When to Seek a Masonry Crack Repair

Why do most of the homeowners prefer stone or bricks for the construction of their house? The answer to this query is that stone offers the homeowners their destined design, color and texture. Most of the times, stones are used for the construction of pool areas, bathrooms, countertops, driveways and flooring. One of the best advantages of using stone is that it offers heat resistant advantages during the hot summer. Most of the homeowners decide to use stone at the time of construction because of the benefits it offers. But, there will also come a time when people need masonry crack repair on all its structures.

When can you consider that this is the time of masonry crack repair?

Go through these tips that will help you in understanding the time for repair in your home and at when you need to seek a repair so that you can ask the potential contractors for it:

·         Settlement Cracks: Over the passage of time, there will happen that the crack occurred would be unavoidable. This is one of the common reasons for masonry cracks. The settlement cracks usually appear like a staircase that moves up the wall. These cracks are easily repaired by the professional.

·         Cracks caused due to thermal expansion: The driveways, flooring, stones and brick walls expand when it is heated by sun. At the time of construction, expansion joints are made and these can cause cracks. The cracks appear on the stone structures that are regularly heated up by the sun.

·         Steel expansion cracks: This is another common crack and it appears on the upper corners of the windows, doors and other openings. The cause of this type of crack is that steel and stone expand at different rates. Over the time, it causes stone to chip, crack or crumble, and that result in masonry crack repair. The professionals dealing in the field of crack repair can easily repair the crack.

Bulging or bowing cracks: The cracks that appear on the entire wall, driveway or on the floor, can cause the structure to bulge or sink. This is addressed as one of the serious issues. It is also known as potholes. The bulging and sinking of the stone structures generally happen due to the passage of time, improper reinforcement of the masonry at the time of construction.

Benefits of Crack Stitching for your Walls

One of the most famous saying, “A stitch in time saves nine”, this implies that if we sew up a small hole or a tear in a piece of a cloth or any other material, then it literally saves up the need of more stitching in the future when the damage is more than it should happen. This same philosophy comes true when it comes to the crack or any kind of damage occurred in our homes. Our homes should be undergone for regular inspections and also time to time maintenance should be done in order to keep the problems away. If we ignore a little crack on the wall and not get it repaired at the proper time, then it might happen that it increases in size. In most of the cases, it happens that the small hole results in the gaping fracture. These cracks and holes are a sign that the house has undergone a serious damage and it needs to be repaired as soon as possible. 

Cracked wall are literally weaker than the well maintained walls. The effective way to treat the cracks of the walls is not to ignore it but to repair it. It will also strengthen the wall by crack stitching the holes or cracks. It will ensure that the walls have regained its strength. Crack stitching is a way in which masonry walls regain its stability. It ties and reinforces the masonry walls for the fracture to be repaired. This is the reason so as to why helical bars are used for crack stitching. These bars are used to stitch the gaps to strengthen the masonry walls. 

There is a process that is being followed for the helical bars being used for the purpose of crack stitching repair. For example, if the method of crack stitching is to done for the walls made up of bricks and stones, then the helical bars are put into the slots that are cut into the mortar beds. This is usually done to ensure that the crack stitching repairs are fully concealed as it leaves the wall looking untouched. Whenever the reinforcement is applied to the fractured areas, there is no need of fixing them in the mortar as the slots can easily be cut in the masonry walls. This is a stronger way of tying the cracks together that results in cracks being strongly repaired.

How to Find Quality Brick Wall Repair Near you

It’s always an economical and smart choice when it comes to building your own home. Over the thousands of years, the process by which a building is constructed has changed very little. Construction of masonry with bricks stones or with other useful masonry materials such as granite, rock and stone is a simple process. 

This offers many benefits such as:

·         Weather resistance: Construction materials such as bricks and stones are very durable. It can even stand up to the constant sunshine and heat.

·        Prevention of mold: Home invaders such as mold and other materials face a very difficult time in penetrating the building or masonry. Thus, it can prevent expensive repairs that cause up due to moisture buildup and pest control.

·        Sound proofing: Bricks and stones help in to hold in and keep out the sound better than any other masonry building material.

·        Cost of maintenance is low: As building repair is something that most of the homeowners can need it at some or the point of time. But, it is really very uncommon as masonry made up of brick and stone is durable and long lasting.

·        Cost effectiveness: Houses build with bricks are very affordable but at the same time it provides beautiful and classy outputs.

·        Increased value: The age of masonry or building is timeless. Houses made up of bricks and stones at the time of construction tend up to increase the value of house than other houses made up of other materials.

How to Find Quality Brick Wall Repair?

As cleared from above mentioned benefits that masonry made up of bricks and stones are durable and long lasting. But, there will come a time when the masonry would need a repair in the coming future. One of the most common problems that most of the homeowners seek for masonry brick wall repair is that cracking and crumbling of single bricks and stones. As this is one of the easiest repair that can be done easily, but it would require professional help while addressing masonry brick wall issue. Each brick or stone in the masonry wall or walkways can be vital both structurally and aesthetically. Building or masonry is one of the cost effective of repairing a crack or crumble. And also it can help the wall in increasing the strength and look of the wall, walkway, and drive way or patio area.

Buy Stainless Steel Wall Ties for your Building

What are the ‘Wall Ties’?

Wall ties are usually referred to as brick ties, which are used in the masonries to fix the cavity walls. These are used to fix or bind the two leaves of a cavity wall together. This allows both the leaves to act to as homogenous unit. Therefore, wall ties play an important role as it ensures the long term stability of the masonry.

Insufficient or improper installation of the wall ties can further lead to the severe structural problems and that includes penetration, cracks in the walls of buildings and even the collapse of the outer masonry leaf. Wall ties are manufactured from materials which are corrosive and fire resistant. This also includes a drip formation that can prevent the passage of water to the inner leaf.

What is a wall tie design?

Since 1920, there are a large number of buildings being build that featured cavity walls. Over the years, the shapes of wall ties have gone under various changes and various materials are being used and these wall ties have now become obsolete, like plastic wall tie, galvanized steel. Before 1978, the wall ties were usually manufactured from galvanized steel. Those wall ties were expected to last a lifetime for the building. But one disadvantage was that it has then been recognized as that these wall ties can corrode after 15-20 years. Wall ties are strips or bars that are now made of steel that are used to fix the cavity internally and externally. Both the ends of wall ties are designed such that it locks tightly in the mortar.

What is the importance of stainless steel wall ties?

Now days, the wall ties are manufactured from stainless steel. Stainless steel wall ties are now available commercially that withstands corrosion from water and cement and it also doesn’t require additional protection. The modern stainless steel wall ties are maintenance free for life and these also reduce the cost of material content and are also valued by the engineers. Stainless steel wall ties are used to limit that risk of exposure to water and also save from the chemical attack from cement.