not reach the edge of the wall. They appear due to shrinkage of too thick plaster mortar.

Crack Filling Technology

There are many ways to close a crack in brickwork:

You can install a brick castle or a castle with an anchor;
Strengthening walls with tension bolts;
Repair of a through crack with steel staples;
Carry out repair work in the place of unlocking the floor slab;
Strengthen the cracked wall;
Make an overlay from hardened steel;
Install special brackets
Install a floor slab;
Cover the wall with a finishing layer.

See this video for more details:

Conclusion

Apparently, the above can be noted that the general condition of a house made of building bricks must be monitored very carefully. Since the sooner a crack or split is detected, the less time will have to be spent and Money to fix this problem.