Cracks in the walls of buildings can appear suddenly, and not only in old houses, but also in new buildings, panel and brick. This, of course, is not the norm, but you should not panic about this. It is better to assess the scale and understand how dangerous the destruction is in order to determine how to eliminate it. All cracks are divided into two types:
- Passive- if the cracking occurred at once, and does not go further, in this case, you can eliminate the defect yourself;
- Active- if a crack in the wall of the house expands or lengthens over time, there is a risk of collapse of the wall or building, in this case, you need to call specialists from the specialized service, who will make a decision.
Causes of cracks in the walls
There are dozens of reasons for which the deformation of the building occurs, and as a result, the manifestation of faults, serious, or "cobwebs". They are caused by various factors, but the most common is problems with the foundation. It is also the most dangerous and difficult, since in some cases it is necessary to redo everything anew, or somehow strengthen the foundation, and this is often not easy.
So, we understand in detail why cracks appear on the walls in various buildings, is it worth worrying, and how to fix them.
Why are wall cracks so common in new homes?
Cracking of new buildings is a fairly common phenomenon. 9 out of 10 houses may crack after a few years due to shrinkage, but as a rule, cracks in the walls in a new house are small and passive, and after sealing there are no problems.
Experts do not recommend making major repairs in the first year and a half, and if your apartment is located on the lower floors, and many will do repairs from above, you should wait a little longer. The fact is that all the neighbors from above will “add” the weight of the structure with plaster and decoration, which means that the house will shrink even more noticeably.
Small cracks in the walls in a new home may not seem like a big deal, but they can lead to tiles falling off, wallpaper warping, and similar problems. Better to wait with the finish than to redo it all over again. In addition, a small "cobweb" under the wallpaper will not be noticeable, but it is advisable to patch it up as soon as it appears.
Why did a crack appear in the wall of a house that no longer shrinks?
In more lived-in and seemingly strong houses, cracks can appear quite unexpectedly, and usually they are the ones that frighten residents the most. The reasons in this case can be very different.
- Violation of construction technology, in which the dressing of the masonry of the brick wall was incorrectly performed. For many years everything is in order, and then a fault appears, which is also difficult to repair.
- Violation of communications laying technology. It happens that a house is built first, and then communications are brought in, as a result of which they dig in the foundation - this is one of the common causes of horizontal cracks in the wall.
- The foundation may sink and by itself, for example, due to incorrectly calculated load or insufficiently competent design without specialized calculations. Owners of private houses often suffer from this, who do not conduct geodetic surveys, do not study the features of the soil, and choose the wrong type of foundation. The causes of cracks in the walls can also include improperly laid sand under the foundation, or groundwater unaccounted for during construction.
Why did a crack go along the wall of the old house?
In old houses that have stood for decades without problems, sudden cracking can occur due to new construction going on nearby, excavation of a foundation pit nearby, vibrations during the installation of piles or re-laying of the road. Often, problems arise from poor, ill-conceived redevelopment, when the new owner demolishes the load-bearing supports, or illegal construction of basements and subfloors, as a result of which the load shifts and the foundation suffers. Crack outer wall At home, it also arises due to the fact that the solution can crumble over time, and if floors were attached to the house, or it was lengthened, the problem could become critical.
The problem with a crack in the load-bearing wall at the base of the building
Another common answer to the question, why do cracks appear on the walls? - ill-conceived redevelopment, especially on the basement and first floors. This happens when residential apartments are transferred to a non-residential fund, arranging shops or service establishments, and at the same time, load-bearing walls are touched. The load on the remaining ones is greater, and the house is being destroyed from the inside, and the residents of the upper floors are usually the first to notice the problem.
Usually it is not possible to resolve the issue with the owners of the premises, so if cracks appear on internal walls, and at the same time below there are offices or commercial premises, you must contact the relevant authorities to check the condition of the building.
Types of cracks in the walls
You can try to determine the cause of cracking yourself, focusing on the direction of the fault: vertical, horizontal, in the corner. In brick walls, the direction may be broken, but the general trend is usually observed.
- vertical cracks. The middle part of the building may occur from thermal deformation if there is a problem with expansion joints. In places of supports and beams - due to overloading of the walls (this is very dangerous). The reason may be an unstable foundation, as a result of which one part of the building settles in a different way.
- Horizontal cracks on the wall of the house can be caused by subsidence of the foundation in its central part, and moisture ingress into the walls and foundation. They are less dangerous for the building as a whole, but it is necessary to check the quality of the insulation. The causes of horizontal cracks in the wall are usually less dangerous, and the building collapses more slowly than with vertical ones. But it is also more difficult to fasten the structure, and serious measures may be required to correct the situation.
- In the corner of the wall destruction can occur due to flooding of the foundation, as often happens when moisture drips from the roof into this corner. Microcracks are generally not dangerous, although they are more difficult to repair.
In any case, if there is a crack in the wall of the house, you should call in specialists who will determine the cause and extent of the problem.
What cracks in the walls of the house are dangerous
A small web of cracks is usually not dangerous, no matter where it is located. But in any case, it is better to control this process.
To determine the danger, that is, the future divergence of the wall, various beacons are used. In domestic conditions, to control a wall crack inside the house, you can use paper or plaster, which are superimposed on the fault at its different ends, possibly in the middle. If the line is broken, you will need to apply beacons to all sections. Be sure to write down the installation date next to it.
It happens that it is not possible to install a beacon on the outer wall on your own if the fault occurs on high floors. In addition, gypsum and paper simply cannot withstand the weather, and a gypsum beacon is generally capable of cracking from temperature changes. There are other options for beacons that profile specialists have and are suitable for outdoor monitoring.
If for 8-12 months the crack in the outer wall of the house or inside it has not changed and has not increased, it can be considered passive, stable, and repaired.
If beacon deformed or collapsed, be sure to call specialists, this means that the process is active, and measures must be taken.
Crack in the wall of the house: what to do and how to fix
There are many ways to solve the problem, and the choice of a particular one depends on the characteristics of the fault and its development. Keep in mind: if a large crack in the wall diverges quickly and the beacons collapse, you are unlikely to cope on your own, you may have to fasten the house with metal plates, raise the building to adjust the foundation, strengthen it, put props instead of load-bearing walls, etc.
Crack in outer wall
Small stable cracks are cleaned of plaster and finish, a deep penetration primer is applied, and the entire crack is covered with a putty mesh so that it reliably covers the edges. Putty is applied on top, better reinforced, as it will withstand temperature changes and exposure to weather conditions.
Cracks in the brick are sealed with a metal mesh for plaster, which is fixed with bolts. A layer of mortar (cement + sand) is applied to it.
A large crack in the wall is filled with mounting foam, while first it needs to be expanded and cleaned, possibly rinsed with water and dried so that more solution gets inside. There are various nozzles for cylinders, so that even complex bends can be repaired.
Faults in concrete are also cleaned, blown out with mounting foam and sealed with a cement-sand mixture.
Crack in the corner of the wall
It especially often occurs at the joints of the plates, and if this is the corner of the house, then it can noticeably blow from it. It is sealed either with mounting foam and then plastered, or a system of metal plates is used, the whole house can be pulled together if the problem is serious, or part of it.
In multi-storey buildings, you have to do everything from the inside, or order insulation along with sealing cracks. If the fault is large, it must be deepened and properly cleaned, preferably construction vacuum cleaner, or at least with a brush, and the foam is applied to the primer that has not yet dried.
Cracked walls inside the house
A small cobweb, which was formed as a result of new building shrinkage, can be easily covered up: you will need a putty mesh and a deep penetration primer. A primer is applied to the cleaned wall with the coating removed, covered with a mesh, and sealed with putty. Then, after drying, the surface can be rubbed and painted, or wallpapered. It is better to wait a bit to make sure that the problem does not reoccur.
If there is a crack in the wall concrete house, it needs to be expanded by creating 45-degree corners, and primed well. Sealing is carried out either with concrete mortar or sealant. Sealant fits better, as it is a little "rubber", which means that future movements will be compensated and the crack will not expand. Do not use a silicone-based sealant, as nothing sticks to it, and then it will be difficult to paint over or wallpaper it. A crack in the wall of the house can also be repaired with any cement-based mixtures, such as tile adhesive, or plaster. You can use an emulsion to which cement is added, or there is even more a budget option- PVA glue and cement. You can apply such a mixture with a spatula, and special guns are used for sealant to help squeeze it out of the tube. The rest of the mixture is removed with a spatula flush with the wall.
cracks in plasterboard wall usually appear due to excessive moisture, dampness, or improper installation. If flooding occurs, the sheets need to be changed, in other cases, you can save the situation with a special putty for drywall, or use acrylic (sold in the same tubes as sealant). Another option is to stick fiberglass, it is more reliable, although more expensive and labor-intensive. All these methods can be used only in case of high-quality fastening. drywall sheet to the wall, if it does not stagger, otherwise you need to change the sheet itself.
Vertical and horizontal cracks in the wall brick houses close up different ways, depending on the depth and nature of the fault. In any case, if the crack is active, close it simple ways there is no point, as it will continue to grow. Repair only makes sense when the fault has stopped and has been stable for several months. Small cracks on internal brick walls are sealed cement mortar, if the fault is more than 7-10 mm, you need to expand it with a hammer (for better adhesion of the mortar) and close it with a mixture of cement and sand. A crack larger than 10mm requires professional intervention, whether it is expanding or not.
Crack in the wall of the house: what to do if the wall is load-bearing?
You can close the faults yourself only if the crack is small and does not expand. In this case, the same technologies are used as when repairing small damages in a brick wall. But it is important to understand that the fault in bearing wall can lead to the collapse of the entire building, so you should contact the experts. They will check the condition of the building and find out why the cracks in the wall appeared at all: perhaps the neighbors did a redevelopment somewhere, or something happened in the basement of the building, and it urgently needs to be strengthened, pumped out, raise the roof and reduce the load.
Crack in a load-bearing wall is always very dangerous, so you shouldn't delay it, especially if it is active and expanding. You can already identify a dangerous fault in a day or two, placing a simple plaster or paper beacon, and checking its safety and absence of deformation. In any case, it's better to play it safe.
Through cracks in the walls
Most dangerous view cracking, in which the building can be recognized as emergency. There are many reasons for this phenomenon, but most often - problems with the foundation or extension, or ongoing construction work nearby.
To seal through cracks in the walls, lime-cement mortar is used, if the fault is large, brick fragments can be added to it. Formwork may be needed to fix the solution until it is completely solidified.
Sometimes tightening with metal plates made of durable material is used, and at least three strips are needed, sometimes more. Fix them with bolts with dowels. After fixing, a specialist’s decision is required - if a crack appears in the wall of the house, then the problem is already quite serious. From the inside, the fault can be repaired with mounting foam, but in any case, the cause must be eliminated.
Conclusion
If there is a crack in the wall of the house - evaluate it the crack is growing, visually (in the case of “cobweb” cracks) or with the help of a beacon. For embedding different types walls are used various materials and technology, but if the crack is growing or large in itself, it is better to consult with specialists. Minor repairs can be carried out independently, but only if the fault is stable and there are no prerequisites to believe that in the future cracks in the walls of buildings can lead to emergency.
Anastasia Bezdenezhnykh
Melwood Expert
Spent 449 construction expertise, 94 forensic examination
In company with 2014 of the year
During a major or cosmetic repairs it is very useful to know how to close a crack in the wall, because without rough preparation, the further progress of the 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 internal works.
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
Used for interior work mortar: 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
Seal cracks in the walls is carried out 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 is carried out 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, the plaster mixture is laid inside the gap to its entire 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, the remnants of old plaster are removed, then the cracks 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 brickwork, the defective area is dismantled and replaced with a 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 are pulled together with long bolts, sometimes it is necessary 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
Proceed to finishing walls can be done 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 drying the material, 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.
Consistency 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 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 work. 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 different reasons: shrinkage of the foundation, improper rough finishing, violation of the brickwork process, 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.
With such a problem as cracks in the walls, many owners of brick country houses. Of course, such defects should be eliminated as soon as possible. Cracks in the walls not only spoil appearance at home, but also have a negative impact on its performance. Moreover, such defects in some cases can even lead to the collapse of the building.
Step-by-step instruction
Cracks in brick walls are usually repaired in several stages. To eliminate such a defect, you need:
- determine the nature of its occurrence;
- to eliminate the identified shortcomings in order to prevent the expansion of the crack;
- carry out a control check;
- depending on the width of the crack and its nature, choose a method for its elimination.
Actually, there are several ways to terminate:
- using cement mortar;
- with the use of mounting foam;
- by replacing the damaged section of the masonry.
The main causes of the defect
What and how to fix cracks in the house? The answer to this question depends on many factors. Before proceeding with the elimination of such a defect, of course, you need to find out why, in fact, it could appear. Most often, cracks are the result of non-compliance with construction technology. This may be, for example, an incorrectly selected type of foundation or roof structure, different kind technology violations during masonry, etc. Also, cracks in the walls often appear:
- as a result of incorrect redistribution of the load on the walls (when building a building or when it is redevelopment);
- due to temperature deformations;
- when laying engineering communications under the foundation
- when constructing a basement floor under an already built building without strengthening the foundation;
- due to wear and tear of the material.
Sometimes cracks can occur due to sinking under a building. This often happens, for example, due to the redistribution of groundwater.
According to the regulations, the repair of cracks in brick walls should be carried out only after the identified cause of their occurrence has been eliminated. That is, if necessary, you should first strengthen the foundation, tie the wall with metal locks, increase its bearing capacity, etc. In any case, it is allowed to close up only those cracks that have already stopped expanding.
How to determine the stability of a defect
It is not difficult to find out that the crack has stopped spreading. To do this, you just need to stick a few beacon pieces of paper across it. If they do not break in about a couple of weeks, then the cracking has stopped. Sticking papers is easiest on PVA. You can also use glue "Moment".
How to close a crack in a brick wall at home: the choice of technique
As soon as the problem that caused the appearance of the crack is resolved, you can proceed to the actual implementation of the termination work. In brick walls, this procedure is usually performed:
- using cement mortar;
- using mounting foam.
With use, you can easily remove a blind crack from the wall. usually finished with a rather thick layer of plaster. It is in it that such defects most often appear. Cement mortar, as well as can be used for sealing including through cracks. The use of these materials, however, is allowed only if the size of such a crack does not exceed 10.1 mm. If this figure is greater, the damaged area of \u200b\u200bthe masonry will have to be disassembled.
with your own hands, if it is blind
Such defects occur in the plaster, usually after it has dried due to a violation of the application technology, as well as as a result of aging of the material, etc. In any case, it will not be difficult to eliminate a non-through crack on your own.
The methods and procedure for sealing cracks in brick walls (non-through) depend on what exactly the defect is. Very often, for example, the so-called "cobwebs" appear on the plastered surface, that is, a network of small cracks. To get rid of this defect, you must first clean off the problem area completely. The easiest way to do this is with a narrow metal spatula. After the collapsed plaster has been removed, you can proceed to finish the site with a new layer of gypsum or cement-sand mixture. Before applying it, the brickwork should be cleaned of dust and moistened with water using a broom.
Sometimes large cracks appear in the plaster. Such defects usually occur in the area of \u200b\u200bwindows and doors. Most often, their appearance is caused by home movements. To eliminate such defects, they must first be expanded. To do this, you can use a chisel or any other tool suitable for such work. Next, the crack should be thoroughly cleaned of dust and dirt. The easiest way to do this is with a regular household vacuum cleaner.
After the crack is cleared, its inner surface must be wetted with water using a spray bottle. Cement mortar for embedding is prepared in a ratio of 1:3. You can also purchase a special dry mix at the store. The crack should be overfilled with mortar. In the end, he should close it completely and even protrude a little beyond. A reinforcing mesh tape must be pressed into the still fresh solution (along the entire length of the crack). After a few minutes, a little more solution must be applied to the wall. Ultimately, the tape should be completely covered with the mixture. After the solution has dried, the repaired area should be treated with a special grater.
Filling narrow through cracks in masonry with concrete mix
The solution in this case must be made on the basis of high-grade cement (preferably M400). River sand is usually used as a plasticizer for cracks up to 5 mm wide. Of course, before starting work, it must be sieved. If the crack width exceeds 5 mm, a little fine quarry sand should be added to the mixture. In order for such a procedure as sealing cracks in brick walls with your own hands to be successful, before using concrete mix it is desirable to drive metal T-shaped anchors into the cavity (with fixation on dowels).
Also, additional reinforcement can be done using a special metal lock(thick plate). The latter is fixed across the crack on the anchor. Install the lock in the course of the development of the defect. If the crack expands from the bottom up, the plate is applied closer to the overlap. Sometimes the wall is strengthened with ordinary steel brackets. The latter must be driven into it by at least half the thickness.
Actually, the very answer to the question of how to repair a crack in a brick wall of a house is, in fact, given above. This procedure is performed approximately according to the same technology as when adjusting the plaster. That is, first, the crack is expanded and cleaned. Then its cavity is moistened with water from a spray bottle. The crack is then filled with cement mortar.
Using mounting foam
This material will also help answer the question of how to close a crack in a brick wall at home. However, use mounting foam need to be careful. When using it, one should always keep in mind that, by expanding, it is able to increase the crack. Therefore, foam should be applied in small quantities. In the future, in the right places, it can simply be added.
After the foam is completely dry, it should be stripped. First, excess material protruding outward is simply cut off with a sharp knife. Then the foam is cleaned along the crack to a depth of several millimeters. This is necessary so that the plaster layer applied on top lies as firmly as possible and does not subsequently crumble. To further strengthen the finish in this case, it is also advisable to use a mesh tape.
How to close a wide crack
So, let's find out how to fix a crack in a brick wall of a house, if it is not too big. Defects with a width of more than 10.1 mm, as already mentioned, can only be eliminated by disassembling the masonry. This procedure should be carried out as carefully as possible. Start dismantling the masonry exclusively from the top row. You can't knock bricks out of the wall.
Replacement with new brickwork is carried out according to the “lock” principle with dressing of the seams. In this case, reinforcing metal plates are used. The latter should cover the gap completely. Instead of plates, you can use ordinary thick reinforcement.
Instead of a conclusion
Thus, we have figured out how to repair a crack in a brick wall of a house. The methods described in the article are suitable both for residential buildings and for household or industrial buildings. The main thing when eliminating such defects is to strictly adhere to the established technology. In this case, the crack will never reappear, and the wall itself will perform its functions as efficiently as possible.
The question is how to fix cracks in a wall apartments or how to fix cracks in wall, oddly enough, most often worries the happy owners of new housing.
Absolutely all developers, for obvious reasons, want to sell the built houses and apartments to their customers as soon as possible. At the same time, almost always, after checking into a new home, happy buyers are faced with certain imperfections, shortcomings or defects.
Quite often, such manifested defects are small or large cracks on the main structures. In many cases, they do not pose a threat to the integrity of the building and the safety of residents, but they must be repaired and removed.
Theoretically, when buying a new house or apartment, you should be sure that all the main structural elements of the housing will be in good condition, without any damage and defects and cracks. However, practice often shows something completely different.
Increasingly, when buying an apartment, we encounter various minor damages, such as cracks and scratches on walls, ceilings and floors. More often this is due to too fast plastering work before the required moisture level has been reached, and the foundation itself has fully settled and stabilized.
Whatever the walls of your house are: brick, plaster, concrete or panel, the formation of cracks often has the same causes.
Long-term construction of housing, especially as complex as a multi-storey building or apartment building quite natural. In some cases, a good builder will recommend that the building box be left wet for one season.
That is, the foundation, walls, ceilings and roof are made in one year, and only in the next year are produced Finishing work. This is a very good practice because there is time between works for the building to shrink sufficiently. This greatly reduces the risk of mini deformations and cracks.
Cracks in an apartment are not uncommon when buying or building a new home.
In a word first and most common cause is the natural shrinkage of a newly constructed building. Unfortunately, most developers want to sell as quickly as possible. finished apartments and at home. Even the customers themselves rarely agree to extend the construction time because of the need to wait out the winter.
Another reason for the appearance of cracks can be Poorly carried out geodetic works. The obligatory geological study of the soil before the start of any construction is the key to the expected result for each homeowner. As a consequence of this, or as a separate cause, is non-compliance with the specific soil of the structure or foundation materials.
Geological research of the soil involves drilling at least 2-3 wells and studying the soil, of course, even before the design of the house. This procedure will protect you in the future from many unpleasant surprises, such as unstable ground or high level ground water.
Cracks often appear as linear surface damage along the entire height of the wall or as transverse cracks. Before starting a repair, carefully check the condition of the base coat around the repair site.
Important: when starting work, you must be sure that the expansion of the crack, its increase has stopped. It is not necessary to eliminate defects whose development has not yet stopped if the wall crack is creeping. Don't do double work. The cause must be identified and eliminated.
Also, before you start fixing the crack with your own hands, you should look into the contract of sale or contract work and decide on a guarantee. It is necessary to accurately fix the condition of all walls and ceilings at the time of receipt of the apartment or acceptance of the house.
2. How to fix a crack in the plaster on the wall
If you need to repair a crack in a plastered surface, there are only a few steps to take. simple actions. 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 right decision 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 steps repair
The next step is careful crack cleaning from dirt and dust. This is very important because even minimal amount foreign elements significantly reduces the connection of the leveling compound with 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 spatula made of of stainless steel or a plastic spatula with a rubber end.
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. It means that small cracks on the wall in cement-based plaster, you can safely remove it with a composition based on gypsum or polymer putty or PVA-based putty.
Important: do not forget to clean the spatulas from possible pollution 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 stress that occurs during the collection and release of moisture. individual materials such as plaster. 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. It is best to use 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 repair work, due to 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 most fast way crack sealing 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 very handy for embedding cracks in wall corners.
One of the most popular materials for the construction of various objects is brick. However, this material is not ideal, and flaws and damage may occur in buildings made from it during their operation.
The most common flaw is cracks in the wall. It will not be possible to correct such a defect great work. To do this, you need to find out the cause of the crack and choose the necessary technological method to eliminate it.
Peculiarities
The appearance of cracks on brick wall surfaces is a bad sign. However, with a properly laid foundation and proper masonry, cracks should not occur.
Any visible defect signals non-compliance with the standards of construction or use and needs to be immediately corrected for the cause of its occurrence. The level of difficulty in sealing cracks in wall surfaces depends on their thickness and depth (sometimes it is necessary to disassemble the necessary area of \u200b\u200bbrickwork).
You can close the crack with your own hands, if you follow our recommendations. We will help you to eliminate any defects (for example, cracked surface bearing wall).
Causes of cracks
There are several reasons that create an unpleasant problem.
- The absence or unsuitability of the link between the blocks. It appears in the form vertical crack over the entire height of the wall (occurs during the construction of an extension to an existing building or if the work is not carried out correctly). You can get rid of the gap only if a preliminary screed is made with a reinforced belt.
- Disadvantages when laying the foundation of the building: pouring the foundation to a shallow depth (less than the level of ground freezing), the use of granular or mineral blocks, the use of concrete with poor strength and resistance to frost. External manifestations: gaps in the corner areas or rapidly growing cracks in the upper parts of the brick wall surfaces.
This can be avoided by reinforcing the perimeter of the foundation by creating a concrete belt.
- Erroneous determination of soil quality, due to which errors occur when taking into account the load. This also includes the deformation of soils as a result of vibrations, natural phenomena (eg active groundwater), as well as work carried out in the vicinity of the object. All this leads to the appearance of large cracks on the entire surface of the walls.
- Settling of the structure during the first year of operation. This manifests itself in the form of small and shallow cracks, which do not increase in size in the future. To eliminate them, only minor repairs are needed. . Cracks occur in areas of greatest stress. To avoid this, it is necessary to distribute the load evenly and make a coupler in the necessary places.
In order to close a crack in the wall of a brick house, you should follow a simple instruction:
- carefully inspect the entire building, recognize and eliminate the centers of cracks;
- periodically check the condition of the wall surfaces;
- if the slightest cracks are found, everything possible must be done immediately to prevent the spread of defects;
- when cracks form, it is necessary to clear the necessary internal area of \u200b\u200bthe cracks, as well as to maximize interaction with finishing agents;
- after checking the walls and treating the cracks, cover up the discovered cavities and make outer insulation(or finishing).
Before determining the cause of the defect, it is pointless to do anything to correct it.
In addition, it is necessary to constantly check the rate of crack growth. To do this, the gap must be marked with markings from the putty composition or concrete mortar. The desired dimensions of the strips are 100×40 mm with a layer thickness of less than ten millimeters. There is also an easier method using paper. Checking for tears should be done every day for five weeks. In the event of a problem, it is necessary overhaul the foundations of the structure and the help of a professional.
It is worth remembering that a crack width of more than twenty millimeters is critical. In such a situation, it is necessary to additionally strengthen the edges of the cracks and strengthen brick structures. Areas subject to destruction need to be dismantled.
If, after checking, you noted that the crack has not increased, then you can use simple method patching a gap in a brick wall.
Methods for fixing cracks
It is worth remembering that the occurrence of vertical crevices with a width of ten millimeters is a harbinger of the destruction of the walls of the structure. Therefore, it will not work to repair this crack with cement mortar without a strong metal screed. In this regard, there are several options for repair.
- Driving in special anchors from metal into dowels mounted along the edges of the crack.
- Installation of longitudinal metal brackets with bends along the edges into pre-made holes in the wall surfaces (later they should be covered with cement mortar). This method is the easiest and most reliable when fixing through cracks from the outside.
- Strengthening brickwork with inside special fasteners. When mounting fasteners into the wall surface, they must be sunk to a great depth (more than half of the entire thickness of the wall). It is quite possible to alternate fasteners. In practice, the sealing of cracks in brick wall surfaces is carried out after the installation of fixing structures.
- Reinforcing mesh use it is rational, if desired, to strengthen the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe structure, because even a careful calculation of the foundation does not guarantee the absence of the risk of shrinkage. When choosing a method and material for repairing cracks, it is necessary to take into account the upcoming exterior finish. All parts made of metal material are treated with anti-corrosion compounds and masked by painting or covered with plaster.
How to fix cracks
Compositions for covering gaps depend on the location of the flaws (inside, outside the house or even under the window). Indoors, it is possible to tighten the crack with a gypsum-based composition or a mixture of lime and cement. For outdoor installation, it is better to choose the most moisture-resistant materials (otherwise, the finish will not last long).
- For minor cracks(less than five millimeters wide) repair with cement mortar is suitable. In situations where shrinkage microscopic cracks do not exceed one millimeter, it is better to cover them with epoxy resin.
- For defects with a length of five to ten millimeters sealing can be done with a composition of cement and sand in a ratio of 1: 2 or 1: 3. To achieve a plastic consistency, water must be added.
- For more problematic cracks in wall structures made of bricks (as well as in structures with a layer of air) great solution will be foam for mounting. Such material requires mandatory protection from sunlight, therefore, after solidification, foaming excess is removed.
- For defects of various types suitable cement composition with the addition of polymers from the category of grades M400. The compositions are passed through a fine grate with a medium-sized grain of sand or wood glue based on polyvinyl acetate and water. PVA in such cases is added in excess (from one liter per bucket) and is added to the composition last.
- For problem areas of the wall(on the inside or outside), silicone-based sealant can be used. The advantages of such a tool include plasticity and long term operation of the material, tolerance to changes in temperature and humidity, the convenience of sealing cracks with mounting gun. The disadvantage of this method is the high financial costs, so it is not suitable for large areas and volumes.
- If necessary, eliminate defects from the outside and in the presence of an outdated solution, mixtures with the addition of brick crumbs are used.
At the end of the repair condition brick surfaces must be carefully examined within two months.
