Cracks on the Walls & What You Need to Do About it

So, you’ve shifted all the furniture back to its place after a long week of whitewashing your house. At first, your house looks clean and new. And while shifting, you take a closer look at the job done by the painters and you find that cracks in the paints. When you notice wall cracks in the walls, it can be due to a cosmetic problem or it could give us a hint towards a serious issue, that is, structural ones. 

How would you identify the cracks in the walls?

A good sign of structural damage in the wall is to look at how long and wide is the wall crack. If the crack goes more than 1.5 inches wide, if the crack appears even after a number of repairs, or you find it difficult to close the windows and doors, then might be a signal towards the structural issues. At this time, it is best that you address this issue to a professional crack wall repair. 

What are the reasons of cracks that appear on the walls?

·         Contraction & Expansion: The materials like paint and plaster the make up the masonry walls contract and expand due to the changes in the humidity and temperature. This situation is common in the rooms that are fully air-conditioned or that faces sun quite a lot. This contraction and expansion can cause hairline cracks to appear. 

·         Low quality paint: If the paints are of low quality, then it results in poor paint adhesion. This causes cracks. Also, if we use different quality of the paints of different coats, then it could also cause cracks on the walls. 

·         Impatience during plasterwork: Most of the times, the workers do not let the cement and plaster dry up and then they apply paint. This is the most common factor that gives rise to cracks. 

·         Poor paint job: Painting an entire may involve a huge amount of work and it would be hectic for an individual to rush through this process. At the time of whitewashing, some of the mistakes like missing out on the layers, not letting the previous paint coat to dry up, all these things can affect the quality of the house. 

If you find any crack developing on the surface of the walls, its better that you identify the type of crack and call for crack wall repair.

Types & Causes of Cracks in Masonry Walls

Most of the types of cracks that appear in the masonry walls can be minor and insignificant in the first look, but after a certain course of time it requires expensive repair and in some cases, the only solution left is total demolition of the masonry wall. The causes of such cracks that appear in the masonry walls can be due to subsidence and settlement. Thus, it is important that one takes an immediate action to get masonry crack repair done as soon as possible to avoid further severe problems. 

Here are some of the major types and causes of Masonry cracks on the walls. 

·         Expansion cracks: The masonry walls are affected by change in the temperature and moisture level. Thus the materials experience sudden shrinkage, contraction or expansion. This results in expansion cracks. Expansive crack allow water into the cavity in brick and thus cause damage to the wall ties. If the crack is minor, then filling the crack with a mastic or sealastic compound is suggested. In case it’s major, then repair masonry crack with an expansion joint.

·         Tie failure: Wall ties are used to hold the inner as well the outer leaves of the cavity walls together. Normally, tie failure appears when the tie rusts. This causes cracks in the masonry walls. In this case, it is recommended to replace the wall ties or in extreme cases, it could result in the collapse of the wall.

·         Subsidence: The cracks caused due to subsidence is the most difficult to repair. Subsidence occurs due to reasons such as mining activity, leaking underground drainage, peak or clay subsoil or due to running sand. These cracks appear at the corner of the upper walls of the room. It requires immediate masonry crack repair and a specialist advice is required.

·         Ground heave: This is similar as the crack caused due to subsidence with a difference that the cracks would be wide at the base of the wall. This is due to the expansion of clayey soil. In the severe cases, the only solution the contractor is left with underpinning and deeper foundations. Alternate option that is available is to remove as much as possible the clayey soil from the foundation and replacing it with the hardcore is advised.

Issues That Arise with Improper Placing of the Brick Ties

Wall ties which are sometimes referred to as brick ties are used at time of construction of the building with cavity walls. The brick ties are used for joining the two leaves of the cavity wall together and that allows the two parts to act as a homogeneous unit. The brick ties are hidden from the view of the construction. Thus, it plays an important role in ensuring the long term durability and stability of the masonry or building.

The brick ties which would be poorly installed or insufficient for the cavity walls would further lead to the extreme structural problems and that includes damp penetration, masonry wall cracks or even the collapse of the outer masonry leaf.

Here are some of the most common issues that arise with the usage of brick ties. Thus, the below article would help you in saving your masonry from collapsing. Go on and have a look!

·      Inaccurate spacing: The contractors place the Brick wall ties or brick ties wherever they find them to be convenient. This results in the attachment of the plywood or OSB sheathing. The contractors should have perfect knowledge regarding the space as in one tie per 2.67 feet of the wall area. Also the numbers can work with 16 or 24 inch of the stud spacing.

·      Poor nailing: In most of the masonries, it has been observed that the brick ties that are installed with the uncoated nails are susceptible to corrosion. While on the other hand the contractors use the roofing nails which do not penetrate the framing deeply. Thus, it is recommended that the contractors should always use at least 2.5 inch of the galvanized nail.

·    Upside-down ties: Most of the installers fasten all the ties in order to start the brick work. At that time, often the corrugated ties get folded. Thus, the ties get lined up.  And this upside-down tie can act as a spring under load. This can make the water slipping from the wall.

Wide gaps: The corrugated brick ties are only stiff enough when there’s at least 1 inch of the airspace in between. However, when the brick layers align on the top of it, it leaves 2 or 2.5 inches of the space. And even if the wall doesn’t fail, the brick then deform under wind load and this causes cracks.

How Would You Find Quality Brick Wall Crack Repairs?

Building your own house is always considered as an economical and smart decision one makes. Over the years the process which is followed to build the masonry wall has changed a lot. The construction of the masonry which is done with stones, bricks and with other useful materials that are used at the time of construction such as granite, rock and stone are regarded as a simple process. 

Masonry made up of bricks offers some of the benefits which are as follows: 

·         Weather resistance: The materials that are used at the time of construction for brick walls such as bricks and stones are very durable. It can even resist in the huge amount of heat and sunshine.

·         Prevention of mold: The home invaders that develop in the masonries such as mold and other materials are prone to have a much difficult time in penetrating the building. Thus, masonry made up of bricks prevents expensive repairs that can cause up because of the moisture.

·         Sound proofing: Masonries that are made up of bricks and stones help in holding in and keeping the sound in a better way than any other material used for construction purposes.

·         Low maintenance cost: As repair of the wall is something that most of the owners may need it at some or the other point of time. But, generally it is uncommon that the masonry made up bricks and rocks is long lasting and durable.

·         Cost effectiveness: The houses or buildings that are built with bricks and stones are really very affordable and at the same time, it offers some of the beautiful and classy results.

·         Increased value: As the time value or age of the building is timeless. The houses or buildings that are constructed with bricks and stones tend up to increase the value of the home than the houses made up of other construction materials. 

As mentioned from the above facts, masonry made up of bricks and stones offer some of the benefits and some of them include durability and long lasting effects. But there would be a time when you would surely need a repair for the masonry. Thus, at this time you would be required to get a professional help so as to get the masonry brick wall repaired. Ignoring the issues would give rise to further problems. Thus, contacting brick wall crack repairers would be great.