Why is the facing brick cracking in a new house. Has a brick wall cracked in your house? There is a solution! Facing brick bursts, what to do

A crack can appear on the wall of the house at any time, and the owners of the building immediately wonder how dangerous this phenomenon is. Experts distinguish between two types of cracks - passive and active. And if in the first case the defect in question can be “removed” with your own hands, then in the second you will have to involve professionals in the work. But first you need to understand what factors provoke the appearance of cracks.

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Causes of cracks in the house

It is believed that in the first five years after building a house, cracks appear on the walls in 90% of cases - experts call this natural shrinkage, which does not pose any danger. But it also happens - the house has been for many years, it is quite habitable, all structures are regularly repaired, but cracks still appear. What is the reason for this phenomenon?

Firstly, cracks in the house may appear due to violations in the technology of erecting the walls themselves. For example, if the dressing of brickwork was carried out incorrectly.

Secondly, the phenomenon under consideration on the walls of the house may be caused by non-compliance with the sequence of construction work. For example, communication systems (water supply, sewerage) are often carried out after the construction of the house - you have to dig the foundation, which negatively affects its quality characteristics.

Thirdly, foundation settlement often occurs - for example, due to compression of the foundation soils or too much pressure on the foundation of the house. This is possible if the construction of the foundation was carried out without preliminary calculations and design. Most Common Mistakes:

during the construction of the foundation, geodetic surveys were not carried out, the nature of the soil was not studied;
the soil resistance taken as a basis was erroneous, greatly overestimated;
geodetic surveys at the construction site were carried out in the summer - the level of groundwater rise was not calculated;
a mistake was made when choosing the type of foundation - for example, instead of a columnar one, a linear one was laid;
no calculations were made of the depth of the foundation base, its thickness - usually data on past construction sites are taken as the basis for these parameters;
violations of the technology of laying a sand cushion under the foundation - for example, insufficient layer thickness or poor-quality sand compaction.

Note:cracks in an old house can also occur due to structural changes in the building. Often, owners build a subfloor in a foundation that is not intended for this, and the result will be displacement / shrinkage of the foundation base.

When even a small crack is found, the main question arises - is it dangerous? Checking this is quite simple - you need to install a control beacon and observe the "behavior" of the crack for a long time. Professionals put special control beacons - lamellar, which must be registered with the supervisory authorities. At home, with an independent solution to the problem, you can use one of the following methods:

stick a strip of paper on the crack indicating the date of installation;
prepare a gypsum mortar and put a strip of it on the crack.

And then it remains only to wait and periodically check the status of the control beacon. It may take several months before any conclusions can be drawn - experts say that it is necessary to control the crack for 8-12 months.

How dangerous it is will be shown by a break in the control beacon - if there is such a phenomenon, then complex technical solutions will need to be applied to fix the problem, if there is no break in the beacon, then you should not worry at all.

Methods for eliminating cracks in the house

Different cracks are eliminated in certain ways - you must first determine the level of the problem.

Note:if the control beacon showed a rapidly expanding crack, then no methods of repairing cracks with your own hands will help - they will only have a short-term effect. Be sure to invite specialists to solve the problem, otherwise the consequences will be the most terrible - the collapse of the wall or the entire structure!

How to fix a crack in the house from the inside

If small cracks are found on the wall inside the house, then fixing them is easy. All you need is a primer and a special putty mesh. You need to act according to the instructions below:

we clean the surface of building materials, finishes - the wall should turn out perfectly clean;
we use a deep penetration primer (with such a marking!) - we cover the entire cleaned surface;
glue the putty mesh on the entire prepared surface;

Note:it is necessary to cover the entire area of damage on the wall with a special mesh - even small sections of cracks should not protrude beyond it.

We apply a small layer of putty on the grid and leave it to dry completely.

Only after the putty layer has completely dried, you can start grouting the surface and gluing wallpaper or other finishing materials.

Elimination of a crack in the house from the outside of the wall

In the event of the appearance of small cracks outside the house, you should proceed according to the same principle as in the above option. Procedure:

the place of the crack is cleaned from plaster or debris;
we apply a layer of deep penetration primer and glue a putty mesh on it;
put putty on. But! In case of repairing a crack on the outer walls, it is advisable to use a special reinforced putty - it is resistant to the negative effects of atmospheric changes.

If the cracks on the outer side of the walls of the house went not only through the plaster, but also spread to the brickwork, then much more effort will have to be made. And in this case, the algorithm of actions will be as follows:

Note:the metal mesh should cover the entire surface intended for applying a new layer of plaster. Thus, the new plaster will not blur, which will allow you to flawlessly apply finishing materials.

This situation means only one thing - it is urgent to take drastic measures to eliminate such a problem. If you ignore all the recommendations of specialists, limit yourself only to the above repair options, then the result will be the collapse of the whole house. But a beginner can also cope with the work of eliminating such complex active cracks - the main thing is to strictly adhere to the following instructions:

All plaster from the wall at the location of the crack is knocked off - be sure to maintain a distance of 50 cm on each side of the crack.
The crack is cleaned of mortar and dirt - this can be done with a metal spatula.
The cleaned crack is filled with mounting foam.
Fastening metal plates that will tighten the crack, preventing it from spreading further. In doing so, the following points must be taken into account:

the plate must be chosen from a thick, high-quality metal;
to obtain an optimal result, you will need to tighten the crack with at least 3 plates, and if the crack is long, then 4 or 5 metal plates may be needed;
plates are fastened with self-tapping screws, but with the use of dowels.

After applying the fastening metal plates, you can continue to work according to the usual algorithm - priming / fixing the reinforcing mesh / applying new plaster.

But keep in mind that such measures serve as a temporary measure, since without a specific formation it will not be possible to determine the cause of the appearance of active cracks. Most often, in the future, it will be necessary to carry out corrective work on the foundation - it is either strengthened / strengthened, or the walls / roof of the house are raised and the base is completely replaced.

Prevention of cracks in the house

In order not to have to deal with cracks in the house, you should familiarize yourself with the prevention of such a phenomenon.

Firstly, if only a house is being designed, several points must be taken into account.:

conducting geodetic surveys should be mandatory - this will help determine the type of soil, the location of the aquifers, the depth of the groundwater;
even at the stage of drafting the project, it is necessary to provide for the possibility of building a subfloor / cellar under the house - this will entail serious structural changes;
be sure to familiarize yourself with the depth of freezing of the soil - the depth of the foundation will depend on this.

Secondly, when buying an old house, pay attention to the existing walls, invite specialists to assess their condition - often serious problems in the stability / reliability of the entire structure are hidden behind the small size of the cracks. Another point - there should be a blind area around the whole house - this will prevent moisture from entering the foundation, and therefore, will serve as a prevention of its destruction.

There are a lot of reasons leading to the appearance of cracks in brick houses. These include unforeseen seismic activity, mechanical damage, and mistakes made during development. For example, cracks can occur due to incorrect binding of the brickwork of the load-bearing walls of the house. What to do if a crack in the wall of a brick house has already appeared? In any case, the house will need both superficial, cosmetic, and extensive repairs with the elimination of the causes of damage, if they appeared due to a violation of construction technology. If the foundation and walls of the house are not strengthened in time, then one small gap can provoke a skew of the supporting structure and irreversible deformation of the house.

Causes of wall damage

There are several main reasons why a gap may appear in the wall.:

Regular natural settlement of the house for more than 1-2 years (of great importance is the choice of a foundation that is acceptable for construction on a particular type of soil) and natural shifts.
Subsidence and further cracking of the foundation due to regular washing away of groundwater or a poorly distributed load, giving a bias at one point.
Freezing of the foundation and further destruction after another change in temperature.
Strong load on brickwork. Under such circumstances, cracks appear not only on the walls, but also on the pillars. A characteristic feature of cracks that appeared due to excessive pressure is the vertical direction and isolation.
Violation of the pouring technology at the stage of building the foundation of the house, poor-quality materials and their incomplete drying.

The appearance of cracks

Strengthening the foundation

Serious problems with the integrity of the structure require a total restructuring of the foundation:

Strengthening the foundation of the house

First of all, along the wall with a crack to the level of the horizon of the base, you need to make a deep trench. The width of the trench should not exceed the thickness of the foundation.
After that, the crack needs to be slightly expanded, cleaned from weakly reinforced stones and cement that binds them.
The expanded and cleaned area is drilled under the reinforcement horizontally and vertically. It is necessary to intertwine reinforcing bars of a suitable size with anchors and fix them by welding. The distance between the rods depends on how wide the crack needs to be repaired.. This reinforcement is made as a further link to the skeleton of the new reinforcing base.
Now you can make the formwork and pour concrete into it. To prevent new cracks, all work with the base is carried out only after it has dried.. You can also occasionally sprinkle it with water so that it hardens evenly.

The solution will dry for a very long time - at least a month, only after this time it is possible to tamp the site and make a blind area.

These measures will stop the destruction of the walls, and only after they have been carried out, it is possible to proceed to the direct elimination of defects.

Elimination of defects

Reconstruction of a brick wall

After strengthening the foundation, cosmetic sealing of cracks in brick walls is performed.. In order to make sure that new cracks are no longer expected, it is worth sticking pieces of paper in places of damage and monitoring their integrity. If the paper does not tear, you can start restoring them.

Small, shallow cracks can be repaired with cement mortar by first cleaning their edges and knocking off unstable pieces of material and adhesive mortar from them with a hammer. To make the adhesion with the new solution stronger, it is worth moistening the edges of the gap with water. Middle gaps should be sealed with a mixture of sand and cement (3: 1 ratio).

Seal of large cracks

Reinforcement with plates

In order to eliminate large (more than 1-2 centimeters wide) connectors, you need to do much more operations, which are discussed in more detail below.

First, you need to completely disassemble the entire area with a crack, starting from the top rows. All unstable and collapsing bricks must be replaced with new ones. During the laying of new brickwork, they need to be additionally reinforced. If the gap occurred in the knot of brick walls, reinforcement can be made using a strip of steel strip, bending its ends to the sides of the masonry and fixing it with bolts.

If it is not possible to dismantle the wall, the cracks in the brick walls are sealed by throwing crushed stone with cement mortar into large crevices and strengthening with a metal strip fixed with anchors.

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

If the cracks that appear threaten the integrity of the building, it is necessary to perform a major strengthening of the wall. Steel rods are installed along the perimeter of the house from the outside and inside. The result is a kind of powerful steel belt, covering the entire building.

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

If the crack is too deep, you can also apply the cement injection method: for this, one inch holes are drilled along the entire length of the crack at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. A tube filled with cement mortar is placed inside the hole, and by means of a sealant or a special building syringe, the mortar is injected into the crack, filling it with itself.

Injection method

In addition, some developers use mounting foam to fill the space of large cracks.. To do this, it is blown deep into the crack, dries and is fixed outside with cement.

Sometimes cracks and gaps are so catastrophic that the wall cracks through. In such cases, it is also necessary to strengthen the wall from the inside. To do this, you need to deeply moisten the gap, fill the resulting gap with cement and crushed stone and install metal linings fixed with anchors. After the mortar dries, you can begin to finish the inside of the cracked wall.

So, repairing cracks in brick walls is an important and complex task that requires large physical and material costs. However, if such defects are not repaired in time, the house will soon simply warp or deform irrevocably.

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 it is with a 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 of a very large amount of runoff, as well as polluted water. It is these reasons that can lead to the appearance of large indirect splits or to the formation of vertical cracks that can reach right up to the edge of the load-bearing wall, and so on.
Strong hardening of the soil on which the house stands. A similar phenomenon can cause severe frosts, which can cause an uneven rise in the foundation. In particular, hardening of the ground is very dangerous for a building that has not yet been completed, the walls of which have not yet hardened and have not acquired the necessary stability. Specifically, in this case, uneven and deep cracks can form near the walls, and when the soil begins to thaw after the winter, it is more likely that the opposite process may occur - the foundation will settle, which can lead to new damage to the bearing walls.
A new repair for a load-bearing wall may be needed after the addition of a small building or room, as the foundation may not withstand the new, additional weight and settle.
Uneven and unstable loads on the foundation of the house. For example, if a house is built in Art Nouveau style, then luxurious and long glazing (which is very often used in this architectural style) can often alternate with small blind areas of the house, which will lead to a large difference in weight and ground settlement.
If the pit is located next to the building, then very high temperature conditions also adversely affect the soil, which in the future can lead not only to soil settlement, but also to its excessive looseness. It is for these reasons that medium-sized cracks can form on the walls.
Extra load due to neighboring houses. On a common foundation, the zones of greatest stress overlap each other and allow the soil to settle very strongly.
The reasons can be not only in the soil itself, but also above it. For example, 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. A characteristic feature of crush cracks is closedness and vertical direction.
Various non-hazardous shrinkage deformations can be observed on the plastered walls of the house - these can be small or small cracks that are very randomly scattered over the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe wall and are mostly closed, and most importantly, they do not reach the edge of the wall. They appear due to shrinkage of too thick plaster mortar.

Crack Filling Technology

There are many ways to close a crack in brickwork:

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

See this video for more details:

Conclusion

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

Causes of cracks in the facing masonry

Even with strict observance of the rules for building a house, there is a possibility of unpleasant situations in the form of shrinkage and thermal deformation of the coatings. They are also the main causes of cracks in the facing surface of bricks. Deformation can lead to various phenomena:

to shrinkage due to exposure to moisture, due to which there is a decrease in volume, compaction and hardening of the facing coating;
to a change in linear dimensions during thermal compression and expansion.

The shrinkage process is natural and usually occurs over several years. But the temperature deformation is mainly influenced by the change of season, daily temperature fluctuations, the position of the lined walls in relation to the cardinal points. Note that the front surfaces of the walls located on the sunny side of the house are more prone to linear expansion. You can prevent these phenomena by following a few simple rules.

How to Prevent Cracks in Brick Cladding: 7 Tips from the Pros

Given the likelihood of linear shrinkage of bricks and periodic temperature fluctuations, it is possible to prevent the formation of cracks in the cladding of a building by adhering to the following rules:

Dry the facing products as much as possible before laying them on the main surface.
Clearly follow the masonry methodology based on the arrangement of the so-called bond rows. The method involves laying bond rows of solid elements in places such as the top and bottom rows of the structure under construction, in belts and cornices, under beams, purlins and load-bearing slabs, as well as every four spoon rows. In addition, facing masonry must be tied with anchors and unloading belts must be used.
In the process of facing masonry, use a reinforcing steel mesh with a diameter of 2-3 mm. Such a mesh will reduce the deformation load on the facing surface, thereby contributing to the long-term preservation of its integrity.
Equip expansion joints over the entire masonry surface, which in the cladding will simultaneously perform the functions of both shrinkage and expansion joints. Their thickness should not exceed 15 mm.
Avoid getting moisture on the facing brick during its transportation, processing and laying.
Prevent freezing and thawing of the walls of the building.
Perform facing masonry using the most rigid mortar, plasticizers and non-shrinking additives to avoid wetting products and in order to prevent cracks during the drying of the facing surface.

Although cracks in the facing brick coating do not affect the bearing capacity of the masonry, they nevertheless spoil its appearance.

How to extend the life of facing brickwork

In order to extend the life of the brick cladding of your home and identify possible cracks in time, the first thing to do is to inspect the cladding in order to identify and further eliminate defects. At this stage, not only the outer walls of the building, but also the masonry joints are carefully checked. All chips and cracks in the facing brick are sealed with a special sealant, which is matched to the color shade of the base material. For joints, as a rule, mortars similar to those used in the production of masonry are used - so the restored sections of the facing masonry will not stand out from the overall architectural composition.

The next step involves cleaning the brickwork from dirt and dust, while experts do not recommend using the wet method for this. It is better to wipe the surface with a soft, dry cloth, thereby preventing moisture from entering the brickwork.

To ensure optimal protection of facing brickwork at the finishing stage, it is recommended to apply an additional protective layer - this can be a special varnish, water repellents or clinker oil. Such types of coatings will well save the facing of your house from negative impact factors for a long time. Even when they become unusable, varnish and coloring compositions are much easier to remove and cheaper to reapply than to restore the brickwork itself. At the same time, the well-groomed appearance of the building will continue to delight the eyes of its owner.

Facing brick bursts, what to do?

When buying a brick, professionals are always interested in sellers: "Does the brick shoot?". Naturally, the baked clay bar itself does not shoot at anyone, but a defect with the same name can significantly shoot at your wallet.

The fact is that the technological process of brick production is associated with the grinding of clay mass. Often, pieces of lime come across in it, which are not sufficiently ground and fall into the finished brick. In a dry state, such a brick does not betray itself in any way, a rare eye of a professional will notice traces of shooting on a brick that has not yet gotten wet and has not hibernated. Single facial, textured, figured - no one is safe from such a defect. When buying, try to consider facade brick and find lumps of lime that have baked into a shard. Such material should not be purchased so that the next spring does not start going through the torment.

A typical story - they built a brick house or bricked a block building, wintered, and in the spring they realized that the brick had begun to crack. The outer part of the brick begins, as it were, to shoot back, leaving ugly dips and funnels. These bumps may also have white markings in the center. The owner of the house is confused. Piece by piece to replace bricks? Plastering? Lacquered or revetted with another brick?

In this case, experts recommend many options for action - from coating with varnish and hydrophobes, to filling voids or shifting the front layer. They agree on one thing - it is impossible to encourage a factory marriage with inaction, so if you bought a face brick, and it began to “shoot” over time, contact your dealer or factory and try to resolve the issue amicably. It is for this that we recommend that you keep all the documents that were provided when buying a brick - a quality passport, an invoice, an invoice. In case of disagreement, you will have to go to court.

This defect does not arise from excessive loads or severe frosts, but from the insufficient quality of the brick itself. A set of bricks with a certain amount of moisture (no more than 14% according to GOST 530-2012) is permissible, freezing and thawing within the established frost resistance F25-F75 too. So what conditions caused these “shootings”?

"Shooting" or as it is called "dutiki" occurs due to poorly ground clay mass. Quicklime granules are stored in it, which, when water enters, turn into compounds that, increasing in volume, spoil the surface of the brick. So, when a solution, rain, or soaking enters, a reaction begins with the release of carbon dioxide, which causes chips. Brick shooting can be so strong that it can threaten a person - brick particles can get into the eyes.

GOST does not allow damage to the front brick due to inclusions, so the truth is on your side. Make sure that you buy ceramic bricks that are produced exactly according to GOST 530-2007 or GOST 530-2012, and not according to TU, and it is the front brick, and not the construction, ordinary, draft. "Dutiki" is a factory defect, which is not lazy people present to the factory in court. Such a brick cannot and should not be called certified according to GOST.

Remember that you need to purchase bricks in trusted places, from dealers working with recognized manufacturers. The building materials market today is such that ceramic bricks are often faked and sold under the guise of a condition, a completely inappropriate product.

Our company works only with trusted suppliers. You can view a sample of each brick in detail online or touch it in our offices. When ordering from our website, fast and careful delivery is guaranteed to anywhere in Russia and the CIS.