There was a crack in the wall of the house: what to do? What to do if the wall of a brick house cracked? Shrinkage cracks in a private house.

20.06.2020

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 repair cracks in a brick wall 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 array of 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 internal view of the destruction itself 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 difficult is the repair work, what is the risk of wall destruction: 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 is very a large number runoff and polluted waters. 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, the collection of heavy building material in large quantities next to an unfinished building and already in the ground itself, additional loads and stresses may appear, and it is they who 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, constantly move heavy vehicles, compressors work - all this leads to drowning of sandy soil and a 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. characteristic feature crushing cracks - closed 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.

2. How to fix a crack in the plaster on the wall

If you need to fix a crack in a plastered surface, you only need to follow a few simple steps. While this may be cement-sand and gypsum and lime plaster. To do this, you will need the following tools and materials:

Large and small spatula
tassel
Sponge
Sandpaper
Primer
Putty (repair composition)
Reinforcing mesh (in some cases)

Crack expansion and cleaning

The correct solution is to remove the paint, if any, and the plaster in the immediate vicinity of the repair site, in order to more thoroughly introduce the new filler into the crack, and more closely contact the base material. Expanding can be done with a wire brush and a small spatula.

The expansion of the crack with a metal spatula, and the subsequent cleaning of its edges is one of the necessary repair steps.

The next step is careful crack cleaning from dirt and dust. This is very important, because even a minimal amount of foreign elements significantly reduces the bond between the leveling compound and the base material.

Then it is necessary to apply a primer to the crack, which will increase the overall adhesion of the surface. The composition of the primer is selected based on the material of the putty and the main structural element.

Removing dust from the crack with a brush or vacuum cleaner and applying a primer to obtain optimal adhesion.

Filling, leveling and grinding of the crack

To initially fill the crack with repair mortar, use a small trowel, and only then level the surface with a wide trowel. For such wall repairs, a flexible stainless steel trowel or a plastic trowel with a rubber end is best suited.

How to fix a crack? How to cover cracks in the wall? To repair small cracks with a width of a few millimeters, it is recommended to use ready-made polymer putty. It is sold in plastic containers and after opening it is immediately ready for use, without the need for mixing.

In addition to polymer putty, you can use gypsum putty, cement-based mixture or acrylic paint sealant. All these materials are commensurable in terms of the quality of the result obtained when repairing minor damage, but differ in price and the need for preliminary preparation.

The ideal option would be to choose a filler that is the basis of the surface of the wall being repaired, although the use of non-identical compositions, contrary to some opinions, is not critical. This means that small cracks in the wall in cement-based plaster can be easily repaired with a gypsum-based or polymer putty or PVA-based putty.

Important: do not forget to clean the spatulas from possible contamination before use. Use only clean tools. Any dirt and dry material residue on the trowel can interfere with the leveling and smoothness of the surface.

Do not apply putty in one layer if the crack is deeper than 2-3 mm. If you need to repair deeper damage, do the work in two or even three stages, since almost any material has a tendency to shrink.

When repairing a surface with a crack wider than 2 mm, it is possible to use a special mounting tape made of fiberglass

For complete confidence in the quality of the result of the work, it is possible using a special mounting tape which is glued over a crack filled with the selected composition, after its final drying. After that, the tape is again covered from above with the same solution, which is leveled with a spatula.

Such a tape takes on some of the stresses that arise during the collection and release of moisture by individual materials, such as gypsum. In most cases of crack formation on traditional plastered surfaces, it is sufficient to simply fill them, without the use of additional elements.

After complete drying of the repaired area, it is necessary to do work on grinding the surface sandpaper with a grain size of about 100-150. The best would be to use a manual grinder, however, just manual grouting is also possible. On this question, how to repair cracks in the wall of the apartment can be considered resolved.

Acrylic sealant is indispensable for many repairs, due to its excellent adhesion to most materials: brick, concrete, stone, plastic, gypsum. It is applied manually with a pneumatic gun.

If you decide to use paintable acrylic sealant, then the technology differs only in the way the repair mortar is introduced into the crack. Painting acrylic is a plastic-elastic, modified sealant based on an aqueous acrylic dispersion.

It can serve as a leveling material for any surface, and is ideal as a base for subsequent or ceilings and joints. And this fastest way to repair cracks on painted walls.

Acrylic sealant is ideal for masking imperfections and defects in concrete, masonry and plaster, for filling joints in skirting boards, window sills, decorative panels and is very convenient for sealing cracks in wall corners.

Sooner or later, almost every property owner is faced with such an unpleasant thing as crack detection. And the reasons for this can be very diverse. The article will discuss the repair of cracks in the walls of the house.

Prevention of cracks in the walls of a new house

The appearance of cracks on the surface of the walls does not bode well. In the best case, you will have to redo the finishing work, and you don’t even want to think about the worst options. However, it is difficult for a simple layman to assess the level of threat, so it is worth resorting to the services of specialized organizations that will carry out design and survey work. The result will be an act that will indicate the causes of these defects, the dynamics of development, a conclusion on the hazard class, as well as recommendations (design solution) for their elimination.

Most residents, seeing the cracks, begin to sound the alarm, turn to housing companies and other similar services. Upon the arrival of specialists, it turns out that the cracks were formed due to temperature changes, low-quality finishing materials or their natural wear. However, in such situations, finding out the origin of various depressions and sizes of crevices will not be redundant.

General information

It should be remembered that any building structures must meet the relevant standards, a number of important requirements. When the structure ceases to resist operational loads, it begins to collapse. Such a state is called the limit. The resulting damage does not allow further operation of the building.
Therefore, if any element of the structure (foundation, ceilings, walls) ceases to meet certain norms and rules, it means that it has reached the limit state. As a result, signs of deterioration begin to appear, namely cracks various forms and sizes. And the more they are, the wider the depth of disclosure, the more dangerous they are.

But the appearance of small cracks, the so-called cobwebs in new buildings do not pose any danger. After all, the reason for this is the natural subsidence of the building. After 3-6 months, new microcracks cease to appear, and old ones - to expand.
The progression of cracks should alert, this indicates the beginning of the destruction of the structure. Here, measures should be taken to eliminate the cause of destruction.

Cracks in the walls of wooden houses

As for wooden structures, cracks often occur under the influence of moisture preserved in the inner layers of a beam or log. Their formation can be minimized by a compensatory cut, which is performed along the entire length of the lumber with a depth of no more than 1/5 of the log diameter.

In cases where large crevices have formed in the exploited building, you should not panic. Such defects are not dangerous and in no way affect the user properties of the walls. To be convinced of this, it is enough to look at the log cabins dotted with cracks in remote villages that have been standing there for several decades.
Therefore, sealing cracks in wooden houses done for aesthetics only. The materials used are different, but, unfortunately, none of them differ in a long service life:
- sealant cannot provide long-term adhesion to wood. Such a seal will withstand no more than 2-3 seasons. But after peeling off, a new layer can be applied on top of the old one, only it will last again for a couple of years;

polyethylene foam bundles are intended for indoor use, so their use is impractical;
any solid compositions are also not suitable for this kind of structure. The tree constantly absorbs and gives back moisture, changing its size depending on the season. That is why the delamination of any sealing material $
the best option for filling gaps in wooden surfaces carried out by means of caulking with moss or linen-hemp braids.

Why cracks form in the walls of a brick house

The appearance of this kind of defect on walls made of bricks, foam blocks or aerated concrete can be influenced by various reasons, the most common are:

violation of the masonry process (thickened horizontal seams, lack of dressing and reinforcement);
poor-quality material and / or illiterately mixed solution (violation of proportions when mixing, that is, by eye);
the use of building materials for other purposes (for example, a silicate product cannot be used in rooms with high humidity);
the combination of materials of different characteristics (the combination of clay bricks with cinder blocks is unacceptable);
uneven shrinkage of the foundation.

The formation of cracks in reinforced concrete structures occurs due to the following factors:

non-compliance with the technology of pouring concrete (small vibration, quick drying, an error in the recipe when mixing the concrete solution);
mechanical deformations, external load (lack of expansion joints and omission or reduction in the amount of reinforcement);
uneven subsidence.

Cracks in the wall what to do

Cracks can be patched in many ways, their opening will determine the choice of material.

If the depth of the crack is small, then it is plastered with sand cement mortar, with the addition of PVA glue or cement putty for outdoor use. Of course, the pre-damaged area and the adjacent part of the wall must be cleaned of crumbling fragments, dust-free, treated with a primer, and a reinforcing tape applied.

A crack of average size is closed using a metal mesh. Here, all cracked coating is removed and without fail primed. Next, holes for dowels are drilled in increments of 25-30 cm. A mesh with 5x5 cm cells is attached to the surface using screws with wide washers. If the emergency area is large and it is required to lay another strip of reinforcing material, then this is done with an overlap (at least 10 cm). plaster mortar based on cement is pressed into the mesh so that it is attached to the wall. After light leveling, it is necessary to wait for complete drying, and only then apply the next final layer.
You can also use mounting foam - the gap is foamed, after drying, the remains are cut off, and then finishing materials are applied (plaster, paint, and so on).

Cardinal methods for eliminating a crack in the wall of the house

Determining whether a crack is progressing is quite simple. To do this, paper strips are taken, which are glued across the crack in several places (top, bottom and middle). Further, everything is simple, if the paper is torn, then here, accordingly, it is necessary to identify and eliminate the causes of this defect.

Tip: A gypsum plate can also act as a beacon. You can take plastic (glass) elements tightly fitted to each other, which are attached to opposite sides of the crack. Once every 7-10 days, the beacons are inspected, data are recorded, which are compared with the original records. Their displacement or deformation signals the development (expansion) of the gap.

Anchor setting

It is possible to stop the “spreading” of large cracks with a large opening with the help of an anchor (channel). First, the plaster is knocked down to the length of the metal plate, if this parameter is 1 meter, then the area is cleaned 50 cm on each side of the gap. The depth of the strobe should correspond to the thickness of the metal.
Depending on the thickness of the wall, the material from which it is made, as well as its condition, fastening is carried out using dowels, anchor bolts or long bolts with a nut. In the latter case, the wall is drilled through.

Cracks and strobes are cleaned and filled with mounting foam. The anchor is inserted into the recess and fixed with hardware. It is better to install the tightening system in 3 places, stepping back a little from the beginning and end of the gap, and in the middle. Then the reinforcing material is mounted and the emergency area is plastered.
Staples are suitable instead of plates. They can be prepared independently, for this, reinforcement of the required length is taken, it is necessary to take into account the bending of both ends of the metal by about 15-20 cm.
Furrows are prepared across the crack in several places so that the metal bracket sits a little deeper in relation to the surface. For example, if the cross section of the reinforcement is 10 mm, then the depth of the strobe should be 13-15 mm.
Holes for the ends of the workpiece are drilled with the appropriate diameter and equal to its length. It is impossible to hammer the bracket into the wall, as this can provoke a crack divergence or destruction of the area adjacent to it.
Next, standard manipulations are performed: cleaning, priming, reinforcement, plastering.

Diagnosis of cracks by specialists

If the manipulations carried out did not lead to a positive result (cracks expand or appear in other areas), then it is time to correct the mistakes made during the construction of the structure.
To do this, you should contact a specialized company that will conduct research and offer the best solution to this difficult issue. Specialists will prepare a project to restore the structural elements of the building.

The result will depend on the violations found during the construction process:

dismantling of the emergency wall and re-laying of brick, block rows;
execution of a monolithic structure - a reinforcing belt;
reinforcement of supports or their complete replacement;
restoration of the blind area;
extension of the bearing wall and reinforcement of the walls.

How to fix a crack in the wall inside the house

There are many factors that affect the appearance of different "caliber" cracks and cracks on the walls and ceilings of the room:

natural shrinkage of the house, violation of construction technology;
poor-quality materials or their incompatibility, improper application;
unfavorable operating conditions (high humidity, temperature fluctuations).

Before proceeding with the elimination of cracks, it is necessary to identify and correct the cause of the cracking of the surface. Otherwise, all the efforts made, the funds spent will not justify themselves.

Drywall

On such material, small cracks often appear. The web indicates that a thick layer of putty may have been produced. Another reason is a violation of the temperature regime, so many artificially pump heat (guns, hair dryers or heaters) to dry the surface faster. Definitely can't do that. finishing material should dry, not harden.
Such defects of the horizontal or vertical direction often occur at the joints of the sheets. There are two sources of their formation:
- weakened frame;
- absence of sickle at the seams.

Correction

You can get rid of the defect only by removing the damaged layer and applying a thinner one, not exceeding 2 mm. If there is a need for another surface coating, then first you need to wait for the complete drying of the applied material, and only then proceed with applying the next layer.

If the problem lies in the metal structure under the drywall, then deeper cracks cannot be repaired. But with a reliable fixation of the base to the wall, repair work is carried out as follows:

- cracks are deepened with a sharp knife at an angle of 45 °, a kind of groove is made;
- the furrow is filled with a small amount of a mixture designed specifically for this purpose;
- a sickle tape is “glued” on top and the surface is leveled.

plastered walls

Often the sources of such damage are incorrect application of the material or an imbalance when mixing the dry mixture with water. Of course, there are more serious reasons due to which surface cracking occurs, but this was discussed above.

Correction

Fiberglass is an ideal material for masking an imperfect surface. It will hide existing cracks, prevent new ones from forming and old ones to expand. Before work, it is enough to close up only especially deep recesses with putty and treat the wall with a deep penetration primer.
Peeling plaster can be completely removed, after which the surface is primed and puttied. Before work, carefully read the information on the packaging regarding the proportions of dilution, as well as the recommended thickness of the material layer.

Conclusion

Almost all the cracks that form in the walls of the house are due to the lack of proper supervision, low-skilled workers and, consequently, poor-quality work. Therefore, it is very important to follow all technical conditions, norms and rules when erecting buildings of any purpose. As well as:

take into account the properties of the soil;
calculate the margin of safety of load-bearing structures;
use high quality building materials.

Before you cover up a crack in the wall of the house on your own, you need to make sure that it does not affect the strength of the entire structure and does not pose a threat. And in order to avoid such a problem, it is better to entrust the construction to licensed contractors, to whom, on the basis of a contract, it will be possible to make claims for poor-quality work.

During a major or cosmetic repair, it is very useful to know how to close a crack in the wall, because without rough preparation, further work is useless. Even a small crack requires special attention, because over time it will increase, which will entail serious consequences. When starting to eliminate a crack, it is important to take into account its width and depth, the material of the wall, since the methods and tools used in each individual case may differ. In addition, after the defect is eliminated, the restored surface must be properly looked after.

Necessary tools and materials

To seal cracks, you will need the following material:

wood glue in the consistency of thin sour cream, mixed with tooth powder or chalk chips;
strips of cotton fabric, gauze, medical bandage impregnated with PVA glue (they can be replaced with fiberglass tape);
cement mortar mixed with paint - prevents the penetration of moisture;
lime-cement mortar reinforced with mesh;
sandpaper for grouting;
primer;
sealant;
putty mixture;
mounting foam;
finishing plaster.

Preparation of cement mortar for sealing gaps, cracks, seams

Of the tools you will need:

brush;
brush;
putty knife;
construction mixer;
foam sponge;
gun for sealant and polyurethane foam.

In some cases, you will additionally need a hammer, a chisel and a puncher with nozzles to work.

How to close a crack: types of mixtures

In order to choose how to cover up cracks in the wall, you need to take into account the features of the coating:

How to dilute the solution yourself

Cracks in the walls can occur both outside and inside the building. Therefore, there are two main types of mortar - plaster for exterior and for interior work.

I. Mortar for sealing cracks outside the building

Restoration of the integrity of the surface of the walls outside the building is carried out using cement mortar plaster. It is prepared as follows: cement and sand are used in a ratio of 1 to 3, PVA glue is added, diluted with water to a consistency of medium density. You can use ready-made dry solutions, which can only be diluted with water in the ratio indicated on the package.

II. Solution for interior work

For interior work, lime mortar is used: lime and sand are mixed in a ratio of 1 to 4, diluted with water. The consistency should be such that, when thrown onto the wall, the mixture lays down in a dense “pancake”, and not a lump.

Using mounting foam

Large gaps in walls, such as masonry, can be sealed with foam. The gap is pre-cleaned of debris, filled with a primer, then with foam. When the mounting foam “grabs”, it is cut to a depth of about 20 mm, and a cement mortar or adhesive is laid in this gap.

Foam is also used to seal through cracks in temporary buildings.

What nuances do you need to know when using polyurethane foam to repair cracks?

When working with mounting foam, it should be remembered that too much of it leads to an increase in the crack, and its remains should not protrude outward from the gap. It is added not by a single filling, but in stages, for those areas where it is not enough. Excess foam is cut off, the gap is waterproofed, covered with cement mortar from the outside, and plastered from the inside.

Foaming a large gap between wall and ceiling

Crack Filling Method

The sealing of cracks in the walls is carried out by different methods, depending on the type of surface. Consider the details of eliminating gaps on surfaces made of various materials.

In brickwork

Sealing cracks in brick walls carried out in different ways, depending on the size of the damage. If the width of the defect is up to 5 mm, you can get rid of it with a cement mortar or ordinary tile adhesive. The gap is expanded with a spatula or hammer, cleaned of contaminants. The gap is treated with a primer, then filled with cement or adhesive mortar.

To eliminate cracks with a width of 10-15 mm, a cement-based solution is also used, but with the addition of fine sand. A serpentine tape is glued over the repaired area and a putty is applied.

In a plastered wall

Plaster can crack both outside and inside the house. In any case, the restoration procedure begins with the expansion of cracks, their deepening with a spatula or a sharp knife. Further, the gap is cleaned of dirt, primed with a deep penetration solution. When the primer dries, lay inside the gap plaster mixture to its full depth. Without waiting for the solution to dry, a reinforcing tape is glued over the crack, covering with plaster. For repairs, it is recommended to use a gypsum mixture.

When the plaster layer dries, it is rubbed with sandpaper for complete alignment.

On drywall sheets

Cracks in drywall can appear due to too thick a layer of applied plaster or a violation of the thermal regime when it dries. Vertical and horizontal cracks occur at the joints between the sheets due to the weakening of the metal frame of the wall or the absence of a reinforcing tape.

In the first case, cracks form a “cobweb”. To get rid of it, you need to remove the damaged layer of plaster and apply a new one, but not more than 2 mm thick. Each layer of plaster must dry thoroughly.

In the second case, you need to take a number of actions:

Expand the cracks with a sharp knife at an angle of 45 degrees.
Fill gaps with gypsum mortar.
Apply reinforcing tape over the filled crack.
The surface is leveled with plaster and sanded with an abrasive mesh before applying a decorative coating.

In a concrete wall

For filling gaps in concrete walls ah use cement mortar. The surface is prepared, cleaned of dirt, remove residues old plaster, then the gaps are carefully filled with mortar. Often, experts recommend that before filling the gap with cement mortar, lubricate its internal cavity with PVA glue.

In case of large defects and through cracks, the gaps are filled with mounting foam, sealed from the inside with gypsum mortar, and from the outside - with cement-sand plaster. Defects less than 5 mm wide can be sealed with sealant.

What if the crack is long and deep

How to close a crack in the wall if it is deep? Slots with a width of more than 15 mm are considered dangerous, because. can cause the wall to collapse. If such gaps appear on the brickwork, the defective area is dismantled and replaced with new masonry. At the same time, bricks are laid in a special, locking way, reinforcing the rows with pieces of reinforcement.

New masonry will help such a crack

You can protect the wall from destruction due to significant cracks if you install jumpers or make metal reinforcement. This method is effective for monolithic, concrete walls: metal corners tightened with long bolts, sometimes it is required to install reinforcing belts around the entire perimeter of a room or building. The reinforcing belt is installed before closing a crack in the wall - under the roof, above the foundation, sometimes in several rows.

Such a crack should be sealed with foam, cement, reinforcing with a reinforcing belt

A wide and deep gap in drywall can be filled with gypsum plaster

How long does the solution dry

You can start finishing the wall only after the repair mortar has completely dried. Drying time depends on the material used. Gypsum plaster dries out in about three days. Cement-lime mortar will need from 24 hours to two days. The cement mortar dries for 24 hours, and for facade plaster it only takes 8 hours.

When the material dries, special conditions must be created to prevent re-cracking: the air temperature is not higher than + 25 ° C, the absence of drafts and direct sunlight.

Finishing

Finishing after the repair of cracks and cracks is carried out after the solution has completely dried. The dried mixture is well polished, leveling with the rest of the wall surface. The primer is then applied until it no longer soaks into the restored area of the surface. After that, you can start decorative trim– painting, wallpapering, applying textured plaster etc.

The consistency of the finishing putty should be dense, but not too thick.

How to care for a restored wall

The wall restored after repair, first of all, must be protected from various mechanical influences - do not move the furniture too close to it, hammer nails into the places of the repaired cracks, and protect it from blows with the door.

Wipe the walls carefully so as not to damage the decorative coating layer. If a decorative coating durable, it will be able to protect the wall from various influences that can cause re-cracking, provided that the crack was repaired with high quality and the plaster was completely dry before decorative finishing works. Therefore, methods such as coating with colorless varnish are used. decorative plaster, applying waterproof paint to the surface of the walls, using wooden, plastic, gypsum panels, non-woven wallpaper.

Videos about repairing cracks in the walls

The main stages of sealing a crack in a plastered wall in a video:

What materials to use to cover cracks can be found in this video:

The appearance of cracks on the facade of the house or inside it can be caused by various reasons: foundation shrinkage, improper rough finishing, violation of the brickwork process, the use of poor-quality or inappropriate materials, and many others. It is important to notice their appearance in time and take all necessary measures to eliminate defects. A fine network of cracks in the plaster is usually not associated with the danger of wall collapse, but in any case, the process of the appearance of new gaps must be controlled, as well as their increase in size.

foundation crack

If in a private house, garage or dacha cracked the walls, the foundation cracked - it is not necessary to fall into despair, you can correct the damage that has occurred. The reasons for the appearance of such defects are the uneven settlement of soils, the assumptions of structural miscalculations at the design stage, errors during the construction works or the influence of natural, mechanical influences on the foundation structure. Cracks in the foundation must be eliminated, otherwise the bearing capacity of the structures of the house may be violated and an irreversible consequence of the collapse will occur.

Foundation cracks can be classified according to the place of occurrence:

The horizontal crack of the foundation refers to a common type of fault that occurs due to errors in the technology of masonry work, improper selection of the composition of mortars. Most often, horizontal cracks appear on strip structures built in stages. Horizontal cracks do not pose a significant threat, however, it is recommended to repair cracks in a timely manner in order to prevent their further development.
A vertical crack appears due to the deformation of the base structure under the influence of the forces of swelling of the soil and from an increase in the level of groundwater. The appearance of vertical cracks indicates the beginning of the process of destruction of the supporting structure, so they should be eliminated as soon as possible. If the foundation cracked vertically, it is recommended to strengthen the base of the structure pillow.

In order to prevent the appearance of cracks in the supporting structure of the house, it is recommended at the design stage to conduct a thorough assessment of the geology of the foundation soils, not save on the purchase of high-quality building materials, correctly calculate the limit loads and take into account the possibility of soil changes under the influence of various natural factors.

Horizontal destruction of the foundation

Causes of foundation deformation

Before starting the repair of the foundation structure, it is necessary to determine the reason why the foundation cracked and choose the right one. effective method elimination of violations. The most common reasons why the foundation could burst may be the following factors.

Technological reasons

If during the construction work on the arrangement of the foundation structure, violations of the mandatory technological process, then all these errors will lead to destructive deformations. Therefore, it is so important to properly reinforce the base, consistently mount the formwork system, choose the right brand of concrete mix, take into account the freezing depth and the level of groundwater in the area.

Operational reasons

Another reason for the opening of cracks in the foundation may be a violation of the mode of operation of housing construction. For example, on an existing foundation one-story house the homeowner decided to build a second floor add-on. Such an increase in load can adversely affect the bearing capacity of the base structure and significant damage will appear on the foundation of the house.

Increased humidity in the basement of the building and the lack of drainage from the building - all these factors can be attributed to the operational causes of cracks.

Structural reasons

The scheme of the occurrence of foundation cracks

At the design stage of the building, it is necessary to conduct a geological study of the soils of the foundation of the building plot, to correctly calculate the load on the foundation structures. If for some reason such miscalculations are made, then significant deformation changes in the base structures can certainly occur.

Crack observation

When a crack appears on the foundation, experts advise to monitor the change in the size of the crack gap, whether it will increase over time. The process of identifying the nature of crack destruction occurs in the following order:

An open crack should be carefully cleaned of plaster residues, dirt and dust.
Small gypsum beacons are installed with a thickness of not more than 5 mm with a certain step. After that, we monitor their condition.
If within two or three weeks the lighthouses did not crack and new deformations did not appear, then nothing threatens the foundation structure and the crack on the surface most likely formed from the shrinkage of the building.

A video tutorial for installing beacons can be seen:

Repair of simple cracks

Repair of simple cracks from shrinkage is carried out in several steps:

First, the crack cavity is cleaned of dust and washed with water.
After a dry crack, the entire possible depth is covered with a primer for outdoor use.
The crack cavity is filled with special sealants or cement mortar with a cement grade of at least 500.

Clearing a simple crack

Crack Repair Methods

Methods for repairing foundation cracks are selected depending on the type of materials of the main walls of the building. For stone, brick or wooden walls, there are special schemes for sealing cracks:

Strengthening the foundation of a stone or cinder block house is carried out with reinforced concrete clips, which are mounted on both sides of the foundation.
Foundation wooden house rarely covered with deformation cracks. But if this happened, then with the help of jacks it is possible to raise a wooden building, having previously freed all the premises from furniture.
When strengthening the foundations of brick houses, it is possible to use two methods: pour the basement wall with a concrete mixture along a metal frame previously installed around the entire perimeter or install bored piles. The second method is very effective, in this way it is possible to restore an almost destroyed foundation, but the price of such a strengthening is quite high.

Video example of strengthening the foundation of a wooden house:

Ways to strengthen the base

Before strengthening the foundation, if there are cracks on the walls, it is necessary to choose the most appropriate method for eliminating the occurrence of deformations. Modern building technologies for sealing cracks in the foundation give the best recommendations on what to do in such cases. The following methods of strengthening the foundation are usually used.

New outsole reinforcement

First, the bursting foundation is pre-cleaned of dirt and dust, the cracks are filled with repair mortar. Under the deformed section of the structure, a small trench is dug in a checkerboard pattern, not more than 60 cm wide, to a depth of 200-300 mm below the base of the foundation. The open base of the foundation must be filled with concrete mixture and carefully compacted.

After backfilling and compacting the soil, thus strengthening the base section, it is possible to repair the next cracked section after a distance of 60 cm.

Reinforcement with special piles

The pile method of strengthening a cracked foundation is the most effective way. There are several types of piles according to the method of their installation:

Screw piles. The simplest and most common form of strengthening cracked foundations that does not require special skills. The design of the pile has the form of a pipe with helical blades at the end. During installation, the pile is screwed into the ground, only the tip remains visible on the surface.
Bored piles have a hollow structure 2 m high, into which metal reinforcement is inserted and after that the entire cavity is filled with concrete. Before the installation of bored piles, wells are drilled in increments of 1.5 to 2 m.
The use of a driven method of installing piles is not suitable for a dilapidated structure, since the walls of the building can crack from the blows of the pile driver.

Strengthening the foundation with screw piles

Additional reinforcement when strengthening the base

Reinforcement of a broken foundation by the method of additional reinforcement consists in tying the entire basement part of the structure with a reinforcing mesh of longitudinal and transverse metal reinforcement, installing formwork and pouring a concrete mixture of at least 200 grade. This foundation strengthening technology is the most popular and less laborious than other methods.

When foundation cracks appear, you should carefully study the recommendations and instructions for their elimination. Of course, it is always more difficult to repair than to build, so it is better not to make mistakes and not disrupt the technological construction process. Then there will be no need to strengthen the foundation.

All cracks that appear on the foundation of the house indicate that the foundation of the structure needs to be strengthened or repaired. But in order to do it with your own hands, you need to know about the reasons for the destruction of the base, as well as how exactly it is necessary to carry out restoration work.

Why are cracks dangerous?

If the foundation of the building is cracked, it is necessary to immediately begin work on its restoration. If this is not done, after a while, due to the skew of the house, the doors and windows will begin to jam. If the house is made of brick, the crack can spread to the wall, causing the entire structure to collapse. That is why it is necessary to start work on strengthening the base as soon as possible.

Before starting restoration work, it is worth determining the type of crack. To do this, it is enough to clean it from dust and rinse with water. After that, you need to install a beacon on the fault. The date of fixing is applied to it. This is necessary to determine the rate of destruction of the base. If the lighthouse remains intact for two weeks, the crack can simply be sealed with concrete. If the lighthouse breaks, it is necessary to begin work to strengthen the base.

Usually, cracks begin to appear in winter or spring, since it is at this time that an incorrectly created foundation begins to rise or settle unevenly. It is worth remembering that the foundation can burst due to many reasons, so you need to think about this problem at the design stage of the house.

Causes of faults

Before starting restoration work, it is necessary to determine the cause of the destruction. If these actions are neglected, even after repair, the base will gradually collapse. The causes of destruction can be divided into several groups:

Technological. An example is the creation of the foundation of a house with violations of reinforcement or installation of formwork. Also, errors include choosing the wrong brand of concrete. A technological error is also considered to be laying the foundation above the groundwater level.
Operational. Such mistakes are made already in the process of using the constructed structure. For example, an increase in the load on the foundation as a result of the creation of a second floor. Also, a violation is an increase in humidity in the basement or poor-quality installation of a drainage system near the house.
Structural. An example is the compilation of incorrect calculations during the design of a structure. Often the foundation begins to collapse ahead of time due to the fact that geological studies were not carried out before the start of construction.

Important! In order not to encounter the described problem, before building a house, it is necessary to accurately calculate the load on the foundation.

Types of cracks

Cracks in the foundation of a wooden house, which can occur on the foundation, are divided into several types:

Hairy. Such cracks are subtle and have a thickness of not more than 3 mm. Their presence only indicates a change in the outer layer of the base. Such flaws can be corrected quite easily.
Horizontal. Such defects do not affect the integrity of the foundation.
Shrinkage cracks. Such defects occur when the rules for creating a foundation are violated.
Vertical. It is these cracks that are a sign that the foundation needs to be repaired. Often they appear under the influence of groundwater on the base or due to heaving of the soil.

How to fix the problem

If you notice that the foundation of the house has cracked, you need to start strengthening it as soon as possible. Such work is carried out as follows:

first, with the help of a jack, the sagging parts of the base are raised to the design level;
after that, pits are drilled, the diameter of which is from 20 to 40 cm;
the resulting void is filled liquid glass, cement milk or hot bitumen.

This reduces the permeability of the soil, which will make the soil more stable. The described method of strengthening can only be used when using special equipment, so for such work it is necessary to hire professional builders.

Strengthening the foundation of a stone house

The main task of repairing the base of the house is to stop the process of settlement of the structure. therefore, it is impossible to dig under the foundation without securing it. A strengthening method is often used, in which a reinforcing concrete belt is erected from all sides. Such work is carried out as follows:

A trench is dug along the tape base of the house, the width of which is approximately 45 cm. During such work, it is impossible to expose the sole of the foundation.
After that, the foundation is cleaned of dirt and dust. In this case, all cracks must be embroidered with a spatula.
Then the falling off parts of the old foundation are removed.
At the next stage, the concrete surface is treated with a primer. It is worth remembering that you need to choose deep penetration compositions.
After that, holes are drilled in the foundation. The distance between them should be about 60 cm.
Anchors are hammered into the created holes, which are subsequently welded to the reinforcing cage. The diameter of the reinforcement should be approximately 12 mm.
At the last stage, the concrete mixture is poured into the created trench. In order for the concrete solution to be evenly distributed along the trench, it is necessary to use a construction vibrator. This also helps to fill the cracks in the old foundation. If this stage of work is neglected, voids may remain in the concrete, which will subsequently cause the foundation to collapse.

Backfilling of the soil occurs only after the concrete has completely cured. If the cracks are not caused by subsidence or deformation of the foundation, they can be repaired with mortar and plastered.

It is worth remembering that if the work is carried out with an error, the foundation will quickly begin to collapse even if there are additional reinforcing structural elements.

Repair of the base of a wooden house

The cracked foundation of a wooden house can be strengthened quite simply, since such structures can be lifted with a jack and installed on temporary supports. But it is worth remembering that if the lower logs are rotten, the structure cannot be raised.

If the crowns are unreliable, rotten areas are cut out in them, after which the house is raised. After that, you can restore the foundation in one of the common ways. Often, owners of country houses install a concrete band around the base. You can also dig under the base and pour concrete pillars. This will make the foundation resistant to significant loads.

It is worth remembering that before you raise the house, you need to disassemble part of the roof in the place where it connects to chimney. For such work, it is better to invite professional builders.

Reinforcement with piles

In some cases, it is not possible to increase the density of the soil under the structure. In such a situation, it is necessary to strengthen the foundation with piles:

If the house is wooden, the whole structure rises to temporary supports, after which the caps are tied with a grillage. After that, the structure is lowered onto a new foundation.
In the case when it is necessary to strengthen the base without raising the house, "bulls" are used. They are piles that are driven obliquely from different sides of the corner. Beams are welded onto the heads of these elements, which will serve as a support for the structure.

When using piles, it is worth remembering that their length must be sufficient so that they rest against solid ground.

Monolithic slab repair

Monolithic foundations are destroyed quite rarely, but under certain conditions it is possible. In the event of a serious crack on such a base, it can only be replaced with a new slab. No way can stop the destruction monolithic foundation if it is already starting to deform.

Conclusion

If it is impossible to completely replace the foundation for any reason, the walls are strengthened and the old sections of the slab are removed. In these places, concrete mortar is poured, which helps to temporarily maintain the integrity of the structure. you can also install concrete blocks or piles as supports.

Foundation for a private house
How to sheathe the foundation of the house outside
Pile foundation with grillage
Strengthening the foundation of a private house

Strengthening the foundation of a private house is necessary in two cases:

the foundation or wall of the house has cracked;
the house is to be reconstructed with an increase in its mass, for which the existing foundation is not designed.

The first case is obvious. If there is a crack in the foundation, it means that something has not been done correctly, and the situation must be urgently corrected. And the second one is not so critical, but requires minimal preliminary calculations.

But situations are different.

As cracks are different, so are their consequences.

In this case, there is nothing to save, but such catastrophic consequences, as a rule, if it is not the result of a serious earthquake, are preceded by primary signals in the form of small, sometimes barely noticeable, foundation cracks.

There was a crack in the wall. How to react, is it necessary to immediately strengthen the foundation?

The formation of small cracks on the wall does not mean at all that you have problems with the foundation.

Often such cracks appear on houses made of gas silicate blocks or using other cellular concrete technologies and may be associated with a violation of their laying technology or even their production technology.

The material itself has a high moisture absorption, which leads to too active drying of the plaster and increased cracking.

Large waterlogging of the blocks due to poor waterproofing can also lead to these consequences.

And on other buildings, it is often not the wall that cracks, but the finishing layer. Therefore, first of all, examine the basement. And if everything is in order with him, continue monitoring until you are finally convinced that the finish is cracking or symptoms of obvious weakness of the base appear.

If this happened, we propose the following algorithm of actions.

Identification of destruction processes

1. We cut the crack by removing the plaster around it.

2. At certain intervals, we install plaster beacons 3-5 mm thick and observe their behavior.

3. If after 2-3 weeks of observation not a single beacon cracks, you can sleep peacefully, and in between sleep choose a way to fix the problem.

But at the same time, it is desirable to extend the observation period to several months, and it is even better to survive the off-season in order to exclude the cause caused by the seasonal rise in groundwater.

But, first of all, about natural causes. Few people know, but any, even a monolithic brick house, shrinks within 1 to 5 years from the moment of construction, therefore it is possible to plaster and install windows and doors in it after at least 1 year, or even more, which is often violated . Uneven shrinkage is possible due to differences in the formulation or ingredients of masonry mortars, and even the brick itself. It is in this case that cracks can occur and the foundation has nothing to do with it.

If the reason is precisely in it, and you are convinced of this, do the same procedures with beacons with it. Perhaps this is a one-time slight subsidence due to the presence of small voids in the ground below it, which stopped after a slight subsidence of a part of the base.

So, what to do if the cracks formed in the wall and foundation do not grow for a considerable time?

Simple repair of cracks in the wall

If the cracking has not increased and the cracks are small:

Remove small fragments from it and dust as much as possible, if possible with a vacuum cleaner.
Treat to maximum depth with a deep penetration primer.
Fill the crack with a polymer or polymerized cement mortar sold in hardware stores.

For more complex methods, such as injection, it is better to invite specialists with the appropriate equipment and fixtures.

If the crack in the foundation increases, look for the cause.

Causes of destruction of the foundation and ways to eliminate them

They can be both local (sometimes banal) and global.

If you have long horizontal cracks in the basement, then the reason may not be in the foundation, but in the blind area that you connected to it, and which rises with frost heaving forces, transferring deformations to the outer part of the basement.

It is clear that it will need to be redone by installing a damper tape and repairing the base.

If you have a corner of the house that sags and there is a water drain pipe in this place, you can call yourself a bad word and start a point drainage device. In many cases, this will stop the process.

If your foundation cracked for no apparent reason, you should make pits in the ground at a depth slightly below the level of foundation penetration, as well as on a sagging corner, on both sides of it at a distance of about half a meter.

If water appears in the pits, then immediately you need to take care of the device drainage system otherwise no strengthening of the foundation will save you. See how to do it here.

The foundation may crack if there are so-called. voids in the ground, unnoticed during construction, because few people carry out serious geodetic research during the construction of individual housing. This can also happen due to incorrect calculation of loads or a violation of the technology of its device.

In these cases, it needs to be strengthened.

How to strengthen the foundation with your own hands

How to strengthen the foundation if there is a crack in the wall? Let's make a reservation right away, we will describe the methods that you can apply on your own, without involving specialized organizations, and to strengthen the foundation brick house, and strengthening the base of the old wooden structure. If none of them suits you, contact the professionals.

Let's consider the ways.

1. Tying the basement of the house.

It is used if the foundation has cracked in many places or before the reconstruction of the house with an increase in the load on its foundation.

At the same time, it is rarely possible to tie the foundation tape on both sides. The exception is strip foundations under wooden or frame houses, which can be completely evenly lifted on jacks.

In other cases, the foundation is tied from the outside. For this:

break through a trench along the foundation along the perimeter of the building to a depth below its occurrence by 150 - 300 mm, and if possible, then under it by 1/3 of its width;
make a drainage cushion from a layer of sand (up to 100 mm) and crushed stone (up to 100 mm);
perform spatial piping from reinforcement 10 - 12 mm, connecting it with the existing foundation by drilling holes in it and driving pieces of reinforcement;
expose the external formwork and pour concrete of grade not lower than M200.

A variant of such a strapping on the video:

2. Strengthening the foundation with a double-sided bench.

This method is also good when the entire building can be lifted.

Or it needs to be done in sections, gradually tearing off the foundation tape so that there is a constant support on the existing foundation.

This type of amplification can be done in two ways:

with the chasing of the existing foundation and the introduction of an unloading beam into the strobe;
bringing the beam under the foundation tape.

In any case, it is based on a banquet made of monolithic reinforced concrete, brought under the tape of the existing foundation, and several supporting and unloading beams, which are subsequently concreted from the outside along with the banquet.

3. Strengthening the foundation with screw piles.

For this:

tear off a section of the foundation that needs to be strengthened;
screw piles are screwed under it at an angle;
concreted both around the piles and under the foundation.

4. Strengthening the foundation with a reinforced concrete pad.

Most often, in this way, the sagging corner of the house is strengthened, although it is also possible to eliminate the cause of local subsidence of the foundation section, which was formed due to water or sewer leaks that were not detected in time.

Work order:

dig the foundation on both sides of the corner by at least a meter, indented from it by half a meter and deepening under it by half a meter;
arrange a drainage cushion as described above;
make a spatial frame of reinforcement of at least 10 - 14 mm with a connection to the existing foundation by drilling it;
concreted to a height slightly below ground level.

And here is the video. It is somewhat long, but informative, and most importantly: everything is done without errors.

Fixing cracks in a wall after a foundation repair

After strengthening the foundation or tying the base, the crack in the wall must be repaired. If it is small, you can use the method described above, as well as for sealing cracks in the foundation. And if it's too big, then:

fill the gap with a polymerized cement-sand mortar, you can tighten it with temporary (or permanent) screeds, filling the possible gap above the foundation with the same solution;

having driven the wall across the crack in several places, install hidden metal ties with pins into it deep into entire sections of the wall and seal it with the same polymer-cement-sand mortar.

Of course, it is better to eliminate the consequences of such a repair by combining it with finishing, or even insulating the facade of the house.

Dear readers, if you still have questions, ask them using the form below. We will be glad to communicate with you 😉

Sometimes cracks form in the foundation of a house. And the owners of the building quite reasonably begin to wonder what to do in a similar situation. Not in all cases, a burst foundation negatively affects the integrity of the building. But in most situations, repairing it will not be superfluous at all. Even if the cracks are still very small - hair.

What causes cracks in the base

If the foundation of the house cracked for some reason, it is recommended to repair the crack immediately. After all, if you do not eliminate the problem at the stage of its occurrence, the consequences can be the most undesirable. At best, windows and doors will begin to jam, and at worst, the crack will move to the wall of the building, and the latter will collapse in the shortest possible time.

To avoid problems, the first thing to do is to determine the type of crack. To do this, the crack should be thoroughly cleaned of accumulated dirt and dust and rinsed with water. After that, it is necessary to prepare a gypsum beacon. The date is applied to it when the foundation cracked (or when it was first noticed). The lighthouse is installed in a crack and observation begins. The behavior of the problematic area of the foundation should be observed over a sufficiently long period of time. If the beacon remains intact as a result, it means that the foundation did not crack through and through and the crack does not pose a great danger. For purely aesthetic reasons, it can be repaired with cement mortar and forget about the problem.

The beacon will also help to monitor whether the place of the foundation rupture is increasing. If this happens, then the foundation has cracked through and through, and something should be done immediately.

Most often, the foundation of the house begins to crack in the winter or spring periods. So, if the foundation of the house is installed incorrectly, in winter it will inevitably begin to rise unevenly, and in the spring it will also settle unevenly. For some period of time, the structure will successfully endure such overloads, but after a few years, vertical or horizontal crack will definitely appear.

Causes of base cracking

If the foundation of a brick or wooden house has cracked, you should figure out why this happened. There can be many reasons for cracking the base:

Technological reasons

The foundation that burst due to technical reasons was most likely incorrectly filled during the laying process. Another reason for the appearance of cracks can be incorrectly mounted formwork, deep freezing of concrete in winter period time, insufficient amount of used rebar and much more.

Operational reasons

If the foundation suddenly cracked for an operational reason, most likely this happened due to the superstructure of the building. But in some cases, the bursting arch of the base is due to the lack of a drainage system around the house and an increase in the level of humidity in the basement.

Structural reasons

How to strengthen the foundation of a building

If you do not know how to strengthen the base of the building and what to do so that even hairline cracks do not appear on it, some helpful tips are unlikely to be redundant.

Often, to strengthen the base of the house, the injection method is used using synthetic resin or ordinary cement.

For implementation this method it is necessary to drill a hole in the body of the foundation, the diameter of which is about 30 mm and keep a distance of about 0.5 m. The depth of the hole should be chosen depending on the size of the protective layer. The injector is immersed in the resulting wells and the space is filled with a solution under pressure. If there is a need to identify weakly bearing soils under the foundation of the house, it is additionally necessary to cement the soil under the foundation.

Elimination of gaps in pile foundations

Strengthening pile foundations and preventing their cracking is often done by converting from a pile foundation to a strip one. To carry out such an operation, concrete jumpers are installed. In some cases, such jumpers must be made to the full height of the base of the structure. This makes it possible in the foreseeable future to equip the basement without unnecessary difficulties.

Elimination of gaps in strip bases

If cracked strip foundation, in order to repair it, you will need to apply a whole set of recovery methods. In this case, it will not be enough to seal the cracked area with cement mortar, since this step will not solve the problem. It would be more expedient to strengthen the base with bored-type piles, the soil - with a drainage system and the arrangement of a heat-insulating blind area.

Piles, installed under the sole of the foundation of the house in the form of a support, reliably keep the foundation tape from subsidence. As for drainage, if everything is done correctly, it will contribute to an increase in the depth of freezing of the soil and thereby prevent the base from sinking over time.

Cracking can also be avoided by screeding the strip masonry. This technology uses the introduction of two special crutches directly into the body of the plinth, which are connected to each other by means of a clamp. This design works both as a screed and as a shock-absorbing element. In this case, the crack can be repaired directly with a concrete solution or strengthened with epoxy.

After the blind area, support or screed is installed, it is necessary to use a marker mark (flag), which will allow you to fix the condition of the cracked area. To do this, along the edges of the fault, you will need to attach a certain amount epoxy resin, on which an ordinary wire is pulled. If the thread does not break during the change of seasons, and the foundation of the house does not continue to sag, then the destructive process has been successfully prevented.

Elimination of slab break

If you need to close up a gap in the slab foundation, you should be prepared for the fact that the work ahead is dreary. The only good news is that this will have to be done only in an exceptional case, since the plates crack very rarely. But if the rupture of the plate did occur, a complete or partial replacement of the base will be required.

Long-term practice clearly demonstrates the fact that it is not possible to stop the destruction of the plate. Therefore, it will be necessary to dig under the slab, strengthen in those places where the split occurred, remove the damaged parts and re-fill the damaged area and mount pile or block supports.

Unfortunately, even such manipulations cannot give a 100% guarantee that the plate will not continue to collapse. Therefore, in some cases, it may be necessary to rebuild the house again.

Thus, it turns out that it is much easier to avoid the occurrence of base breaks than to deal with them.