Fixing Cracked Brick Walls

The sight of fixing cracked brick walls can be quite alarming. They don’t just damage the aesthetic of your home, but they can also pose a serious risk to the structural stability of your home. If you are concerned about the safety of your home, it’s best to have a professional take a look at the cracks and advise you on how to fix them.

There are a few different reasons for the appearance of brick wall cracks. Some are cosmetic and others are caused by underlying problems such as foundation settlement, moisture in the soil, or chemical attacks on the mortar. Regardless of the cause, it’s important to repair any cracks in brick as soon as they are noticed. This will help avoid further damage and potential collapse of the structure.

When the mortar between the brick starts to deteriorate and crumble, it’s time to repoint the wall. This involves removing the old mortar with a chisel and then troweling in new mortar. This is a relatively simple job but needs to be done properly to ensure the integrity of the brickwork and prevent the cracks from returning.

It’s best to use lime mortar to repoint a brick wall as it is more tolerant of moisture than cement and will not deteriorate as quickly. It’s important to choose a mortar color that will match as closely as possible the existing mortar in the rest of the wall, so the repair is invisible.

The most common reason for a masonry structure to crack is movement of the footing or slab the masonry rests on. This is a very common problem in older homes, where the original footings are often buried under thick layers of concrete. The footings should be built on virgin soil that is mechanically compacted and able to support the weight of the masonry structure.

Other causes of cracking in brick walls include thermal expansion and contraction of the masonry due to hot and cold weather changes. Cracks may also develop if water gets trapped in the brick and freezes and thaws repeatedly, causing additional pressure on the masonry.

If the cracks are moving in a horizontal direction this can indicate a problem with the foundation of the building. This is often a result of the soil under the house actually pushing against the foundation and can lead to severe structural problems and even a cave in of the brick wall.

It is crucial that any structural problem is addressed before repairing the visible cracks in your brick wall. If you simply grout over the cracks it will only make them worse in the future. It’s best to contact a masonry contractor like Turnbull Masonry, who can come out and assess the problem and provide you with a quote. They have the experience and tools to get your brick wall looking good as new. Contact them today for more information!

Precise Restumping & Underpinning successfully maintains a reputation for delivering quality, reliable and sound services to clients all over New South Wales, with a licensed builder that personally oversee all works.