The facing brick is bursting, what should I do? Why do facing bricks crack? A brick on the wall cracked after frost.

Good afternoon The house is 2 years old from the date of construction.

Foundation:
Reinforced monolithic tape (3 rows of 3 rods of 14 reinforcement, vertical rods every 1.5 meters) laid to a depth of 1.5 m, tape width 50 cm. Insulated blind area 1 meter wide, gutters, storm drainage system (i.e. water from drains are diverted several meters from the house). Vertical waterproofing didn't do it. There is no drainage due to the complexity of the organization and the impossibility of draining water (house within the city, dense buildings).
The foundation was laid on the site of the old house with the complete removal of the previous foundation (there was a shallowly buried tape), there were no cellars. There was a toilet 2.5 meters deep - it was filled and compacted, it was located under the north-eastern corner of the current house.

Soil: 20-50 cm fertile layer, then 3-5 meters of water-saturated loam and clay. Feature of the soil - due to poor water permeability, loams are saturated with water most of the year. The water level in the well is from 20-50 cm in spring, to 2.5-3 meters at the end of dry summer. In “normal” weather - 1.5 meters from the ground level. After the construction of the house, the site is raised approximately 50 cm to the level of the neighbors.

Basement: 4 rows of hollow sand-lime bricks. Done horizontal waterproofing between the tape and the base and between the base and load-bearing walls (two layers of roofing felt).

The walls are “well” masonry. The main walls are made of autoclaved gas silicate D600, then 5 cm of insulation (penoplex), a minimal ventilation gap, then a facade of half sand-lime brick. The connection between the wall and the cladding is continuous welded mesh 1.5 mm every three rows of gas silicate. The walls, insulation, and cladding rest entirely on the base.

The house has two floors. Armored belts were made between the first and second floors and between the second floor and the roof.

The lintels above the windows and openings for the main walls are made of factory reinforced concrete lintels (the lintels are 50-60 cm wider than the openings, the support points are reinforced sand-lime brick). The lintels on the cladding are made using metal corner 10x10 wide, 1 cm thick, corners are also 50-60 cm wider than the openings.

Noticed a crack under a wide window on the east side of the house. The crack runs from the window through 4 rows of bricks vertically, then moves slightly towards the veranda (3 more rows), closes before reaching the base of the 3rd row (see figure, the crack under the widest window and its direction is shown in red). It is noticeable that it opens slightly at the top (up to 1 mm).

Immediately after construction, a similar crack appeared under a narrower window on the south side (see figure) - it also runs through several rows. However, the crack on the south side looks more like expansion joint- when the wall heats up, it closes completely, but in cold weather it is slightly open (~1 mm).

The new crack under the wide window is not the same as the crack under the narrow window. The main difference is that it has a distinct opening. I have been observing the crack for several days and so far I have only noticed dynamics in its increase. The lighthouses are bursting. It does not depend on air temperature. Inspected the base with inside- noticed hairline cracks on the bricks approximately in the area of the crack under the window. There are no cracks in the foundation.

Please tell me whether to worry or not? What can be done to determine the cause of the crack and eliminate it...

First of all, it is necessary to understand the nature and type of defects that cause destruction of the finishing layer.

The most common defect is cracks. However, shooting is an equally serious problem. They can be caused either by a violation of construction technology or by the poor quality of the material itself.

Shootings and ways to deal with them

Shots (“dutikki”) are small craters and dips on the surface of a brick, in the center of which there are often small granules of quicklime. They are mistakenly called chips, but this is the wrong term, since chips are of mechanical origin, and shootings appear as a result of poor-quality grinding of raw materials.

The process of making bricks involves grinding the clay mass. Often it contains particles of lime, which, if ground poorly, end up in finished product. If water gets in from the solution, precipitation or when thawing after frost quicklime reacts with it, and the carbon dioxide released in the process causes shooting of the material. This leads to the surface losing its attractive appearance. A large number of such granules in the structure can cause destruction of the entire facing layer. Usually shootings appear after the first winter.

There are several ways to solve this problem:

treatment with hydrophobic materials;
repair by filling defects;
varnish coating;
laying the facing layer from scratch.

Since the reason for the shooting is the low quality of the material, when choosing a facing brick it is necessary to carefully inspect it for the presence of lumps of lime, and also read the documents confirming that the products comply with GOST 530-2012.

Cracks

In the vast majority of cases, the formation of cracks in facing bricks indicates a violation of technology construction work. Usually their appearance is caused by deformation of the base of the house when the foundation is subjected to loads exceeding permissible values.

In general, there are quite a few reasons for the formation of cracks, so they need to be clarified based on a specific case. For example, one of them may be the laying of utilities by digging a trench under the base of an already erected structure. This leads to sagging of part of the foundation and a decrease in its strength, and the resulting deflection can cause destructive stresses in the wall.

Cracks in facing bricks: causes of formation

The appearance of thin, so-called thread-like or hairline cracks on facing bricks is most likely caused by uneven natural shrinkage Houses. There is no reason for serious worries, but it’s worth playing it safe - installing beacons and starting to monitor progress. If they are missing, then the defects can be painted over, repaired and forgotten about.

In the case when the opening of cracks increases, the reason for this most likely lies in the foundation, and when it is being constructed without preliminary design calculations, there is no point in doubting this.

The main mistakes during construction that lead to the formation of cracks in facing bricks are:

incorrect choice of foundation type;
insufficient width and shallow foundation laying depth;
poor quality or untimely implementation of foundation waterproofing;
insufficient compaction or lack of sand cushion under the foundation;
lack of deep drainage during the construction of houses with basement floors;
arrangement basement without appropriate reinforcing structures;
improper installation or absence of a storm drainage system.

To get rid of cracks on the surface of facing bricks, it is first necessary to eliminate the cause of their formation. Only after this can you proceed directly to eliminating the gaps.

Methods for eliminating cracks

On practice facing brick most often cracks above and below doorways and windows, as well as in the corners of houses. However, regardless of where the cracks are located, their opening should be measured before repair measures. Used for repairs cement-sand mortar, mixed in a 1:2 ratio, and polyurethane foam. Its technology directly depends on the size of the defect:

1-5 mm - the edges of the crack are carefully knocked down with a hammer or slightly trimmed with a grinder equipped with a concrete disc. Using a spatula, the gap is cleaned of sand particles and dust, and then moistened, for example, with a household spray. After this, carefully fill the gap with the solution as deep as possible.
5-12 mm - also knock down and trim the edges of the crack, remove debris and dust, slightly moisten the cavity with water and fill it with polyurethane foam. After hardening, the protruding areas of the foam are removed and the gap is carefully sealed with a solution.
12 mm or more - provided that the causes of their formation are eliminated, repairs similar to those described are performed, and then additional tightening elements are installed, which can be made independently. Before their installation, grooves are prepared, the depth and width corresponding to the thickness and width of the steel strip, and holes are made along its edges for subsequent fastening of the element to the wall anchor bolts. After installing the tension plates, the grooves and cracks are filled with mortar and the wall is leveled.

In order to effectively eliminate cracks in facing bricks and prevent the formation of new defects, it is necessary to determine the causes of this phenomenon as accurately as possible. As a warning and preventive measures It is recommended not to skimp on design and technical documentation, and also to eliminate even minor errors that may affect the reliability and strength of building structures.

If your yellow brick is cracked, the facing one, Don’t fall into paralysis, the jamb was planning.

Why do facing bricks crack? There may be several reasons for this - it could be shedding from the inside, due to improper external insulation of the walls of the house. There are known cases when the wall was completely rebuilt after one or two heating seasons. But, of course, other factors contribute to this.

Frequent sudden changes in temperature destroy the crystal lattice at the microscopic level, which leads to crumbling of the brick and loss of its density. The upper layers press on the lower ones, and as a result, cracks appear. Add to this the wonderful moments when the foundation leads, or the masonry leads by itself, and you get a magnificent vertical Grand Canyon on the front surface of your home. To avoid this ridiculous misunderstanding, avoid extra expenses and loss of time, it is necessary to take into account the basic instructions for insulation and cladding.

Firstly, you need to make a small indentation so that between insulation material and the masonry left an air gap. This gap should be provided by small partitions separating the insulation from the cladding, or it should be fixed with a chain link. Supplement ventilation properties air gap possible using small drainage tubes. But the need for their use depends on the humidity of the area. It must be said that a modern perforated drainage pipe is also a product of the evolution of the construction industry. Behind last years plastic successfully replaced asbestos cement and ceramics, which were used previously.

Definitely, high-quality building materials play a major role in this event. Hyperpressed brick TM Litos has long established itself in the market building materials, and today this company continues to delight its customers with constant additions to its range.

Perhaps someone may have the idea that it would be reasonable to place insulation inside the house. Overall, this is a futile undertaking. You will have to tinker with creating a vapor barrier layer so that the insulation does not ultimately lose its main heat-saving characteristics. In general, this is sometimes practiced, but not systematically, because it has a destructive effect on the very structure of the house. After all, the entire structure will be located in a zone of alternating temperatures. And this affects the crystal lattice at the microscopic level, as we know, very destructively.

So it's best to use correct diagrams for home insulation, using high-quality building materials, purchasing well-established brands.

There are a huge number of reasons leading to the appearance of cracks in brick houses. This includes unexpected seismic activity, mechanical damage, and errors made during construction. For example, cracks can occur due to incorrect strapping brickwork load-bearing walls Houses. What to do if there is a crack in the wall brick house has it already appeared? In any case, the house will need both superficial, cosmetic and thorough repairs to eliminate the causes of damage if they appeared due to violations of construction technology. If you do not strengthen the base and walls of the house in time, then one small gap can cause distortion load-bearing structure and irreversible deformation of the house.

Causes of wall damage

There are several main reasons why a gap may appear in the wall:

Regular natural settlement of the house for more than 1-2 years ( great importance has a choice of foundations that can be erected on specific type soil) and natural shifts.
Subsidence and further cracking of the foundation due to regular erosion groundwater or a poorly distributed load that causes a misalignment at one point.
Freezing of the foundation and further destruction after another change in temperature.
Heavy load on brickwork. Under such circumstances, cracks appear not only on the walls, but also on the pillars. Feature cracks that appeared due to excessive pressure - vertical direction and closedness.
Violation of pouring technology at the stage of constructing the foundation of a house, low-quality materials and their incomplete drying.

Appearance of cracks

Strengthening the foundation

Serious problems with structural integrity require a total rebuild of the foundation:

Strengthening the foundation of the house

The first step is to make a deep trench along the wall with a crack to the level of the base horizon. The width of the trench should not be greater than the thickness of the foundation base.
After this, the crack needs to be widened a little, cleaned of weakly reinforced stones and the cement that adheres them.
The expanded and cleaned area is drilled horizontally and vertically for reinforcement. It is necessary to intertwine reinforcing bars of suitable size with anchors and secure them by welding. The distance between the rods depends on how wide the crack needs to be repaired. This reinforcement is made as a further connection with the skeleton of the new reinforcing foundation.
Now you can make formwork and pour concrete into it. To prevent new cracks, all work on the base is carried out only after it has dried.. You can also spray it with water occasionally to help it cure evenly.

The solution will take a very long time to dry - at least a month, only after this time can the site be compacted and a blind area made.

These measures will stop the destruction of the walls and only after they have been carried out can we begin to directly eliminate the defects.

Elimination of defects

Reconstruction of a brick wall

After strengthening the foundation, cosmetic repair of cracks in brick walls . In order to make sure that new cracks are no longer expected, it is worth sticking pieces of paper in places of damage and monitoring their integrity. If the paper does not tear, you can begin their restoration.

Small, shallow cracks can be repaired with cement mortar, after first cleaning their edges and knocking off unstable pieces of material and adhesive mortar with a hammer. To make the adhesion to the new solution stronger, it is worth moistening the edges of the crack with water.. Middle cracks should be sealed with a mixture of sand and cement (ratio 3:1).

Repairing large cracks

Reinforcement with plates

In order to eliminate large (more than 1-2 centimeters wide) connectors, you need to do much more operations, which are discussed in more detail below.

First you need to completely disassemble the entire area with the crack, starting from the top rows. All unstable and crumbling bricks must be replaced with new ones. When laying new brickwork, they need to be additionally reinforced. If a rupture occurs in a brick wall unit, reinforcement can be done using a strip steel plate, bending its ends to the sides of the masonry and securing it with bolts.

If it is not possible to dismantle the wall, sealing cracks in brick walls is done by throwing crushed stone into large crevices with cement mortar and reinforcement with a metal strip fixed with anchors.

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.

If the cracks that appear threaten the integrity of the building, it is necessary to thoroughly strengthen the wall. Steel rods are installed along the perimeter of the house on the outside and inside. The result is a kind of powerful steel belt covering the entire building.

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.

If the crack is too deep, you can also use the cement injection method: for this, inch holes are drilled along the entire length of the crack at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. A tube filled with cement mortar is placed inside the hole, and using a sealant or a special construction syringe, the solution is injected into the crack, filling it with itself.

Injection method

In addition, some developers use polyurethane foam to fill large cracks.. To do this, it is blown deep into the crack, dries and is fixed on the outside with cement.

Sometimes the cracks and breaks are so catastrophic that the wall cracks right through. In such cases, it is also necessary to strengthen the wall from the inside. To do this, you need to deeply moisten the gap, fill the resulting gap with cement and crushed stone and install metal overlays secured with anchors. After the solution has dried, you can begin finishing the inside of the cracked wall.

So, repairing cracks in brick walls is important and challenging task, requiring great physical and material costs. However, if such defects are not repaired in time, the house will soon simply become warped or deformed irrevocably.

The facing brick is bursting, what should I do?

When buying bricks, professionals always ask sellers: “Does the brick shoot?”. Naturally, a block of baked clay itself will not shoot at anyone, but a defect with the same name can significantly hit your wallet.

The fact is that technological process Brick production involves grinding clay mass. Often there are pieces of lime in it that are not ground enough and end up in the finished brick. In a dry state, such a brick does not reveal itself in any way; the rare eye of a professional will notice traces of shooting on a brick that has not yet been wet or wintered. Single front, textured, figured - no one is immune from such a defect. When purchasing, try to consider facade brick and discover lumps of lime that are baked into the crock. Such material should not be purchased so that next spring you do not begin to suffer.

Typical story - built brick house or they lined a building made of blocks with brick, overwintered, and in the spring they realized that the brick had begun to crack. External part the bricks begin to shoot back, as it were, leaving unsightly gaps and craters. These potholes may also have white marks in the center. The owner of the house is confused. Replace bricks one by one? Plaster? Should I varnish or cover it with another brick?

In this case, experts recommend many options for action - from coating with varnish and hydrophobes, to filling voids or repositioning the front layer. They agree on one thing - you cannot encourage factory defects through inaction, so if you bought a facing brick, and it started to “shoot” over time, contact the dealer or the factory and try to resolve the issue amicably. It is for this reason that we recommend saving all the documents that were provided when purchasing the brick - quality certificate, delivery note, invoice. If there is no agreement, you will have to go to trial.

This defect does not arise from excessive loads or severe frosts, but from the insufficient quality of the brick itself. The brick picks up a certain amount of moisture (no more than 14% according to GOST 530-2012), for example, freezing and thawing within the established frost resistance F25-F75. So what conditions caused these “shootings”?

“Shooting” or “dutik” as it is called occurs due to poorly ground clay mass. It contains granules of quicklime, which, when exposed to water, turn into compounds that, increasing in volume, spoil the surface of the brick. So, when a solution gets in contact with rain, or soaking, a reaction begins with the release of carbon dioxide, which causes chipping. Shooting from a brick can be so strong that it can endanger a person - brick particles can get into the eyes.

GOST does not allow damage to facing bricks due to inclusions, so the truth is on your side. Make sure you purchased ceramic brick, which was released precisely by GOST 530-2007 or GOST 530-2012, and not according to the specifications and it is the facing brick, and not the construction, ordinary, rough brick. “Dutiki” is a factory defect that lazy people bring to the factory in court. Such a brick cannot and should not be called GOST certified.

Remember that you need to purchase bricks from trusted places, from dealers working with generally recognized manufacturers. The building materials market today is such that ceramic bricks are often counterfeited and sold under the guise of being a completely inappropriate product.

Our company works only with trusted suppliers. You can view a sample of each brick in detail online or touch it in our offices. When ordering from our website, fast and careful delivery to any point in Russia and the CIS is guaranteed.