Repair cracks in brick walls. Crack in the wall: a threat to the whole house or a small defect Cracks in the brick

Very often, homeowners are faced with cracks in the walls, some of them spread like cobwebs along the putty, but there are also cracks tearing the building. Knowing the true reasons for their appearance, you can stop their growth, and then proceed with the repair and decoration of the house.

Errors during construction, leading to the appearance of cracks in the house

The old private houses were built by the owners, who used the help of relatives and friends. Sometimes they didn’t even have a specific plan, so houses were built without calculations and thoughtlessly upset by extensions. private rooms. Information on how to properly make a foundation or reinforce concrete was also lacking.

Often, some believed that the more iron in the foundation, the better. Such a base was reinforced with anything, up to pieces of tin and any scrap metal. The second common option for building a foundation leading to the appearance of cracks is the complete absence of reinforcement. The foundation of the house was made of brick or wild stone, not taking into account the characteristics of the soil on which they built.

All this led to the fact that many houses began to sink over time, the foundations cracked, and the extensions moved away from each other, forming rather large and dangerous cracks. Some of them appear, but eventually stop growing and do not require strengthening the foundation. To determine the method of correcting a defect, you must first find out whether the crack threatens to collapse the wall or not, and then determine the cause of the crack.

How to determine the type of crack

Cracks are superficial, in which only a layer of plaster cracks, and through, passing through the entire thickness of the wall. To find out the type of damage, it is necessary to establish whether the crack continues to grow or whether it has already settled and does not change in size.

This is determined using glass beacons. A narrow long strip is cut out of thin glass, which is fixed with gypsum at its ends on both sides of the crack. The central part should remain clean and be on top of the crack. It is better to knead the gypsum thicker so that it is easier to glue the glass. Its walls are so smooth that the ends of the glass beacon constantly slide off, so you need to hold it with your hands for a few seconds until the plaster completely hardens.

Signs of determining the depth of cracks:

superficial (retractable cosmetic repairs) - after a month, the glass remains intact. Such a crack has already stopped and is not growing;
destroying the house (requiring major repairs) - the glass burst within a month. The discrepancy continues and it is necessary to look for the causes of this process and urgently eliminate them.

Most common cause the appearance of such cracks is a violation of the integrity of the foundation and subsidence of the soil. Destruction occurs with loose soil or a small area of \u200b\u200bthe foundation, not designed for the weight of the walls. Sometimes the foundation is blurred groundwater. If you do not restore the strength and integrity of the foundation and do not exclude its further subsidence, it will be impossible to repair the cracked wall. No matter how many times it is plastered and no matter how it is strengthened, the crack will appear again.

We remove cracks in the house that can destroy it

You can strengthen the foundation different ways, but the most reliable is to make it whole again with the help of proper reinforcement and an increase in the area of \u200b\u200bsupport on the ground. To achieve this, you need to dig a trench close to the foundation, about one and a half meters long and 40-50 cm wide. The depth should be about 40 cm below the foundation, but not less than to the freezing point.

Then we remove the soil from under the foundation, to the level of the bottom of the trench. This will allow concrete to spill under the old base and increase its area by almost half, while reducing the load on the ground by the same amount.

We reinforce this space with reinforcement rods with a thickness of at least 14 mm, laying them horizontally along the foundation and sticking the ends into both sides of the trench by at least 20 cm. There should be six or more such rods. Two rods at the very bottom, two in the middle and two on top. Such an arrangement of reinforcement in the foundation makes it work not for bending, but for breaking, which is ten times more effective.

We drill holes in the foundation to drive pieces of reinforcement into them and weld them with the rods laid earlier. Then we fill this trench with concrete, making sure that the solution fills the void under the foundation well. Ideally, it is recommended to use a vibrator for this, but if this is not possible, you should vibrate the concrete well by hand using a long rail.

There are several such trenches under the wall, the number is determined by the distance. The gap between the trenches should be about two meters. After the concrete has set (usually two weeks are enough for this), you can start digging the same trenches between the resulting new foundation blocks.

By pulling out the following trenches, you will free the ends of the reinforcement rods (which were previously driven into the ground by 20 cm) and will be able to connect the individual blocks of the new foundation together into a solid reinforcement belt using welding and two-meter pieces of rods.

After pouring all the trenches with concrete, a strong new foundation will be obtained with an increased area of \u200b\u200bsupport on the ground and tightly connected to the old foundation. Now you can safely proceed to repair the crack itself, since the new reinforced foundation will not allow more wall diverge.

To repair a crack, first of all, it is necessary to clean its edges from such parts of the wall and plaster that are barely holding on. Then it must be filled with some kind of mortar, the choice of which depends on the width of the crack and the building material from which the wall is made.

If the crack is small, the most in a simple way it will be filled with mounting foam, followed by plaster and putty. When the crack is large, the hole is filled with the material from which the damaged wall is composed, with further finishing.

The most difficult repair is a crack on the wall, which is lined with finishing bricks. Before laying, broken bricks are knocked out, and new ones are put in their place, adjusting according to the masonry pattern.

Cosmetic repair of cracks on the walls

If the glass beacon has shown that the crack is no longer expanding, there is no need for such a complex repair. It is enough just to produce cosmetic.

To do this, the crack must be processed, removing all the pieces that do not hold well, and filling it in, as described above. When the hole is closed, the surface is plastered and puttied. In this case, it is recommended to use a construction mesh for plastering.

The mesh must be glued onto the crack so that its edges extend ten centimeters beyond the sides of the crack, and only then plaster this place. The mesh will create additional reinforcement and prevent the appearance of new microcracks from material shrinkage.

Also, when repairing a house, you sometimes have to deal with microcracks that appear on normal and well-fortified walls due to thermal expansion. This is usually due to the fact that a reinforcing mesh was not used during their puttying. It is best to completely putty such walls, reinforcing them with a mesh. This will ensure that microcracks will not appear in the future. But if this is not possible in this moment, you can use elastic putty mixtures to repair such defects.

Do not try to fill large cracks with mounting foam or other materials, as you will accelerate its expansion. Through cracks are the most dangerous and their strong divergence leads to the collapse of floor slabs. This method can only be used temporarily to survive the cold season, during which overhaul make it difficult.

A common problem is the cracks in a brick house, which occur due to different reasons. Proper sealing of cracks in brick walls allows not only to externally cover up the cracked area on the wall, but also to prevent the recurrence of the problem. A gap can form on the load-bearing wall, which is the most dangerous, especially in a multi-storey building.

Why it happens: the main reasons

If a brick wall cracked, then you need to find out what are the sources of the violation. Brick laying often cracks on the front side, which may be due to improperly selected mortar or decorative tiles, violated work technology when facing the facade of the building. Cracked brick walls outside often explained by variable climatic conditions, in which severe frosts are replaced by hot days, as a result of which the foundation does not withstand.

If horizontal or vertical cracks in the brickwork are not repaired and corrected in time and correctly, then the collapse of the entire structure is possible.
Permanent sources
If a brick load-bearing wall bursts, then the reason may lie in improper shrinkage high-rise building, which is associated with different pressure at the corners of the building on the foundation. This happens in situations where one wall is completely blank from silicate brick, and the second glazed. There are other constant factors affecting the appearance of cracks:

A defect in the wall may appear when the house is close to the highway, along which heavy vehicles often travel.
External influence, in which water is pumped out, pits are dug and other manipulations are performed, leading to subsidence of the foundation.
Specific effect of heaving type soil. When it freezes, an uneven rise is noted, and when it thaws, the foundation shrinks unevenly on all sides.
mechanical factors. When the amount of reinforcement is reduced or absent expansion joints and gaps, then the masonry or facing brick is cracking.
Impacts of dynamic type. These include works technical equipment which are held near multi-storey buildings. It is also possible for cracks to appear in brick walls with a close location of the route, along which heavy vehicles regularly move.

Temporary
The appearance of such cracks in brick house associated with the influence of such factors:
natural deformation processes during structural shrinkage at the end of construction;
temporary load on the surface located next to the housing;
deviations in the construction of walls, for example, when connecting an old and a new building, in which improper brickwork occurs;
brick wear during prolonged use due to high humidity.

How dangerous?

To track the dynamics of the crack, paper-controllers are glued to it.
If burst multi-storey building And repair work were not carried out on time, then the crack is dangerous with a large discrepancy. To determine the level of danger, it is necessary to position the control latch, observing the state of the seam. If it is difficult to deal with the problem of damage to brick walls yourself, then the masters are called. The specialist has special plate-type beacons, which are registered with the supervisory authorities. If it is impossible to call the wizard, perform the following actions:
In the place where the brick bursts, a paper strip is glued, indicating the date of its fixation.
A small horizontal strip is made with cement mortar on top of the crack that has appeared.

Regularly check the status of the control beacon. Sometimes it remains unchanged even after 2-3 months. It takes an average of a year to fully assess the condition of a brick wall. How dangerous a crack is shows damage to the controller. When it breaks, it is necessary to pull the walls brick house applying technical solutions.
If the control beacon remained unharmed, then you should not worry and it will be enough just to hide the defect by covering the seams with plaster.

Elimination of external cracks
Such types of damage in masonry occur frequently and require the following actions:

Reinforced mesh is used to fix the external crack.
The place where the brick cracked is thoroughly cleaned of plaster and dirt.
The wall is primed with a deep penetration solution and a putty mesh is glued.
Impose a special reinforced putty for external work. When choosing ordinary material the crack may soon reappear after a few weather exposures.

If deep cracks went not only on facing brick, but also on masonry, more drastic measures are required. Sometimes it is required to reinforce the foundation with reinforcement. Major elimination of cracks in brick walls is carried out as follows:
All plaster is cleaned and a special metal mesh is attached, which is fixed with bolts.
A solution of cement and sand is applied over the grid, while the plaster layer should be like the previous one so that there are no drops.

With such a problem as cracks in the walls, many owners of brick country houses. Of course, such defects should be eliminated as soon as possible. Cracks in the walls not only spoil appearance at home, but also provide Negative influence on his performance characteristics. Moreover, such defects in some cases can even lead to the collapse of the building.

Step-by-step instruction

Cracks in brick walls are usually repaired in several stages. To eliminate such a defect, you need:

determine the nature of its occurrence;
to eliminate the identified shortcomings in order to prevent the expansion of the crack;
carry out a control check;
depending on the width of the crack and its nature, choose a method for its elimination.

Actually, there are several ways to terminate:

using cement mortar;
using polyurethane foam;
by replacing the damaged section of the masonry.

The main causes of the defect

What and how to fix cracks in the house? The answer to this question depends on many factors. Before proceeding with the elimination of such a defect, of course, you need to find out why, in fact, it could appear. Most often, cracks are the result of non-compliance with construction technology. This may be, for example, an incorrectly selected type of foundation or roof structure, different kind technology violations during masonry, etc. Also, cracks in the walls often appear:

as a result of incorrect redistribution of the load on the walls (when building a building or when it is redevelopment);
due to temperature deformations;
when laying engineering communications under the foundation
during construction ground floor under an already built building without strengthening the foundation;
due to wear and tear of the material.

Sometimes cracks can occur due to sinking under a building. This often happens, for example, due to the redistribution of groundwater.

According to the regulations, the repair of cracks in brick walls should be carried out only after the identified cause of their occurrence has been eliminated. That is, if necessary, you must first strengthen the foundation, tie the wall with metal locks, increase it bearing capacity etc. In any case, it is allowed to close up only those cracks that have already stopped expanding.

How to determine the stability of a defect

It is not difficult to find out that the crack has stopped spreading. To do this, you just need to stick a few beacon pieces of paper across it. If they do not break in about a couple of weeks, then the cracking has stopped. Sticking papers is easiest on PVA. You can also use glue "Moment".

How to close a crack in a brick wall at home: the choice of technique

As soon as the problem that caused the appearance of the crack is resolved, you can proceed to the actual implementation of the termination work. In brick walls, this procedure is usually performed:

using cement mortar;
using mounting foam.

With use, you can easily remove a blind crack from the wall. usually finished with a rather thick layer of plaster. It is in it that such defects most often appear. cement mortar, as well as can be used for sealing including through cracks. The use of these materials, however, is allowed only if the size of such a crack does not exceed 10.1 mm. If this figure is greater, the damaged area of \u200b\u200bthe masonry will have to be disassembled.

with your own hands, if it is blind

Such defects occur in the plaster, usually after it has dried due to a violation of the application technology, as well as as a result of aging of the material, etc. In any case, it will not be difficult to eliminate a non-through crack on your own.

The methods and procedure for sealing cracks in brick walls (non-through) depend on what exactly the defect is. Very often, for example, the so-called "cobwebs" appear on the plastered surface, that is, a network of small cracks. To get rid of this defect, you must first clean off the problem area completely. The easiest way to do this is with a narrow metal spatula. After the collapsed plaster has been removed, you can proceed to finish the site with a new layer of gypsum or cement-sand mixture. Before applying it, the brickwork should be cleaned of dust and moistened with water using a broom.

Sometimes large cracks appear in the plaster. Such defects usually occur in the area of \u200b\u200bwindows and doors. Most often, their appearance is caused by home movements. To eliminate such defects, they must first be expanded. To do this, you can use a chisel or any other tool suitable for such work. Next, the crack should be thoroughly cleaned of dust and dirt. The easiest way to do this is with a regular household vacuum cleaner.

After the crack is cleared, its inner surface must be wetted with water using a spray gun. Cement mortar for embedding is prepared in a ratio of 1:3. You can also purchase a special dry mix at the store. The crack should be overfilled with mortar. In the end, he should close it completely and even protrude a little beyond. A reinforcing mesh tape must be pressed into the still fresh solution (along the entire length of the crack). After a few minutes, a little more solution must be applied to the wall. Ultimately, the tape should be completely covered with the mixture. After the solution has dried, the repaired area should be treated with a special grater.

Filling narrow through cracks in masonry with concrete mix

The solution in this case must be made on the basis of high-grade cement (preferably M400). As a plasticizer for cracks up to 5 mm wide, it is usually used river sand. Of course, before starting work, it must be sieved. If the crack width exceeds 5 mm, a little fine quarry sand should be added to the mixture. In order for such a procedure as sealing cracks in brick walls with your own hands to be successful, before using concrete mix it is desirable to drive metal T-shaped anchors into the cavity (with fixation on dowels).

Also, additional reinforcement can be done using a special metal lock(thick plate). The latter is fixed across the crack on the anchor. Install the lock in the course of the development of the defect. If the crack expands from the bottom up, the plate is applied closer to the overlap. Sometimes the wall is strengthened with ordinary steel brackets. The latter must be driven into it by at least half the thickness.

Actually, the very answer to the question of how to repair a crack in a brick wall of a house is, in fact, given above. This procedure is performed approximately according to the same technology as when adjusting the plaster. That is, first, the crack is expanded and cleaned. Then its cavity is moistened with water from a spray bottle. The crack is then filled with cement mortar.

Using mounting foam

This material will also help answer the question of how to close a crack in a brick wall at home. However, foam must be used with caution. When using it, one should always keep in mind that, by expanding, it is able to increase the crack. Therefore, foam should be applied in small quantities. In the future, in the right places, it can simply be added.

After the foam is completely dry, it should be stripped. First outward excess material just cut off sharp knife. Then the foam is cleaned along the crack to a depth of several millimeters. This is necessary so that the plaster layer applied on top lies as firmly as possible and does not subsequently crumble. To further strengthen the finish in this case, it is also advisable to use a mesh tape.

How to close a wide crack

So, let's find out how to fix a crack in a brick wall of a house, if it is not too big. Defects with a width of more than 10.1 mm, as already mentioned, can only be eliminated by disassembling the masonry. This procedure should be carried out as carefully as possible. Start dismantling the masonry exclusively from the top row. You can't knock bricks out of the wall.

Replacement of a new brickwork It is made according to the principle of "lock" with dressing of seams. It uses reinforcing metal plates. The latter should cover the gap completely. Instead of plates, you can use ordinary thick reinforcement.

Instead of a conclusion

Thus, we have figured out how to repair a crack in a brick wall of a house. The methods described in the article are suitable both for residential buildings and for household or industrial buildings. The main thing when eliminating such defects is to strictly adhere to required technology. In this case, the crack will never reappear, and the wall itself will perform its functions as efficiently as possible.

She is blown into the split with a pistol. It is not necessary to fill the gap completely, as the foam expands during the solidification process.
After a few hours, cut off with a sharp knife or spatula what is left above the surface. This should be done not flush with the wall, but to a depth of 2-3 mm.
Mounting foam is destroyed by ultraviolet radiation, so it must be primed and plastered.

Such a defect is considered small and is also used to eliminate it. silicone sealants. They are not afraid of temperature changes and high humidity. The excess is removed with a spatula until it hardens. The disadvantage of the material is that it cannot be finished.

In some instructions, it is advised to lay a metal mesh with 5 * 5 mm cells on a cemented split. Holes for dowels are made along the damage and the mesh is fixed with screws. Then it is plastered.

Seal openings larger than 1 cm

Damage greater than 10 mm is considered serious and plaster alone is indispensable.

Sequencing:

the damaged part of the wall must be disassembled, always start from the top row;
the surface is well cleaned;
then the masonry is reassembled using the "brick lock" method;
metal strips and reinforcement are added to it to bridge the split.

If it is impossible to dismantle damaged bricks, another technology is used.

The fracture site is cleaned with a scarpel or brush, moistened.
Then the cement-sand mixture is poured into it to the full depth.
Throughout the fault, several T-shaped anchors are mounted and fixed with dowels.

The third way is the use of polyurethane foam. The algorithm is similar to that described above: cleaning the surface, blowing foam (only half the gap), cutting off excess, priming, and.

crack in bearing wall brick house is eliminated by the methods given above if it does not increase. If the test with beacons showed the progression of the defect, first correct the violations in the source of the problem - the foundation, extensions, ceilings.

The through gap is sealed with cement plaster. To cover a large fault, small fragments of bricks or medium-sized gravel are added to it. Such a surface must subsequently be additionally fixed. Reinforcing mesh will not be enough for this.

How to strengthen brick walls

It is supposed to strengthen the masonry from the inside of the building and from the outside. First, work is done to eliminate the fault. Then metal plates are laid across it, the so-called "lock". It is mounted to the surface with anchors. Repairs can be done with staples. Holes are drilled under them with a depth of at least ½ of the thickness of the wall. If the defect appeared due to the foundation of the house, it is also better to strengthen it.

You can put the structure into operation after a day, but you can’t load it too much.

How to strengthen the foundation of a building

The sequence of actions is as follows.

Creation of a ditch around the perimeter of the entire structure. Its depth must be more depth foundation.
Soil is dug out from under the first base so that the concrete falls under it.
Reinforcement and pouring of the concrete belt. Reinforcement rods are stuck into the walls of the ditch by 15-20 cm. In the old foundation, you need to drill holes for the reinforcement and weld it with the rods.

After sealing large cracks, the condition of the repaired surface is regularly monitored for several months. In the video - an algorithm for restoring cracked masonry using reinforcement.