Crack in Wall? Stay Calm, We Can Fix It!
The chance of the crack in your wall being caused by subsidence and requiring underpinning and/or rebuild is very slim.
Cracks in walls are the result of some kind of movement causes stress that the bricks cannot sustain. Movement can be caused by a variation in moisture, either in the wall itself or in the ground that supports it, temperature variations, chemical reactions or by replacing load bearing, wooden windows with non-load bearing UPVC windows. Some movement comes and goes with the seasons and other movement is permanent.
Walls tend to crack where the bricks are over-stressed and have the least amount of restraint such as in corners and around window and door openings.
Types of Crack
There are three types of crack:
Passive – The crack is not increasing in length or width
Active – The crack is increasing in length and/or width
Cyclic – The crack opens and closes seasonally
Generally, cracks that are passive or cyclic and are less than 5mm wide can be repaired using DIY methods that allow for small, cyclic movement.
Cracks in walls that are active or are more than 5mm wide should be carried out be a specialist, structural engineer. Active cracks of more than 15mm require investigation by a structural surveyor.
Method
Newman’s, Total Wall Care division, use Twistfix, patented, stainless steel rods to join or “stitch” the bricks across the crack. “Crack Stitching” involves bonding the helical rods into the bed joints between the bricks at regular intervals using cementitious grout. This allows for a sympathetic and even invisible repair.
Watch the video below to see the method we used to carry out the repairs.
Leading structural repairs specialists Newman’s can help to diagnose structural defects, cracking and movement by arranging a free Structural Survey. Covering London, the South East and the South West. Contact us today for help, advice and peace of mind. Call 0333 444 0154 or Email enquiries@newmans.com
