Why are there vertical cracks in an adobe house. What to do if the wall of a brick house cracked? Repair of simple cracks

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. Correcting such a shortcoming will not be difficult. 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 fix any imperfections (such as a cracked surface of a load-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 manifests itself in the form of a vertical crack along 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.

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, the discovered cavities should be covered up and the outer insulation (or finish) should be made.

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 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. If problems arise, a major overhaul of the base of the structure and the help of a professional is necessary.

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 the 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 the simple method of sealing 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 from the inside with special fastening joints. 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 to eliminate 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), foam for installation will be an excellent solution. 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 a long service life of the material, tolerance to changes in temperature and humidity, ease of repairing cracks with a 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, the condition of the brick surfaces must be carefully examined within two months.

foundation crack

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

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

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

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

Horizontal destruction of the foundation

Causes of foundation deformation

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

Technological reasons

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

Operational reasons

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

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

Structural reasons

The scheme of the occurrence of foundation cracks

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

Crack observation

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

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

A video tutorial for installing beacons can be seen:

Repair of simple cracks

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

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

Clearing a simple crack

Crack Repair Methods

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

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

Video example of strengthening the foundation of a wooden house:

Ways to strengthen the base

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

New outsole reinforcement

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

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

Reinforcement with special piles

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

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

Strengthening the foundation with screw piles

Additional reinforcement when strengthening the base

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

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

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

Why are cracks dangerous?

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

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

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

Causes of faults

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

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

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

Types of cracks

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

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

How to fix the problem

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

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

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

Strengthening the foundation of a stone house

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

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

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

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

Repair of the base of a wooden house

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

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

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

Reinforcement with piles

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

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

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

Monolithic slab repair

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

Conclusion

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

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

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

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

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

But situations are different.

As cracks are different, so are their consequences.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Identification of destruction processes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Simple repair of cracks in the wall

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

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

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

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

Causes of destruction of the foundation and ways to eliminate them

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In these cases, it needs to be strengthened.

How to strengthen the foundation with your own hands

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

Let's consider the ways.

1. Tying the basement of the house.

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

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

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

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

A variant of such a strapping on the video:

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

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

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

This type of amplification can be done in two ways:

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

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

3. Strengthening the foundation with screw piles.

For this:

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

4. Strengthening the foundation with a reinforced concrete pad.

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

Work order:

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

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

Fixing cracks in a wall after a foundation repair

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

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

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

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

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

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

What causes cracks in the base

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

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

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

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

Causes of base cracking

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

Technological reasons

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

Operational reasons

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

Structural reasons

How to strengthen the foundation of a building

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

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

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

Elimination of gaps in pile foundations

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

Elimination of gaps in strip bases

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

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

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

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

Elimination of slab break

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

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

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

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

If a crack appears on the wall in your apartment, then the main thing is not to panic. First you need to understand how dangerous it is, and then ask yourself questions: “how to repair cracks in the wall of an apartment?” or “who will pay for the repair of cracks in the wall in the apartment?”. You can determine the degree of danger by the size of the resulting depression.

If it is less than one millimeter, then most likely there is nothing to worry about. For new buildings, within five years, this is normal. The house is just shrinking.

If, on the contrary, the building is too “old”, then this may indicate that it is dilapidated, worn out, and it is time to give it emergency status. In general, the reasons can be very diverse.

Crack in the wall in the apartment. What to do and who is to blame?

Any crack that appears in the apartment on the wall is an alarming symptom that indicates the stressed state of the building envelope. Before asking the question: “how to repair cracks in the wall of an apartment?” you need to understand the reasons for their appearance.

The reasons here may be different, but they are associated, as a rule, with the deformation of the foundation. Such damage reduces the structural reliability of the building, as well as its operational properties. In order to understand the cause, it is necessary to determine the type of crack, its direction, opening width, outlines.

Direction of cracks:

Vertical crack in the apartment on the wall;
Inclined crack in the apartment on the wall;
Horizontal crack in the apartment on the wall.

By outline:

Curvilinear;
closed;
Direct.

Depth:

Surface;
Through.

Reasons for the appearance:

Shrinkage of the building;
Foundation deformation;
temperature;
Due to the deterioration of the building;
Wall weathering.

For example, with uneven compression of soils, inclined cracks appear. There may be various reasons for this:

Superstructures or additions can increase the load on the foundation, resulting in excessive compressive stress and settling of the foundation. In this case, oblique cracks may appear on the walls, opening up;
If you dig a pit too close to an existing building, then the building may be either near the slope or on it. In this case, soil shifts and the appearance of inclined cracks in the wall from the side of the pit cannot be avoided.

Vertical cracks can occur if:

Freezing of soils, followed by thawing, can make the building “walk” and cause cracks, both inclined and vertical;
Overloading the walls, due to the superstructure, can lead to crushing of the masonry. As a result, very dangerous vertical cracks appear that can destroy the walls.

The appearance of horizontal cracks is serious:

The reasons can be very different, for example, developer errors such as a too heavy roof combined with an improper building design can lead to this state of affairs.
Overloading walls on one side.

There was a crack on the wall in the apartment. What to do?

How dangerous this or that crack can be eloquently testified not only by its location and direction, but also by its behavior. Before you close a crack in the wall of the apartment, it is worth studying its nature. If it rapidly increases in width and depth, then this is a very dangerous sign. You need to sound the alarm as soon as possible and contact the experts. If a crack appeared in the wall in the apartment, to the question: “what to do?” can be provided by construction experts. It is best to contact them, as well as the housing inspection. It may be necessary to draw up an act that will clearly indicate who is to blame, as well as who is obliged to assume financial obligations to eliminate deficiencies. For example, the neighbors from above, violating all the rules of redevelopment, removed the load-bearing wall, and your wall cracked in the apartment, where to go? It is clear that it is not you who should pay for the repair of cracks in the wall in the apartment. By the way, with sufficiently distinct recesses, self-sealing of cracks in the wall of the apartment is highly undesirable. After all, this way you can mask a serious problem, which can have extremely adverse long-term consequences.

Cracks in the wall of the apartment, where to go?

If there are serious cracks in the wall of the apartment, where to go, no matter how in the housing and communal services. Experts must diagnose the resulting deepening and eliminate the shortcomings. If this measure, for some reason, turned out to be insufficient, then the owner has the right to apply to the interdepartmental commission to recognize the premises as emergency. The commission must draw up an expert opinion, which stipulates the further possibility or impossibility of operating the premises. Now, in the case of a deep crack in the wall of the apartment, you already know where to turn. But what if you can see with the naked eye that there is nothing serious. How to fix cracks in the wall of an apartment at home without outside help?

If the wall in the apartment cracked, where to go if the appeal to the housing and communal services does not bring results?

Of course, the repair of cracks in the wall in the apartment should be carried out by housing and communal services employees, and in the event of such problems, citizens, first of all, turn to them. But what if such appeals are ineffective and repairs are delayed under various pretexts. In this case, it is worth directing your just indignation to the State Housing Inspectorate. They will consider the complaint and influence the management company. If this does not work, then you can go to the prosecutor's office or the court. But as a rule, this stage does not reach, since the problem is solved earlier.

We understand how to repair cracks in the wall of an apartment at home on our own

If you had a nightmare in which you started repairing cracks in the wall in the apartment, then when you wake up, carefully inspect the room in which you live. If in reality everything is in order, then you urgently need to type in the search engine: a dream book is a crack in the wall of the apartment.

And if there is a crack in reality, then for a start it is important to understand how dangerous it is. To assess the full degree of danger, it is necessary to apply a gypsum mark across the crack, the width of a palm. Then you will need to watch the label for a month. If, on top of the gypsum, nothing has cracked, then the crack is stable enough to be repaired.

But first you need to clear the problem area to the slab or brick itself, then wipe it with a damp cloth and let it dry thoroughly. It should be borne in mind that sealing cracks near electrical outlets in the walls of the apartment requires special care. Make sure the wiring is not damaged. If necessary, move the electrical outlet. By the way, before you close up problematic cracked areas near electrical outlets, you must de-energize the room. Don't forget about alternative lighting, because it can get dark before you have time to finish the job.

How to fix a crack in the wall in the apartment?

It all depends on the size of the resulting cracked cavity. If the recesses are very small, less than a millimeter, then you can get by with a primer and putty. If a little more, up to three to five millimeters, then you will also need a cement mortar. Sealant is also a wonderful tool, it is injected into the recess with a special gun. The best option for cracked problem areas is fiberglass. It is glued to the wall with a special glue on a primed dry base, then the finishing putty is used. Fiberglass is good because it reinforces the surface. If the crack is not stable and not dangerous, then, in principle, sealing cracks in the wall of the apartment is not particularly difficult.

The main thing here is to learn one rule: the earlier you start working on the problem, the faster and with the best result it will be resolved.

By the way, these same problems are easily detected at the time of removal of obsolete wallpapers. It has already been said above what material is better to seal cracks, but it was not said that the method of repair largely depends on the material of the walls.

Brick wall

In order to remove a crack in a brick wall, it must be cleared, deepened and expanded at an angle of forty-five degrees. Then prime. Sealant is well suited for sealing here, since when it dries it acquires a slightly rubbery consistency. The sealant must be laid in the seam, and the excess removed with a spatula. You can, instead of sealant, use cement mortar. Before laying it in the slot, it must be moistened with water.

Drywall wall

Although drywall is considered a universal material, cracks may also appear on it during operation. Drywall sheets themselves are just a material, not a design. They are mounted in the desired design position using a frame or glue. Problems arise, as a rule, due to a base that has been incorrectly installed or due to a defect in the sheets themselves.

If the builders made miscalculations during the installation of the frame, then cracks may appear throughout the plasterboard wall. This problem can be eliminated only after dismantling several sheets or even a frame.

If the crack is not very large and is not related to the installation, then you can try to repair it with putty.

Concrete wall

Cracks in such a wall are not uncommon. PVA glue is perfect for sealing cracks in a concrete wall. It must be applied to the depth of the crack. Next, fill the cavity with cement mortar and smooth with a spatula.

If the gap is too wide, then you need to use an additional reinforcing mesh.

What to do if a wall with ceramic tiles cracked?

Optionally, when the house shrinks, the walls in the rooms will crack. After all, they can crack in the bathroom or toilet, that is, where there is ceramic tiles. What to do in such cases?

Remove cracked tiles. To do this, we break it into small pieces with a heavy metal tool, a hammer with a chisel or a puncher with a lance;
Next, remove all fragments and clean the surface. After that, you need to vacuum the area cleared of tiles and close the crack in the wall in the appropriate way described above;
Then, lay the new tile on the adhesive using spacer crosses.

A crack in the apartment is not yet a reason to panic. The main thing here is not to get lost, but to start acting. Either on your own, or, if there is no self-confidence, with the help of specialists. What's more, it's all solvable. Worse, when a crack happens in a relationship with loved ones. After all, according to the dream book, a crack in the wall of the apartment is a dream for a reason. This means that some important component of your life is bursting at the seams. Now this is a reason to think about your life.

And you already know how to repair cracks in the wall of an apartment. So there is nothing to be afraid of. Everything will work out for you.

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

Crack Exterior Materials

Neomid Professional ─ universal putty putty. For deep cracks and gouges. Contains reinforcing fibres.
SEMIN Fibrelastic is an elastic putty for indoor and outdoor use. Especially for "breathing" cracks and joints.
Profix - mounting and putty mixture. This is a plastic putty with easy application.

Crack mixes for interior work

SEMIN Rebouchage is a filling putty for interior work.
UNIS Glare-thick-layer gypsum putty. Versatile, easy to apply, crack resistant. Warranty up to 15 years.
TERRACO Handyflex is a super flexible crack filler.

DIY repair

Often during the repair work you have to deal with unpleasant defects. They are found during re-gluing wallpaper or leveling the wall for painting. You can deal with minor flaws on your own. 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 hard bristles;
stitching tool.

First you need to expand the flaw by hammering the edges with a hammer for better adhesion of the crack with putty. Clean the defect from dust and pour sealant into it, then level the seam with concrete mortar. What to smear? You can, of course, use only the solution, but the sealing composition will not allow it to appear anymore. After drying, you need to sand well possible irregularities.

The better to cover up the cracks of the load-bearing wall of blocks

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

1 way:

clean and, if necessary, expand the crack;
clean from dust;
using metal E-shaped anchors fixed 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.

2 way

widen the crack
primed;
fill with a solution.

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

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

A straight corner crack must first be embroidered, primed with a tenacious primer "Ground-contact" and sealed. To do this, take the Isogypsum putty on a spatula and rub it well into the flaw. Put a grid on top of the putty. After drying, smooth out any irregularities.

Repair cracks in brickwork: how to clean

Repair of cracks in brickwork begins with cleansing of dirt, dust, chipped bricks, fallen mortar and other unnecessary elements.
It is good to wet the crack out of it, since the base of the brick tends to absorb water. Throwing the solution, it will penetrate deeper into the crack.
Throw the wide part of the flaw with mortar, and fill the narrow part with sealant from the “gun”.
Since the sealant is white and the mortar is gray, you need to give the crack an aesthetic appearance. To do this, apply tile adhesive with a spatula. It tolerates temperature changes well, frost-resistant, moisture resistant.
After the building material has dried, wipe the seam, smooth out the bumps.

Repair of 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.
Blow off all the dirt with a compressor.
Depending on the brand of cement, prepare a solution. To do this, mix sand, cement, water, beat until a mushy state.
Lubricate the defect with PVA glue for better adhesion of the crack with the solution.
Fill the gap with mortar to the level of the wall.
Smooth out the seam.
Clean up after drying.

If there are cracks in the new house, what to close

Expand the crack with a special tool.
Clean it from dust.
to improve the adhesion of putty.
Seal the seam with putty using a spatula.
To prevent re-emergence in the formations, glue with a sickle.
Hold the top of the tape with one spatula, and smooth the tape with the second.
Reapply putty, allow time to dry.
Sand the joint surface after 24 hours.

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

What to be guided by when repairing cracks: the main rules

In order for the bearing capacity and enclosing properties of the walls to be preserved for a long time, one must be guided by the "General Recommendations for the Technology of Crack Repair".

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

When choosing unpleasant formations, you need to consider:

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

Only then carry out repairs:

embroider;
clean from dust;
Rinse;
fill with appropriate plaster.

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

Useful video on the topic

An unexpectedly opened crack in the brick wall of a newly built
or a residential, public or
production building is a signal that informs about the occurrence
pre-emergency situation, the causes of which must be found and
possibilities to eliminate.
A crack is the first sign of danger
cracks
along the vertical and horizontal seams of the masonry of the walls of buildings there are no
only in brick buildings: recently very popular construction can have the same problems. This means that defects
this kind of single roots, independent of the size and material of the stones,
from which the walls of a building or structure are laid out. small width
crack opening does not affect the appearance of buildings and, photos of which can be viewed on our website, maintain strict
the geometry of the seams on their facades.
However, when the crack width
exceeds 5 mm, such a defect becomes visible from afar. Except
negative visual impression, the crack is a conductor
cold, and the water that got into it and subsequently frozen is capable of
accelerate the destruction of the wall. Such deformations occur not only in
multi-storey buildings, for manor-type houses a crack in a brick
the wall is also not uncommon.

It is very important to see the damage
masonry, do not delay the determination of the causes of its occurrence and the way
elimination, and contact the experts. It is difficult to detect wall deformation in cases where
a hinged facade system was laid, covering the surface of the brick
walls, but the most dangerous – through cracks that can be detected
not only from the outside, but also from the inside.
Causes of cracks in the wall
A powerful impetus for the occurrence of wall deformations is the uneven subsidence of foundations, which can be caused by:

unreliability or incompleteness of engineering-geological surveys. For example: no interlayer of weak soils was detected, mechanical
characteristics of which are insufficient for the perception of the load from
building structures. Or: during field work during the extraction of cores, a violation of their structure occurred, due to which they were incorrectly determined
strength parameters of soils, which led to the subsidence of the structure.
initially incorrectly executed base or foundation. Here may
be poor performance of waterproofing and drainage, which led to
soil soaking under the building, or a small area of the base of the foundation,
because of which the load on the ground turned out to be more than permissible.
improper operation of building engineering systems. In this case, a crack in the brick wall may occur due to plumbing leaks.
or sewerage, followed by soil soaking.

Exists the possibility of occurrence of groundwater on the site who changed their course
because of the new buildings that have arisen in its path. Such situations are often
arise during the construction of large areas, when engineering and geological
surveys are not carried out over the entire territory, but for each
individual area separately. In this case, there is a risk
change the direction of groundwater movement in an unpredictable
direction.

A crack appeared in the wall. So what to do?
Should
know what to do when the crack in the brick wall is already
appeared. First of all, it is necessary to invite specialists who
will be able to find the causes of deformations and determine methods
prevent their further development. Also since the discovery
cracks, cement grades should be installed on them: in 2-3 places along
the length of the crack, make small rectangles of cement mortar
a few millimeters thick in order to understand whether the
deformation further or it has already stopped. If the stamps remain intact
for 2-3 weeks, which means, most likely, a drawdown
is over and you need to think about how to repair the cracks in order to save and
exterior of the house, and prevent freezing of the wall in this place. If
stamps are cracked, then the deformations continue, and it will be necessary to develop and
carry out serious, costly measures, including the possible
reinforcement of walls and foundations.
Most often, to exclude the possibility of further soaking of the foundation soils, the following measures are recommended:

installation of reinforced gluing waterproofing of the foundation and basement walls. For this you can use
various deposited roll materials offered by the distribution network in
a wide range.
repair and increase the width of the blind area, as well as
drainage system around the perimeter of the building, which will allow
prevent soaking of base soils by rain and melt water.
inspection and repair of pipeline joints passing in the basement of the house and next to it.

If a
these measures will not be enough, then the foundation will have to be strengthened.
One of the most effective methods of amplification is the device
inclined piles, which are brought under the foundation of the finished house and
transfer loads from its weight to the ground, which has the necessary
strength characteristics. After completing the repair work
causes of drawdown and prevention of the possibility of its occurrence in
further, a crack in a brick wall can be sealed for the entire
depth.