A brick arch burst, what should I do? Repairing cracks in brick walls. Puttying cracks in a monolithic house

A brick arch burst, what should I do?  Repairing cracks in brick walls.  Puttying cracks in a monolithic house
A brick arch burst, what should I do? Repairing cracks in brick walls. Puttying cracks in a monolithic house

Many people know the expression of the famous poetess Faina Ranevskaya that after a few years life gives cracks, which will grow over time if they are not patched up in time. Same with residential building, if a split or 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 is cracked?”

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

Why does brick crack and how to repair cracks in a brick wall, and similar to brickwork? These questions need to be examined from many angles. So let's get started.

Types and causes of crack formation

To date construction companies offer revolutionary, strong and durable Portland cement, which has revolutionized construction materials. It is distinguished not only by its durability, but also by its instant hardening speed, which is perhaps its main advantage among its competitors in the field of reinforcing materials.

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

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

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

  • What causes them to appear: deformation of the house structure, shrinkage or temperature wear of a residential building;
  • External and internal view the destruction itself on the wall: Split, rupture, cut;
  • Direction of destruction: horizontal, vertical, inclined at various angles;
  • Shape: curved, straight, closed or broken in half (that is, almost does not reach the edge load-bearing wall).
  • Size and depth: on the surface of the wall and inside it;
  • How complex the repair work is, what is the risk of wall destruction: dangerous and non-hazardous;
  • Time since destruction: stable or unstable;
  • 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).

Several main reasons for the appearance of such destruction on the wall, of which there are quite a lot:

  1. Settlement or destruction of the soil itself. This problem can be caused by uneven natural combustion soil (strong and weak areas), incorrect and unacceptable load of the main foundation, leakage into the soil is very large quantity 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.
  2. The soil on which the house stands is very hardened. This phenomenon can be caused by severe frosts, which can cause uneven lifting of the foundation. In particular, soil hardening is very dangerous for an unfinished building, the walls of which have not yet hardened and have not acquired the necessary stability. In this particular case, uneven and deep cracks may form near the walls, and when the soil begins to melt after winter, the opposite process may most likely occur - settlement of the foundation, which can lead to new damage to the load-bearing walls.
  3. New repairs to a load-bearing wall may be needed after a small building or room has been added, as the foundation may not be able to support the new, additional weight and may settle.
  4. Uneven and inconsistent loads on the foundation of the house. For example, if the house is built in the Art Nouveau style, then luxurious and long glazing (which is very often used in this architectural style) can quite often alternate with small blind areas of the house, which will lead to big difference in weight and soil settlement.
  5. If the pit is located next to a building, then very high temperature conditions also have a detrimental effect on the soil, which in the future can lead not only to sedimentation of the soil, but also to its excessive looseness. It is for these reasons that medium-sized cracks can form on the walls.
  6. Extra load due to neighboring houses. On common foundation zones of greatest stress overlap each other and allow the soil to settle very strongly.
  7. The reasons may lie not only in the soil itself, but also above it. For example, picking up heavy building material V large quantities next to an unfinished building and already in the ground itself, additional loads and stresses may appear, and it is these that can cause very strong external settlement of the foundation and the appearance of large cracks and splits.
  8. Constant impacts on the foundation. For example, if you are driving piles on the territory of a residential building, you are constantly moving heavy vehicles, compressors are running - this all leads to drowning sandy soil and strong softening of clay masses in the soil. The combination of all these factors can result in soil settlement and cracks in load-bearing walls.
  9. Influence high temperatures can cause vertical cracks and splits in the walls of your home. Repairing cracks in masonry is mainly required for longer buildings that do not have expansion joints.
  10. Overloading of brickwork. In this case, cracks may appear between the walls and on the pillars. Such cracks can be identified by the characteristic closedness and verticality of their direction. Overload of masonry. They appear in walls and on pillars. Characteristic sign crush cracks – closedness and vertical direction.
  11. Various non-hazardous shrinkage deformations can be observed on the plastered walls of a house - these can be small or small cracks that are very randomly scattered over the entire area of ​​the wall and are mostly closed, and the most important thing is that they do not reach the edge of the wall. They appear due to shrinkage of an overly thick plaster mortar.

Crack sealing technology

There are many ways to repair a crack in brickwork:

  • You can install a brick lock or a lock with an anchor;
  • Reinforcement of walls using tension bolts;
  • Repairing a through crack with steel staples;
  • Carry out repair work in the area where the floor slab is unlocked;
  • Strengthen the cracked wall;
  • Make an overlay from hardened steel;
  • Install special brackets
  • Install the floor slab;
  • Cover the wall with a finishing layer.

Watch this video for more details:

Conclusion

Apparently, from the above, it can be noted that general condition home from building bricks must be monitored very carefully. Since the sooner a crack or split is detected, the less time and Money to eliminate this problem.

More on the topic:

Sooner or later, almost every property owner is faced with such an unpleasant thing as the discovery of a crack. And the reasons for this can be very diverse. This article will talk about repairing cracks in the walls of a house.

Preventing cracks in the walls of a new home

The appearance of cracks on the surface of the walls does not bode well. At best, you'll have to do it again. Finishing work, and I don’t even want to think about the worst options. However, it is difficult for the average person 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 reasons for the appearance of these defects, the dynamics of development, a conclusion about the hazard class, as well as recommendations ( design solution) to eliminate them.

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

General information

  • It should be remembered that any building construction must meet the relevant standards, a number of important requirements. When a structure ceases to resist operational loads, it begins to collapse. This state is called limiting. The resulting damage does not allow production further exploitation building.
  • Therefore, if any element of the structure (foundation, floors, walls) ceases to meet certain standards and rules, it means that it has reached limit state. As a result, signs of wear and tear begin to appear, namely cracks. various forms and sizes. And the larger they are, the wider the depth of opening, the more dangerous they are.

  • But the appearance of small cracks, the so-called cobwebs, in new buildings does not pose any danger. After all, the reason for this is the natural subsidence of the building. After 3-6 months, new microcracks stop appearing, and old ones stop expanding.
  • The progression of cracks should alert you; this indicates the beginning of structural destruction. Here measures should be taken to eliminate the cause of destruction.

Cracks in the walls of wooden houses

  • Concerning wooden buildings, then cracks often occur under the influence of moisture preserved in inner layers timber or logs. Their formation can be minimized by compensatory cutting, 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 cracks have formed in an exploited building, there is no need to panic. Such defects are harmless and do not in any way affect the user properties of the walls. To be convinced of this, just look at the log cabins riddled with cracks in remote villages that have stood there for several decades.
  • Therefore, sealing cracks in wooden houses This is done for aesthetics only. The materials used are different, but, unfortunately, none of them have a long service life:
    • sealant cannot provide long-term adhesion to wood. This seal will last no more than 2-3 seasons. But after peeling off, you can apply a new layer on top of the old one, but again it will last for a couple of years;

  • Polyethylene foam bundles are designed for interior spaces, therefore their use is inappropriate;
  • any solid compositions are also not suitable for this type of structure. The tree constantly absorbs and releases moisture back, changing its size depending on the time of year. This is why any sealing material peels off
  • the best option for sealing cracks in wooden surfaces carried out by caulking with moss or flax-hemp braids.

Why do cracks form in the walls of a brick house?

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

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

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

  • non-compliance with concrete pouring technology (low vibration, quick drying, error in the recipe when mixing the concrete solution);
  • mechanical deformations, external load (lack of expansion joints and skipping or reducing the amount of reinforcement);
  • uneven settlement of the base.

Cracks in the wall what to do

You can patch up the cracks different ways, their disclosure 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 external use. Of course, the previously damaged area and the adjacent part of the wall must be cleaned of crumbling fragments, dusted, treated with a primer, and reinforcing tape applied.

  • A medium-sized crack is sealed using metal mesh. Here, all cracked coating is removed and must be primed. Next, holes are drilled for dowels 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 necessary to lay another strip of reinforcing material, then this is done with an overlap (at least 10 cm). Plaster mortar based on cement, it is pressed into the mesh so that it is attached to the wall. After easy leveling, you need to wait completely dry, and only then apply the next finishing layer.
  • You can also use polyurethane foam- the gap is foamed, after drying, the remains are cut off, and then finishing materials are applied (plaster, painting, etc.).

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

Determining whether a crack is progressing is quite simple. To do this, take paper strips that are glued across the crack in several places (top, bottom and middle). Then everything is simple, if the paper is torn, then it is accordingly 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 along different sides cracks. Once every 7-10 days, the beacons are inspected, data is recorded and compared with the original records. Their displacement or deformation signals the development (expansion) of the gap.

Anchor installation

  • You can stop the “spreading” of large cracks with a wide opening using an anchor (channel). First, the plaster is knocked down to length metal plate, if this parameter is 1 meter, then the area is cleared 50 cm on each side of the gap. The depth of the groove must 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.

  • The crack and grooves are cleaned and filled with polyurethane foam. The anchor is inserted into the recess and secured 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 installed and the emergency area is plastered.
  • Instead of plates, staples will do. You can prepare them yourself; to do this, take reinforcement of the required length; you must take into account the bending of both ends of the metal by approximately 15-20 cm.
  • Grooves 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 groove should be 13-15 mm.
  • Holes for the ends of the workpiece are drilled with the appropriate diameter and equal to its length. You should not hammer a bracket into a wall, as this may cause a crack to widen or cause 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 the time has come 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 optimal solution this difficult issue. Specialists will prepare a restoration project structural elements building.

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

  • dismantling the emergency wall and relaying brick and block rows;
  • performance monolithic design- reinforcing belt;
  • strengthening of supports or their complete replacement;
  • restoration of the blind area;
  • lengthening the load-bearing wall and strengthening the piers.

How to repair a crack in a wall inside a house

There are many factors that influence the appearance of different “caliber” of cracks and cracks on the walls and ceilings of a room:

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

Before you begin to eliminate cracks, it is necessary to identify and correct the reason why the surface is cracking. Otherwise, all the efforts and money spent will not be worth it.

Drywall

  • On such material they often appear small cracks. The cobweb suggests that it may have been produced thick layer putties. Another reason is violation temperature regime Thus, many people artificially pump up heat (with guns, hair dryers or heaters) to dry the surface faster. You definitely can't do that finishing material should dry, not harden.
  • Such defects in the horizontal or vertical direction often occur at the joints of sheets. There are two sources of their formation:
    • weakened frame;
    • absence of serpyanka on 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 coating of the surface, then you must first wait until the applied material has completely dried, and only then proceed with applying the next layer.

If the problem is in the metal structure underneath the drywall, then deeper cracks cannot be repaired. But if the base is securely fixed to the wall, repair work is carried out as follows:

  • - cracks are deepened using sharp knife at an angle of 45°, a kind of groove is made;
  • - the furrow is filled with a small amount of mixture intended specifically for these purposes;
  • - a serpyanka 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 improper proportions when mixing the dry mixture with water. Of course, there are more serious reasons that cause surface cracking, but this was discussed above.

Correction

  • The ideal material for masking an imperfect surface is fiberglass. It will hide existing cracks, prevent new ones from forming and old ones from expanding. Before work, it is enough to fill only particularly deep recesses with putty and treat the wall with a deep penetration primer.
  • You can completely remove the peeling plaster, after which the surface is primed and puttied. Before work, carefully read the information on the packaging regarding dilution proportions, as well as the recommended thickness of the material layer.

Conclusion

Almost all cracks that form in the walls of a house are due to the lack of proper supervision, low qualifications of workers and, consequently, poor quality work. Therefore, it is very important when constructing buildings for any purpose to follow all technical specifications, norms and rules. And:

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

Before you cover up a crack in the wall of a house yourself, you need to make sure that it does not affect the strength of the entire structure and does not pose a threat. And to avoid such a problem, it is better to entrust construction to licensed contractors, to whom, based on the contract, you can make claims for poorly performed work.

Due to the movement of soil layers, the entire structure tilts, now in one direction, then in the other. But the building itself stands solidly, due to good things.

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

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

It's easy to do:


If the markers remain intact or the cracks widen or narrow, this means that the foundation is fulfilling its purpose well, and there was tension in the wall materials that spilled out in the form of cracks.

To strengthen the wall in the emergency area, use:

  1. Carbon fiber reinforcement or steel mesh, from the outside;
  2. Metal frames or anchors;
  3. Reinforcing elements that are laid along grooves;
  4. The injection method is used.

To solve this problem it is necessary to equip a drainage system.


If no measures help, then the problem of cracks must be looked for in the foundation.

The reason for this is not only the formation of cracks on the building, but also significant flaws in the foundation.

Faults that have formed locally in the foundation must be repaired immediately.

It is not necessary to exclude the possibility that the cause of the cracks may be an initial miscalculation in the design or failure to comply with the requirements during the construction of the building.

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

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

Minor defects can be corrected yourself if they are related to the plaster. If the appearance is associated with deformation of the main structure, then you need to seek help from specialists.

Exterior materials for cracks

  • Neomid Professional ─ universal putty. For deep cracks and potholes. Contains reinforcing fibers.
  • SEMIN Fibrelastic ─ elastic putty for external and interior works. Especially for “breathing” cracks and joints.
  • Profix ─ mounting and putty mixture. This is a flexible putty with easy application.

Crack mixtures for interior work

  • SEMIN Rebouchage ─ filling putty for interior work.
  • UNIS Highlight-thick-layer ─ gypsum putty. Universal, easy to apply, crack-resistant. Warranty up to 15 years.
  • TERRACO Handyflex ─ super elastic crack filler.

DIY repair

Often during repair work you have to deal with unpleasant defects. They are discovered while re-sticking wallpaper or leveling a wall for painting. You can deal with minor flaws yourself. When there are more defects outside than inside the house, it makes the job more difficult. Of course, it is difficult to deal with the cause, but you can try to hide this defect.

Puttying cracks in a monolithic house

To “cure” defects in monolithic walls, you will need the appropriate tools and materials:

  • sealing composition (sealant, foam) and concrete mortar;
  • putty knife;
  • sanding mesh and holder for it;
  • brush with stiff bristles;
  • jointing tool.

First you need to widen the flaw by beating the edges with a hammer to better adhesion cracks with putty. Clean the defect from dust and pour sealant into it, then level the seam concrete mortar. What to cover with? You can, of course, use only the solution, but the sealing compound will not allow it to appear anymore. After drying, you need to sand any unevenness well.

What is the best way to cover up cracks in a load-bearing block wall?


Smooth cracks appear on the masonry when it is not reinforced. There are several putty options for wall repair. Let's look at some ways to eliminate the defect.

1 way:

  • clean and, if necessary, expand the crack;
  • clean from dust;
  • using metal E-shaped anchors secured with dowels, strengthen the crack between the blocks;
  • add pieces of broken cinder block to the solution (the smaller the better) and plaster the defect.

Method 2

  • widen the crack;
  • prime;
  • seal with mortar.

For small cracks, it is permissible to use tile adhesive, mounting foam or special foam for blocks.

If there is a straight crack in the corners, how to fix it correctly


A straight corner crack must first be opened, primed with a tenacious “Soil-Contact” primer and the seam sealed. To do this, take the Isogypsum putty on a spatula and rub it well into the flaw. Place a mesh on top of the putty. After drying, smooth out all uneven surfaces.

Repairing cracks in brickwork: how to remove them

  • Repairing cracks in brickwork begins with removing dirt, dust, chipped bricks, fallen mortar and other unnecessary elements.
  • It is good to wet the crack, since the base of the brick tends to absorb water. By throwing the solution, it will penetrate deeper into the crack.
  • Cover the wide part of the defect with mortar, and fill the narrow part with sealant from a “gun”.
  • Since the sealant has White color, and the solution is gray, you need to give the crack an aesthetic appearance. To do this, apply glue with a spatula. tiles. It tolerates temperature changes well, is frost-resistant, and moisture-resistant.
  • After the building material has dried, sand the seam and smooth out any unevenness.

Repairing cracks in the concrete wall of a panel house with cement mortar

  • First, check the condition of the crack, widen it with a hammer and chisel.
  • Use a compressor to blow off all the dirt.
  • Depending on the brand of cement, prepare a solution. To do this, mix sand, cement, water, beat until mushy.
  • Lubricate the defect with PVA glue for better adhesion of the crack to the solution.
  • Fill the hole with mortar to the level of the wall.
  • Smooth out the seam.
  • After drying, clean up.

If there are cracks in a new house, how to repair them

  • Use a special tool to widen the crack.
  • Clean it from dust.
  • to improve the adhesion of the putty.
  • Seal the seam with putty using a putty knife.
  • To prevent recurrence of formations, glue with sickle tape.
  • Hold the top of the tape with one spatula, and smooth the tape with the second.
  • Reapply putty and allow time to dry.
  • After 24 hours, sand the surface of the seam.

Walls are vertical load-bearing and enclosing structures. They withstand force and non-force impacts. Therefore, they must be strong, durable, and withstand temperature and humidity conditions.

What to follow when repairing cracks: main rules


To load-bearing capacity and the enclosing properties of the walls have been preserved long time, you need to be guided by " General recommendations on crack repair technology."

Repair of cracks is carried out after drawing up a map of defects and defective statement, which confirm the results of the examination, the reasons for their manifestation.

When choosing unpleasant formations, you need to consider:

  • wall material;
  • number of flaws;
  • defect width;
  • branching of flaws;

Only then carry out repair work:

  • embroider;
  • clean from dust;
  • Rinse;
  • fill with suitable plaster.

If you notice a crack in the house, you need to monitor its changes: whether it expands or remains the same. When design changes have occurred, you need to seek advice from specialists. Only they will be able to professionally assess the condition of the surface and recommend measures to prevent and eliminate them.

Useful video on the topic