What to do if there is a crack in the house. How and how to repair cracks in the walls of a brick house: causes and repairs

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 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?” The degree of danger can be determined by the size of the resulting depression.

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

If, on the contrary, the building is too “ancient”, then this may indicate that it is dilapidated, worn out, and it is time to assign 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 on the wall of an apartment is an alarming symptom that indicates the tense state of the enclosing structures. 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 for this may be different, but they are usually associated with 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, you need to determine the type of crack, its direction, opening width, and outline.

Crack direction:

• Vertical crack in the apartment wall;
• Sloping crack in an apartment wall;
• Horizontal crack on the wall in an apartment.

By outline:

• Curvilinear;
• Closed;
• Direct.

By depth:

• Superficial;
• Through.

Reasons for appearance:

• Building shrinkage;
• Foundation deformation;
• Temperature;
• Due to wear and tear of the building;
• Weathering of walls.

For example, when soils are compressed unevenly, inclined cracks appear. There may be various reasons for this:

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

Vertical cracks can occur if:

• Freezing of the soil, followed by thawing, can cause the building to “walk” and cause cracks, both inclined and vertical;
• Overloading the walls due to the superstructure can lead to crushing of the masonry. The result is very dangerous vertical cracks that can destroy walls.

The appearance of horizontal cracks is serious:

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

A crack appeared on the wall in the apartment. What to do?

How dangerous a particular crack is can be eloquently demonstrated not only by its location and direction, but also by its behavior. Before repairing a crack in an apartment wall, 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 quickly as possible and contact specialists. If a crack appears in the wall in an apartment, the question: “what should I do?” can be provided by construction experts. It is best to contact them, as well as housing inspection. It may be necessary to draw up a statement that clearly states who is at fault and who is obligated to take on financial obligations to correct the deficiencies. For example, the neighbors above, violating all the rules of redevelopment, removed the load-bearing wall, and your wall in your apartment is cracked, where should you go? It is clear that it is not you who should pay for the repair of cracks in the wall in your apartment. By the way, with fairly distinct depressions, repairing cracks in the wall of an apartment yourself is extremely undesirable. After all, this is how you can disguise serious problem, which can have extremely adverse long-term consequences.

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

If serious cracks appear in the wall of an apartment, where should you go, other than the housing and communal services department? Experts must diagnose the resulting depression and eliminate the deficiencies. If this measure, for some reason, turns out to be insufficient, then the owner has the right to appeal to an interdepartmental commission to recognize the premises as unsafe. The commission should draw up expert opinion, which stipulates the further possibility or impossibility of using the premises. Now, in case of a deep crack in the wall of your apartment, you already know where to go. But what to do if the naked eye can see that there is nothing serious. How to repair cracks in the wall of an apartment at home without outside help?

If a wall in an apartment is cracked, where should you go if contacting the housing and communal services does not bring results?

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

We figure out how to repair cracks in the wall of an apartment at home yourself

If you had a nightmare in which you started repairing cracks in the wall in your 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 a search engine: dream book crack in the wall of the apartment.

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

But first you need to clear the problem area right down to the slab or brick, then wipe it with a damp cloth and let it dry thoroughly. It is worth considering that sealing cracks near electrical outlets in the walls of an apartment requires special care. Make sure the wiring is not damaged. If necessary, move the electrical outlet. By the way, before sealing problem cracked areas near electrical outlets it is necessary to de-energize the room. Don't forget about alternative lighting, because it may get dark before you have time to finish your work.

How to repair a crack in a wall in an apartment?

It all depends on the size of the resulting cracked cavity. If the depressions are very small, less than a millimeter, then you can get by with primer and putty. If it’s a little more, up to three to five millimeters, then you’ll also need cement mortar. The sealant is also a wonderful product; it is injected into the recess using a special gun. The best option for cracked problem areas is fiberglass. It is glued to the wall using a special glue on a primed dry base, then 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 an 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 more efficiently. best result it will be resolved.

By the way, these same problems are easily detected when the old wallpaper is removed. It was already mentioned above what material is best 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 needs to be cleared, deepened and widened at an angle of forty-five degrees. Then prime. A sealant is good for sealing here, since when it dries it takes on a slightly rubbery consistency. The sealant must be placed in the seam, and the excess must be removed with a spatula. You can use cement mortar instead of sealant. Before laying it in the gap, it must be moistened with water.

Plasterboard wall

Although drywall is considered universal material, but during operation, cracks may also appear on it. The sheets of drywall themselves are just a material, not a structure. They are mounted in the desired design position using a frame or glue. Problems usually arise due to a base that was not installed correctly or due to a defect in the sheets themselves.

If the builders made mistakes when installing the frame, then cracks may appear throughout plasterboard wall. This problem can be eliminated only after dismantling several sheets or even the frame.

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

Concrete wall

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

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

What to do if a wall with ceramic tiles is cracked?

It is not necessary that 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 tile. What to do in such cases?

1. We remove cracked tiles. To do this, break it into small parts with a heavy metal tool, a hammer with a chisel or a hammer drill with a lance;
2. Next, remove all fragments and clean the surface. After this, you need to vacuum the area cleared of tiles and repair the crack in the wall using the appropriate method described above;
3. Then we put new tiles onto the glue using spacer crosses.

A crack in an apartment is not a reason to panic. The main thing here is not to get lost, but to start acting. Either independently, or, if you are not confident in your abilities, with the help of specialists. Moreover, all this can be solved. It’s worse when a crack occurs in relationships with loved ones. After all, according to the dream book, it is not in vain that one dreams of a crack in the wall of an apartment. This means that some important component of your life is coming apart at the seams. This is a reason to think about your life.

You already know how to repair cracks in an apartment wall. So there is nothing to fear here. You will succeed.

Sooner or later, almost every property owner is faced with such an unpleasant thing as the discovery of a crack. And the reasons for this can be very diverse. This article will talk about repairing cracks in the walls of a house.

Preventing cracks in the walls of a new home

The appearance of cracks on the surface of the walls does not bode well. IN best case scenario you will have to do the finishing work again, and you don’t even want to think about the worst options. However, it is difficult for the average person to assess the level of threat, so it is worth resorting to the services of specialized organizations that will carry out design and survey work. The result will be an act that will indicate the reasons for the appearance of these defects, the dynamics of development, a conclusion about the hazard class, as well as recommendations (design solution) for their elimination.

Most residents, seeing cracks, begin to sound the alarm and contact housing companies and other similar services. Upon arrival of specialists, it turns out that the cracks were formed due to temperature changes, low-quality finishing materials or their natural wear and tear. However, in such situations, finding out the origin of the various depressions and sizes of the crevices will not be superfluous.

General information

• It should be remembered that any building construction must meet the relevant standards, a number of important requirements. When a structure ceases to resist operational loads, it begins to collapse. This state is called limiting. The resulting damage does not allow further operation of the building.
• Therefore, if any element of a structure (foundation, floors, walls) ceases to meet certain standards and rules, it means that it has reached a limiting state. As a result, signs of wear begin to appear, namely cracks of various shapes and sizes. And the larger they are, the wider the depth of opening, the more dangerous they are.

• But the appearance of small cracks, the so-called cobwebs, in new buildings does not pose any danger. After all, the reason for this is the natural subsidence of the building. After 3-6 months, new microcracks stop appearing, and old ones stop expanding.
• The progression of cracks should alert you; this indicates the beginning of structural destruction. Here measures should be taken to eliminate the cause of destruction.

Cracks in the walls of wooden houses

• Concerning wooden buildings, then cracks often occur under the influence of moisture preserved in inner layers timber or logs. Their formation can be minimized by compensatory cutting, which is performed along the entire length of the lumber with a depth of no more than 1/5 of the log diameter.

• In cases where large cracks have formed in an exploited building, there is no need to panic. Such defects are harmless and do not in any way affect the user properties of the walls. To be convinced of this, just look at the log cabins riddled with cracks in remote villages that have stood there for several decades.
• Therefore, sealing cracks in wooden houses is carried out only for aesthetics. The materials used are different, but, unfortunately, none of them have a long service life:
  • sealant cannot provide long-term adhesion to wood. This seal will last no more than 2-3 seasons. But after peeling off, you can apply a new layer on top of the old one, but again it will last for a couple of years;

• Polyethylene foam bundles are designed for interior spaces, therefore their use is inappropriate;
• any solid compositions are also not suitable for this type of building. The tree constantly absorbs and releases moisture back, changing its size depending on the time of year. This is why any sealing material peels off
• the best option for sealing cracks in wooden surfaces carried out by caulking with moss or flax-hemp braids.

Why do cracks form in the walls of a brick house?

The appearance of this kind of defect on walls made of brick, foam blocks or aerated concrete can be influenced by various reasons, the most common are:

• violation of the masonry process (thickened horizontal seams, lack of dressing and reinforcement);
• poor-quality material and/or incorrectly mixed solution (violation of proportions when mixing, that is, by eye);
• use of building materials for other purposes (for example, a silicate product cannot be used in rooms with high humidity);
• combining materials with different characteristics (the combination of clay bricks and cinder blocks is unacceptable);
• uneven shrinkage of the foundation.

Formation of cracks in reinforced concrete structures occurs due to the following factors:

• non-compliance with concrete pouring technology (low vibration, quick drying, error in the recipe when mixing the concrete solution);
• mechanical deformations, external load (lack of expansion joints and skipping or reducing the amount of reinforcement);
• uneven settlement of the base.

Cracks in the wall what to do

Cracks can be patched in different ways; their opening will be determined by the choice of material.

• If the depth of the crack is small, then it is plastered with sand-cement mortar, with the addition of PVA glue or cement putty for external use. Of course, the previously damaged area and the adjacent part of the wall must be cleaned of crumbling fragments, dusted, treated with a primer, and reinforcing tape applied.

• A medium-sized crack is sealed using metal mesh. Here, all cracked coating is removed and must be primed. Next, holes are drilled for the dowels in increments of 25-30 cm. A mesh with 5x5 cm cells is attached to the surface using screws with wide washers. If the emergency area is large and it is necessary to lay another strip of reinforcing material, then this is done with an overlap (at least 10 cm). Plaster mortar based on cement, it is pressed into the mesh so that it is attached to the wall. After light leveling, you need to wait until it dries completely, and only then apply the next finishing layer.
• You can also use polyurethane foam- the gap is foamed, after drying, the remains are cut off, and then finishing materials are applied (plaster, painting, etc.).

Drastic methods for eliminating a crack in the wall of a house

Determining whether a crack is progressing is quite simple. To do this, take paper strips that are glued across the crack in several places (top, bottom and middle). Then everything is simple, if the paper is torn, then it is accordingly necessary to identify and eliminate the causes of this defect.

Tip: a gypsum plate can also act as a beacon. You can take plastic (glass) elements that fit tightly together and are attached on opposite sides of the crack. Once every 7-10 days, the beacons are inspected, data is recorded and compared with the original records. Their displacement or deformation signals the development (expansion) of the gap.

Anchor installation

• You can stop the “spreading” of large cracks with a wide opening using an anchor (channel). First, the plaster is knocked down to the length of the metal plate; if this parameter is 1 meter, then the area is cleaned 50 cm on each side of the gap. The depth of the groove must correspond to the thickness of the metal.
• Depending on the thickness of the wall, the material from which it is made, as well as its condition, fastening is carried out using dowels, anchor bolts or long bolts and nuts. In the latter case, the wall is drilled through.

• The crack and grooves are cleaned and filled with polyurethane foam. The anchor is inserted into the recess and secured with hardware. It is better to install the tightening system in 3 places, stepping back a little from the beginning and end of the gap, and in the middle. Then the reinforcing material is installed and the emergency area is plastered.
• Instead of plates, staples will do. You can prepare them yourself; to do this, take reinforcement of the required length; you must take into account the bending of both ends of the metal by approximately 15-20 cm.
• Grooves are prepared across the crack in several places so that the metal bracket sits a little deeper in relation to the surface. For example, if the cross-section of the reinforcement is 10 mm, then the depth of the groove should be 13-15 mm.
• Holes for the ends of the workpiece are drilled with the appropriate diameter and equal to its length. You should not hammer a bracket into a wall, as this may cause a crack to widen or cause destruction of the area adjacent to it.
• Next, standard manipulations are performed: cleaning, priming, reinforcement, plastering.

Diagnosis of cracks by specialists

• If the manipulations carried out did not lead to a positive result (cracks expand or appear in other areas), then the time has come to correct the mistakes made during the construction of the structure.
• To do this, you should contact a specialized company that will conduct research and offer optimal solution this difficult issue. Specialists will prepare a restoration project structural elements building.

The result will depend on the violations detected during the construction process:

• dismantling the emergency wall and relaying brick and block rows;
• performance monolithic design- reinforcing belt;
• strengthening of supports or their complete replacement;
• restoration of the blind area;
• lengthening the load-bearing wall and strengthening the piers.

How to repair a crack in a wall inside a house

There are many factors that influence the appearance of different “caliber” of cracks and cracks on the walls and ceilings of a room:

• natural shrinkage of the house, violation of construction technology;
• low-quality materials or their incompatibility, improper application;
• unfavorable operating conditions ( high humidity, temperature changes).

Before you begin to eliminate cracks, it is necessary to identify and correct the reason why the surface is cracking. Otherwise, all the efforts and money spent will not be worth it.

Drywall

• Small cracks are more likely to appear on such material. The cobwebs indicate that a thick layer of putty may have been applied. Another reason is violation temperature regime Thus, many people artificially pump up heat (with guns, hair dryers or heaters) to dry the surface faster. You definitely can't do that finishing material should dry, not harden.
• Such defects in the horizontal or vertical direction often occur at the joints of sheets. There are two sources of their formation:
  • weakened frame;
  • absence of serpyanka on the seams.

Correction

You can get rid of the defect only by removing the damaged layer and applying a thinner one, not exceeding 2 mm. If there is a need for another coating of the surface, then you must first wait until the applied material has completely dried, and only then proceed with applying the next layer.

If the problem is in the metal structure underneath the drywall, then deeper cracks cannot be repaired. But when the base is securely fixed to the wall renovation work are produced as follows:

• - cracks are deepened using a sharp knife at an angle of 45°, a kind of groove is made;
• - the furrow is filled with a small amount of mixture intended specifically for these purposes;
• - a serpyanka tape is “glued” on top and the surface is leveled.

Plastered walls

Often the sources of such damage are incorrect application of the material or improper proportions when mixing the dry mixture with water. Of course, there are more serious reasons that cause surface cracking, but this was discussed above.

Correction

• The ideal material for masking an imperfect surface is fiberglass. It will hide existing cracks, prevent new ones from forming and old ones from expanding. Before work, it is enough to fill only particularly deep recesses with putty and treat the wall with a primer deep penetration.
• You can completely remove the peeling plaster, after which the surface is primed and puttied. Before work, carefully read the information on the packaging regarding dilution proportions, as well as the recommended thickness of the material layer.

Conclusion

Almost all cracks that form in the walls of a house are due to the lack of proper supervision, low qualifications of workers and, consequently, poor quality work. Therefore, it is very important when constructing buildings for any purpose to follow all technical conditions, norms and rules. And:

• take into account soil properties;
• calculate the safety factor of load-bearing structures;
• use high quality building materials.

Before you cover up a crack in the wall of a house yourself, you need to make sure that it does not affect the strength of the entire structure and does not pose a threat. And to avoid such a problem, it is better to entrust construction to licensed contractors, to whom, based on the contract, you can make claims for poorly performed work.

During a major or cosmetic repairs It is very useful to know how to repair a crack in a wall, because without rough preparation, further work is useless. Even a small crack requires special attention, since it will increase over time, which will entail serious consequences. When starting to eliminate a crack, it is important to take into account its width and depth, the material of the wall, since the methods and tools used in each individual case may differ. In addition, after eliminating the defect, the restored surface must be properly cared for.

Required tools and materials

To seal cracks you will need the following material:

• wood glue in the consistency of thin sour cream, mixed with tooth powder or chalk chips;
• strips of cotton fabric, gauze, medical bandage, soaked in PVA glue (they can be replaced with fiberglass tape);
• cement mortar mixed with paint prevents moisture penetration;
• lime-cement mortar reinforced with mesh;
• sandpaper for grouting;
• primer;
• sealant;
• putty mixture;
• polyurethane foam;
• plaster for finishing.

Preparation of cement mortar for sealing gaps, cracks, seams

Tools you will need:

1. brush;
2. brush;
3. putty knife;
4. construction mixer;
5. foam sponge;
6. gun for sealant and polyurethane foam.

In some cases, the work will additionally require a hammer, chisel and a hammer drill with attachments.

How to repair a crack: types of mixtures

In order to choose what to cover cracks in the wall with, you need to take into account the features of the coating:

How to dilute the solution yourself

Cracks in walls can occur both outside and inside the building. Therefore, there are two main types of mortar - plaster for exterior and plaster for interior work.

I. Mortar for sealing cracks outside the building

Restoring the integrity of the surface of the walls outside the building is carried out using cement mortar plaster. It is prepared as follows: use cement and sand in a ratio of 1 to 3, add PVA glue, dilute with water to a medium-thick consistency. You can use ready-made dry solutions, which just need to be diluted with water in the ratio indicated on the package.

II. Interior solution

For interior work, lime mortar is used: lime and sand are mixed in a ratio of 1 to 4, diluted with water. The consistency should be such that when thrown onto the wall, the mixture forms a dense “pancake” and not a lump.

Using polyurethane foam

Large gaps in walls, for example, made of brickwork, can be sealed using polyurethane foam. The gap is first cleared of debris, filled with primer, then foam. When the polyurethane foam “sets,” it is cut to a depth of about 20 mm, and cement mortar or adhesive is placed in this gap.

Foam is also used to seal through gaps in temporary buildings.

What nuances do you need to know when using polyurethane foam to repair cracks?

When working with polyurethane foam, you should remember that too much of it leads to an increase in the crack, and its remains should not stick out out of the gap. It is added not as a single filling, but in stages, for those areas where it is not enough. Excess foam is cut off, the gap is waterproofed, the outside is covered with cement mortar, and the inside is plastered.

Foaming large gap between wall and ceiling

Crack sealing method

Repairing cracks in walls is carried out different methods, depending on the type of surface. Let's consider the details of eliminating gaps on surfaces made of various materials.

In brickwork

Sealing cracks in brick walls carried out in different ways, depending on the size of the damage. If the width of the defect is up to 5 mm, you can get rid of it using cement mortar or regular tile adhesive. The gap is widened with a spatula or hammer and cleaned of dirt. The gap is treated with a primer, then filled with cement or adhesive mortar.

To eliminate cracks 10-15 mm wide, a cement-based solution is also used, but with the addition of fine sand. Sickle tape is glued over the repaired area and putty is applied.

In a plastered wall

Plaster can crack both outside and inside the house. In any case, the restoration procedure begins with widening the cracks and deepening them with a spatula or a sharp knife. Next, the gap is cleaned of contaminants and primed with a deep penetration solution. When the primer has dried, place it inside the gap. plaster mixture to its entire depth. Without waiting for the solution to dry, reinforcing tape is glued over the crack and covered with plaster. For repairs, it is recommended to use a gypsum mixture.

When the plaster layer dries, it is rubbed with sandpaper for complete leveling.

On sheets of drywall

Cracks in drywall may appear due to too thick a layer of applied plaster or a violation of the thermal regime when it dries. Vertical and horizontal cracks occur at the joints between sheets due to weakening of the metal frame of the wall or the absence of reinforcing tape.

In the first case, the cracks form a “web”. To get rid of it, you need to remove the damaged layer of plaster and apply a new one, but no more than 2 mm thick. Each layer of plaster must dry thoroughly.

In the second case, you need to carry out a number of actions:

1. Use a sharp knife to widen the cracks at a 45-degree angle.
2. fill the gaps gypsum mortar.
3. Apply reinforcing tape over the filled crack.
4. The surface is leveled with plaster and sanded with an abrasive mesh before applying a decorative coating.

In a concrete wall

For filling gaps on concrete walls ah use cement mortar. The surface is prepared, cleaned of dirt, and residues are removed. old plaster, then the cracks are carefully filled with solution. Experts often recommend that before filling a gap with cement mortar, lubricate its internal cavity with PVA glue.

In case of large defects and through cracks, the cracks are filled with mounting foam, sealed from the inside with gypsum mortar, and from the outside - cement-sand plaster. Defects less than 5 mm wide can be sealed with sealant.

What to do if the crack is long and deep

How to repair a crack in a wall if it is deep? Slots wider than 15 mm are considered dangerous because... may cause wall destruction. If such gaps appear on brickwork, the defective area is dismantled and replaced with new masonry. In this case, the bricks are laid in a special, interlocking way, strengthening the rows with pieces of reinforcement.

New masonry will help such a crack

You can protect the wall from destruction due to significant cracks by installing lintels or making metal reinforcement. This method is effective for monolithic concrete walls: metal corners They are tightened with long bolts; sometimes it is necessary to install reinforcing belts along the entire perimeter of the room or building. The reinforcing belt is installed before sealing a crack in the wall - under the roof, above the foundation, sometimes in several rows.

Such a crack should be sealed with foam, cement, reinforced with a reinforcing belt

A wide and deep gap in drywall can be filled with gypsum plaster

How long does it take for the solution to dry?

Proceed to finishing walls can be used only after complete drying repair mortar. Drying time depends on the material used. Gypsum plaster dries in about three days. The cement-lime mortar will need from 24 hours to two days. The cement mortar dries in 24 hours, and for facade plaster It will only take 8 hours.

When the material dries, special conditions must be created to prevent repeated cracking: air temperature not higher than +25C, absence of drafts and direct sunlight.

Finishing

The final finishing after repairing cracks and cracks is carried out after the solution has completely dried. The dried mixture is sanded well, leveling it with the rest of the wall surface. Then the primer is applied until it stops being absorbed into the restored surface area. After this you can start decorative finishing– painting, wallpapering, applying textured plaster, etc.

Consistency finishing putty should be dense, but not too thick

How to care for a restored wall

A wall restored after repair, first of all, must be protected from various mechanical influences - do not move furniture too close to it, hammer nails into places where cracks have been repaired, and protect it from being hit by a door.

You need to wipe the walls carefully so as not to damage the decorative layer of the coating. If the decorative coating is durable, it can protect the wall from various influences, capable of causing repeated cracking, provided that the repair of the crack was carried out efficiently and the plaster was completely dry before decorative finishing works. Therefore, methods such as coating with colorless varnish are used decorative plaster, applying waterproof paint to the surface of the walls, using wooden, plastic, gypsum panels, non-woven wallpaper.

Videos on repairing cracks in walls

The main stages of sealing a crack in a plastered wall in a video:

You can learn what materials to use to cover cracks from this video:

The appearance of cracks on the facade of a house or inside it can be caused by for various reasons: shrinkage of the foundation, improper execution of rough finishing, disruption of the bricklaying process, use of low-quality or unsuitable materials, and many others. It is important to notice their appearance in time and do everything necessary measures to eliminate defects. A fine network of cracks in the plaster is usually not associated with the danger of wall destruction, but in any case, the process of the appearance of new gaps must be controlled, as well as the increase in their size

Cracks in the walls of buildings can appear suddenly, and not only in old houses, but also in new buildings, panel and brick. This, of course, is not the norm, but there is no need to panic about it. It is better to sensibly assess the scale and understand how dangerous the destruction is in order to determine how to eliminate it. All cracks are divided into two types:

• Passive– if the cracking occurred simultaneously and does not go further, in this case you can eliminate the defect yourself;
• Active– if a crack in the wall of a house expands or lengthens over time, there is a risk of the wall or building collapsing, in this case you need to call specialists from the specialized service, who will make a decision.

Causes of cracks in walls

There are dozens of reasons why a building deforms and, as a consequence, serious faults or “spider webs” appear. They are caused by various factors, but the most common is problems with the foundation. It is also the most dangerous and difficult, since in some cases you have to redo everything anew, or somehow strengthen the foundation, and this is often not easy.

So, let’s look in detail at why cracks appear on the walls in various buildings, whether to worry, and how to repair them.

Why do wall cracks occur so often in new homes?

Cracking of new buildings is a fairly common phenomenon. 9 out of 10 houses may crack in a few years due to shrinkage, but, as a rule, cracks on the walls in a new house are small and passive, and after sealing there are no problems.

Experts do not recommend making major renovations in the first year and a half, and if your apartment is on the lower floors, and many people will be doing renovations on top, you should wait a little longer. The fact is that all the neighbors above will “add” weight to the structure with plaster and finishing, which means the house will shrink even more noticeably.

Small cracks on the walls in a new house does not seem to be terrible, but it can lead to tiles falling off, wallpaper deformation and similar problems. It is better to wait with finishing than to redo everything again. In addition, small “cobwebs” under the wallpaper will not be noticeable, and it is advisable to repair it as soon as it appears.

Why did a crack appear in the wall of a house that no longer shrinks?

In more lived-in and seemingly strong houses, cracks can appear completely unexpectedly, and usually they are what frighten residents the most. The reasons in this case can be very different.

• Violation of construction technology, in which the dressing of the brick wall was incorrectly performed. For many years everything is fine, and then a fault appears, which is also difficult to repair.
• Violation of communication technology. It happens that first a house is built, and then communications are brought in, as a result of which the foundation is dug up - this is one of the common reasons horizontal cracks in the wall.
• The foundation may settle and by itself, for example, due to an incorrectly calculated load or insufficiently competent design without specialized calculations. Owners of private houses often suffer from this because they do not conduct geodetic surveys, do not study the soil characteristics, and choose the wrong type of foundation. Causes of cracks in walls can also include improperly placed sand under the foundation, or groundwater not taken into account during construction.

Why did a crack appear on the wall of the old house?

In old houses that have stood for decades without problems, sudden cracking can occur due to new construction taking place nearby, digging a pit nearby, or vibrations occurring when installing piles or re-laying a road. Often problems arise due to unsuccessful, ill-conceived redevelopment, when the new owner demolishes load-bearing supports, or illegal construction of basements and subfloors, as a result of which the load shifts and the foundation suffers. Crack outer wall at home also arises due to the fact that the mortar can crumble over time, and if floors are added to the house, or it is extended, the problem can become critical.

Problem with a crack in the load-bearing wall at the base of the building

Another common answer to the question, why do cracks appear on walls? – ill-conceived redevelopments, especially on the ground and first floors. This happens when residential apartments are converted into non-residential buildings, shops or service establishments are installed, and at the same time load-bearing walls are affected. The load on those remaining is greater, and the house is destroyed from the inside, and the residents of the upper floors are usually the first to notice the problem.

It is usually impossible to resolve the issue with the owners of the premises, so if cracks appear on interior walls, and at the same time below there are offices or retail premises, it is necessary to contact the relevant authorities to check the condition of the building.

Types of cracks in walls

You can try to determine the cause of cracking yourself, focusing on the direction of the fault: vertical, horizontal, in the corner. In brick walls, the direction may be broken, but the general trend is usually visible.

• Vertical cracks. In the middle part of the building, thermal deformation may occur if there is a problem with expansion joints. In places of supports and beams - due to overloading of the walls (this is very dangerous). The reason may also be a weak foundation, as a result of which one part of the building settles differently.
• Horizontal cracks on the wall of the house can be caused by subsidence of the foundation in its central part, and moisture entering the walls and foundation. They are less dangerous for the structure as a whole, but it is necessary to check the quality of the insulation. The causes of horizontal cracks in the wall are usually less dangerous, and the building collapses more slowly than with vertical ones. But it is also more difficult to fasten the structure; serious measures may be required to correct the situation.
• In the corner of the wall destruction can occur due to flooding of the foundation, this often happens when moisture drips from the roof into this corner. Microcracks are usually harmless, although they are more difficult to repair.

In any case, if there is a crack in the wall of the house, you should call specialists who will determine the cause and scale of the problem.

What kind of cracks in the walls of a house are dangerous?

A fine web of cracks is generally not dangerous, no matter where it is located. But in any case, it is better to control this process.

To determine the danger, that is, the future divergence of the wall, various beacons are used. IN living conditions To control a wall crack inside a house, you can use paper or plaster, which is applied to the crack at different ends, and possibly in the middle. If the line is broken, you will need to apply beacons to all areas. Be sure to write down the installation date next to it.

It happens that it is not possible to install a beacon on an external wall yourself if the fault occurs on high floors. In addition, plaster and paper simply will not withstand weather conditions, and a gypsum beacon can generally crack due to temperature changes. There are other options for beacons, which are available to specialized specialists, and are suitable for external monitoring.

If over the course of 8-12 months a crack in the outer wall of a house or inside it has not changed or enlarged, it can be considered passive, stable, and can be repaired.

If the beacon was deformed or collapsed, be sure to call specialists, this means that the process is active and measures need to be taken.

Crack in the wall of a house: what to do and how to repair it

There are many ways to solve the problem, and the choice of a particular one depends on the characteristics of the fault and its development. Keep in mind: if a large crack in the wall quickly spreads and the beacons are destroyed, you are unlikely to cope on your own; you may have to fasten the house with metal plates, raise the building to adjust the foundation, strengthen it, put supports instead of load-bearing walls, etc.

Crack in the outer wall

Small stable cracks are cleaned of plaster and finishing, a deep penetration primer is applied, and the entire crack is covered with a putty mesh so that it reliably covers the edges. Putty is applied on top, which is better reinforced, as it will withstand temperature changes and exposure to weather conditions.

Cracks in the brick are sealed using a metal mesh for plaster, which is secured with bolts. A layer of mortar (cement + sand) is applied to it.

A large crack in the wall is filled with polyurethane foam, but first you need to widen and clean it, perhaps rinse it with water and dry it so that more solution gets inside. There are various attachments for the cylinders, so that even difficult bends can be sealed.

Cracks in concrete are also cleaned, blown out with foam and sealed with a cement-sand mixture.

Crack in the corner of the wall

It especially often occurs at the joints of slabs, and if it is a corner of the house, then it can blow noticeably from it. It is sealed either with polyurethane foam and then plastered, or a system of metal plates is used; the entire house, if the problem is serious, or part of it can be pulled together.

In multi-storey buildings, you have to do everything from the inside, or order insulation along with sealing cracks. If the fault is large, it must be deepened and thoroughly cleaned, preferably construction vacuum cleaner, or at least with a brush, and the foam is applied to the primer that has not yet dried.

Wall cracks inside the house

A small cobweb that formed as a result of shrinkage of new buildings, can be easily covered up: you will need a putty mesh and a deep penetration primer. A primer is applied to the cleaned wall with the coating removed, covered with a mesh, and sealed with putty. Then, after drying, the surface can be rubbed and painted, or covered with wallpaper. It's better to wait a little to make sure the problem doesn't happen again.

If there is a crack in the wall concrete house , it needs to be expanded, creating 45-degree angles, and primed well. Sealing is carried out either concrete mortar, or sealant. The sealant is better because it is a little “rubbery,” which means that future movements will be compensated and the crack will not expand. Do not use silicone-based sealant, as nothing sticks to it and it will be difficult to paint over or wallpaper it later. A crack in the wall of a house can also be sealed with any cement-based mixtures, for example, tile adhesive, or plaster. You can use an emulsion to which cement is added, or there is even more a budget option– PVA glue and cement. This mixture can be applied with a spatula, and special guns are used for the sealant to help squeeze it out of the tube. The remaining mixture is removed with a spatula flush with the wall.

Cracks in a plasterboard wall usually appear due to excess humidity, dampness, or improper installation. If flooding occurs, the sheets need to be changed; in other cases, you can save the situation using a special putty for drywall, or use acrylic (sold in the same tubes as sealant). Another option is to glue fiberglass; it is more reliable, although more expensive and labor-intensive. All these methods can only be used if the plasterboard sheet is properly attached to the wall, if it does not wobble, otherwise the sheet itself needs to be changed.

Vertical and horizontal cracks on the wall brick houses sealed in various ways, depending on the depth and nature of the fault. In any case, if the crack is active, there is no point in sealing it using simple methods, since it will continue to grow. Repair only makes sense when the fault has stopped and been stable for several months. Small cracks on internal brick walls are sealed with cement mortar, but if the crack is larger than 7-10 mm, you need to widen it with a hammer (for better adhesion of the mortar) and seal it with a mixture of cement and sand. A crack larger than 10mm requires professional intervention, regardless of whether it is expanding or not.

Crack in the wall of a house: what to do if the wall is load-bearing?

You can repair cracks yourself only if the crack is small and does not expand. In this case, the same technologies are used as when repairing small damage in a brick wall. But it is important to understand that a fault in a load-bearing wall can lead to the collapse of the entire building, so it is worth contacting specialists. They will check the condition of the building and find out why the cracks in the wall appeared in the first place: perhaps the neighbors did a redevelopment somewhere, or something happened in the basement of the building, and it urgently needs to be strengthened, water pumped out, the roof raised and the load reduced.

Crack in a load-bearing wall is always very dangerous, so you should not delay it, especially if it is active and expanding. It is already possible to identify a dangerous fault in a day or two, placing a simple plaster or paper beacon, and checking its safety and absence of deformation. In any case, it's better to be safe.

Through cracks in the walls

The most dangerous type of cracking, in which the building can be considered unsafe. There are many reasons for this phenomenon, but most often there are problems with the foundation or extension, or construction work ongoing nearby.

To seal through cracks in the walls, a lime-cement mortar is used; if the crack is large, brick fragments can be added to it. Formwork may be needed to hold the mortar in place until it hardens completely.

Sometimes they use metal plates made of durable material, and at least three strips will be needed, sometimes more. They are secured with bolts and dowels. After fixing, a specialist’s decision is required - if a crack appears in the wall of the house, then the problem is already quite serious. The crack can be repaired from the inside with polyurethane foam, but in any case, the cause must be eliminated.

Conclusion

If a crack appears in the wall of the house, evaluate it the crack is growing, visually (in the case of “cobweb” cracks) or using a beacon. For sealing different types walls are used various materials and technology, but in case the crack is growing or is itself large, it is better to consult with specialists. Minor repairs can be done independently, but only if the fault is stable and there is no reason to believe that in the future cracks in the walls of buildings can lead to emergency situation.

Anastasia Bezdenezhnykh

Melwood company expert

Spent 449 construction expertise, 94 forensic examinations

In company with 2014 of the year

We usually perceive the catchphrase “life has cracked” as a joke.

However, humor is not appropriate when cracks appear on the walls of a private house, signaling a violation bearing capacity foundation.

It is difficult for the average citizen to understand what to do with cracks in brick house. Only experienced builder can reliably establish the cause of their occurrence and give practical advice for elimination.

What causes cracks in the walls of a building? We will talk about this difficult topic in detail.

Classification and causes of crack formation

The emergence of durable and technologically advanced Portland cement revolutionized the construction industry. However, from the point of view of the risk of cracking, the new binder has one significant drawback - a high hardening rate.

As you know, after construction, a building does not immediately occupy a stable place in the soil mass. Process natural shrinkage goes on for several years. Cement mortar, on the contrary, gains strength very quickly. Such a large difference between the decay time of sedimentary deformations and the active strength gain of Portland cement leads to the appearance of cracks that break the masonry mass.

With lime mortar things are simpler. It hardens slowly, so when the foundation settles, through voids in the walls usually arise. That is why in buildings that have stood for centuries we see much fewer cracks than in modern high-speed new buildings.

Specialists Cracks in brickwork are classified according to the following criteria:

• Reason for formation: structural, deformation, shrinkage, temperature, wear;
• Type of destruction: rupture, crushing, shearing;
• Direction: horizontal, vertical, oblique;
• Outline: curved, straight, closed (does not reach the edge of the wall).
• Depth: through, superficial;
• Danger level: not dangerous, dangerous;
• Time: stabilized, not stabilized.
• Size of opening: hairline (up to 0.1 mm), small (up to 0.3 mm), developed (0.4–0.8 mm), large (1 mm or more).

There are many reasons why a house cracks:

1. Soil settlement . It can be caused by uneven compressibility of the soil (dense and weak areas), uneven loading of the foundation, leakage of tap and sewer water into the ground. It leads to the appearance of inclined splits reaching the edge of the wall or the development of vertical (oblique) cracks in the middle part of the facade.

1 – sedimentary cracks; 2 – sedimentary funnel; 3 – deviation of the wall from the vertical.

2. Freezing and thawing of soil . Freezing of heaving soils causes uneven rise of the foundation (if its base is located above the freezing point of the soil). This process is especially dangerous for a building under construction, the weight of the walls of which is small (low flexural rigidity). In this case, many cracks form on the walls. When the soil thaws in spring, the reverse process occurs—the foundation settles. The walls are receiving new damage.

3. Repair a crack in the wall may be needed after adding a new room. This causes additional compressive stresses to develop in the foundation soil, leading to settlement of the foundation. As a result, inclined cracks appear in the adjacent walls of the existing building (open upward).

4. Uneven loads on the foundation within the same building . IN modern houses long glazed walls often alternate with blind areas. The difference in load leads to uneven settlement of the foundation.

5. Digging a pit next to the building . If the house stands on the slope of a pit or close to it, then the sliding of the soil affects the foundation and inclined cracks appear in the brick walls on the side of the pit.

6. Influence of neighboring foundations . Stress zones are superimposed, increasing soil compression and settlement.

7. Surface loads . When storing large quantity building materials next to a building under construction, additional stresses appear in the ground. They can cause significant foundation settlement and cracks.

8. Dynamic influences . As a result of driving piles, constant movement heavy transport, the operation of compressors occurs compaction sandy soils and softening of clayey soils. As a result, the foundation gets settled and the walls get cracks.

9. Temperature deformations . Causes the formation of cracks in the middle part of the walls (vertical direction). Repairing cracks in brick walls is most often required for long buildings that do not have expansion joints.

10. Overloading masonry . They appear in walls and on pillars. Characteristic sign crush cracks – closedness and vertical direction. They are very dangerous because they can cause a sudden collapse of one pier, followed by a chain reaction of the collapse of all the others.

11. Shrinkage deformations (non-hazardous) . Observed on plastered walls (cracks are small, randomly scattered, closed, do not reach the edge of the wall). The reason for their appearance is the shrinkage of too greasy plaster mortar.

How to repair cracks in brick walls?

Answer the question about how to repair a crack in a wall brick house is possible only after identifying the cause of its formation and stabilizing the precipitation process.

To control cracks, gypsum domes are used, which are placed directly in the zone of their development. If the brittle gypsum does not burst within a certain time, we can talk about the cessation of the cracking process and begin to eliminate it.

Another option is a plate beacon with a scale

You can cover the crack with strong cement mortar and limit it to this in the case when it is small (up to 5 mm), not through and does not increase in size.

Brick locks are used to repair wide cracks. To do this, from solid masonry with external and inside The cracked bricks are removed from the walls, and a new one is placed in their place using mortar.

An improved version of this solution is the insertion of a metal anchor(power plate with two pins). It is placed on the side in which the crack develops (upward expansion - the anchor is on top, downward expansion - the anchor plate is placed below).

Two steel plates with tension bolts passed through the wall are placed on through cracks. An alternative option is to hammer steel brackets into the masonry on both sides of the wall.

If a crack occurs in the area where the floor slab rests on the wall (insufficient area of ​​the support area), then a channel is placed under the slab. On the other side, a steel plate is placed on the wall and fastened with coupling bolts.

When cracks appear in the brick walls of the external walls, steel clips are used. Their size and design depend on the width of the wall.

All described repair options can be seen in the figure.

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

When cracks appear that threaten the integrity of the house, more radical measures have to be taken. They consist of installing steel rods on the outside and inside of the wall, covering the entire building in a powerful steel bandage.

a, b - steel rods along the outer (a) and inner (b) sides of the wall; c – installation of non-tensioned channel bars;
1 – steel rod; 2 - corner; 3 — steel support plate; 4 - channel.

To summarize what has been said, we note that the condition of the brick and block house(special new ones) need to be watched closely. The sooner cracks are detected, the less money and time it will take to eliminate them.