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 did not even have a specific plan, so the houses were built without calculations and thoughtlessly upset by extensions of individual 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 laid out of brick or wild stone, not taking into account the peculiarities of the soil on which it was 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:
- surface (removable 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.
The most common cause 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 base is eroded by 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 in many ways, but the most reliable way 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 the wall to diverge anymore.
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 size of the crack is insignificant, the easiest way is to fill it 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 at the moment, elastic putty mixtures can be used 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 it is difficult to make major repairs.
Sooner or later, almost every property owner is faced with such an unpleasant thing as crack detection. And the reasons for this can be very diverse. The article will discuss the repair of cracks in the walls of the house.
Prevention of cracks in the walls of a new house
The appearance of cracks on the surface of the walls does not bode well. In the best case, you will have to redo the finishing work, and you don’t even want to think about the worst options. However, it is difficult for a simple layman 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 causes of these defects, the dynamics of development, a conclusion on the hazard class, as well as recommendations (design solution) for their elimination.
Most residents, seeing the cracks, begin to sound the alarm, turn to housing companies and other similar services. Upon the arrival of specialists, it turns out that the cracks were formed due to temperature changes, low-quality finishing materials or their natural wear. However, in such situations, finding out the origin of various depressions and sizes of crevices will not be redundant.
General information
- It should be remembered that any building structures must meet the relevant standards, a number of important requirements. When the structure ceases to resist operational loads, it begins to collapse. Such a state is called the limit. The resulting damage does not allow further operation of the building.
- Therefore, if any element of the structure (foundation, ceilings, walls) ceases to meet certain norms and rules, it means that it has reached the limit state. As a result, signs of deterioration begin to appear, namely cracks of various shapes and sizes. And the more they are, the wider the depth of disclosure, the more dangerous they are.
- But the appearance of small cracks, the so-called cobwebs in new buildings do not pose any danger. After all, the reason for this is the natural subsidence of the building. After 3-6 months, new microcracks cease to appear, and old ones - to expand.
- The progression of cracks should alert, this indicates the beginning of the destruction of the structure. Here, measures should be taken to eliminate the cause of destruction.
Cracks in the walls of wooden houses
- As for wooden structures, cracks often occur under the influence of moisture preserved in the inner layers of a beam or log. Their formation can be minimized by a compensatory cut, 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 crevices have formed in the exploited building, you should not panic. Such defects are not dangerous and in no way affect the user properties of the walls. To be convinced of this, it is enough to look at the log cabins dotted with cracks in remote villages that have been standing 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 differ in a long service life:
- sealant cannot provide long-term adhesion to wood. Such a seal will withstand no more than 2-3 seasons. But after peeling off, a new layer can be applied on top of the old one, only it will last again for a couple of years;
- polyethylene foam bundles are intended for indoor use, so their use is impractical;
- any solid compositions are also not suitable for this kind of structure. The tree constantly absorbs and gives back moisture, changing its size depending on the season. That is why the delamination of any sealing material $
- The best option for sealing cracks in wooden surfaces is by means of caulking with moss or linen-hemp braids.
Why cracks form in the walls of a brick house
The appearance of this kind of defect on walls made of bricks, 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 illiterately mixed solution (violation of proportions when mixing, that is, by eye);
- the use of building materials for other purposes (for example, a silicate product cannot be used in rooms with high humidity);
- the combination of materials of different characteristics (the combination of clay bricks with cinder blocks is unacceptable);
- uneven shrinkage of the foundation.
The formation of cracks in reinforced concrete structures occurs due to the following factors:
- non-compliance with the technology of pouring concrete (small vibration, quick drying, an error in the recipe when mixing the concrete solution);
- mechanical deformations, external load (lack of expansion joints and omission or reduction in the amount of reinforcement);
- uneven subsidence.
Cracks in the wall what to do
Cracks can be patched in many ways, their opening will determine the choice of material.
- If the depth of the crack is small, then it is plastered with a sand-cement mortar, with the addition of PVA glue or cement putty for outdoor use. Of course, the pre-damaged area and the adjacent part of the wall must be cleaned of crumbling fragments, dust-free, treated with a primer, and a reinforcing tape applied.
- A crack of average size is closed using a metal mesh. Here, all cracked coating is removed and without fail primed. Next, holes for dowels are drilled 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 required to lay another strip of reinforcing material, then this is done with an overlap (at least 10 cm). The cement-based stucco is pressed into the mesh so that it is attached to the wall. After light leveling, it is necessary to wait for complete drying, and only then apply the next final layer.
- You can also use mounting foam - the gap is foamed, after drying, the remains are cut off, and then finishing materials are applied (plaster, paint, and so on).
Cardinal methods for eliminating a crack in the wall of the house
Determining whether a crack is progressing is quite simple. To do this, paper strips are taken, which are glued across the crack in several places (top, bottom and middle). Further, everything is simple, if the paper is torn, then here, accordingly, it is 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 tightly fitted to each other, which are attached to opposite sides of the crack. Once every 7-10 days, the beacons are inspected, data are recorded, which are compared with the original records. Their displacement or deformation signals the development (expansion) of the gap.
Anchor setting
- It is possible to stop the “spreading” of large cracks with a large opening with the help of 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 strobe should 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 with a nut. In the latter case, the wall is drilled through.
- Cracks and strobes are cleaned and filled with mounting foam. The anchor is inserted into the recess and fixed 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 mounted and the emergency area is plastered.
- Staples are suitable instead of plates. They can be prepared independently, for this, reinforcement of the required length is taken, it is necessary to take into account the bending of both ends of the metal by about 15-20 cm.
- Furrows 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 strobe should be 13-15 mm.
- Holes for the ends of the workpiece are drilled with the appropriate diameter and equal to its length. It is impossible to hammer the bracket into the wall, as this can provoke a crack divergence or 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 it is time 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 the best solution to this difficult issue. Specialists will prepare a project to restore the structural elements of the building.
The result will depend on the violations found during the construction process:
- dismantling of the emergency wall and re-laying of brick, block rows;
- execution of a monolithic structure - a reinforcing belt;
- reinforcement of supports or their complete replacement;
- restoration of the blind area;
- extension of the bearing wall and reinforcement of the walls.
How to fix a crack in the wall inside the house
There are many factors that affect the appearance of different "caliber" cracks and cracks on the walls and ceilings of the room:
- natural shrinkage of the house, violation of construction technology;
- poor-quality materials or their incompatibility, improper application;
- unfavorable operating conditions (high humidity, temperature fluctuations).
Before proceeding with the elimination of cracks, it is necessary to identify and correct the cause of the cracking of the surface. Otherwise, all the efforts made, the funds spent will not justify themselves.
Drywall
- On such material, small cracks often appear. The web indicates that a thick layer of putty may have been produced. Another reason is a violation of the temperature regime, so many artificially pump heat (guns, hair dryers or heaters) to dry the surface faster. Definitely, this cannot be done, the finishing material must dry, and not harden.
- Such defects of the horizontal or vertical direction often occur at the joints of the sheets. There are two sources of their formation:
- weakened frame;
- absence of sickle at 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 surface coating, then first you need to wait for the complete drying of the applied material, and only then proceed with applying the next layer.
If the problem lies in the metal structure under the drywall, then deeper cracks cannot be repaired. But with a reliable fixation of the base to the wall, repair work is carried out as follows:
- - cracks are deepened with a sharp knife at an angle of 45 °, a kind of groove is made;
- - the furrow is filled with a small amount of a mixture designed specifically for this purpose;
- - a sickle 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 an imbalance when mixing the dry mixture with water. Of course, there are more serious reasons due to which surface cracking occurs, but this was discussed above.
Correction
- Fiberglass is an ideal material for masking an imperfect surface. It will hide existing cracks, prevent new ones from forming and old ones to expand. Before work, it is enough to close up only especially deep recesses with putty and treat the wall with a deep penetration primer.
- Peeling plaster can be completely removed, after which the surface is primed and puttied. Before work, carefully read the information on the packaging regarding the proportions of dilution, as well as the recommended thickness of the material layer.
Conclusion
Almost all the cracks that form in the walls of the house are due to the lack of proper supervision, low-skilled workers and, consequently, poor-quality work. Therefore, it is very important to follow all technical conditions, norms and rules when erecting buildings of any purpose. As well as:
- take into account the properties of the soil;
- calculate the margin of safety of load-bearing structures;
- use high quality building materials.
Before you cover up a crack in the wall of the house on your own, you need to make sure that it does not affect the strength of the entire structure and does not pose a threat. And in order to avoid such a problem, it is better to entrust the construction to licensed contractors, to whom, on the basis of a contract, it will be possible to make claims for poor-quality work.
All buildings are destroyed over time, and this process is irreversible. However, it is possible to extend the life of the property, for this it is necessary to carry out repairs in a timely manner and close the resulting cracks. When renovating their homes, many are forced to face this problem. How to close the cracks in the wall so that the further repair process turns out to be of high quality?
Why are many structures subject to destructive processes?
In order to eliminate a crack in the wall, you need to find out the cause of its formation and establish the material from which it is made. To do this, an analysis is carried out, finding out the size and location of the crack.
It should be noted that gaps occur in a variety of cases: errors or complete non-compliance with the technological process of laying building materials, assembling drywall, laying concrete or incorrectly made proportion of the plaster mixture, incompatibility of building materials of walls and plaster, sudden changes from heat to cold. There are a lot of factors influencing the appearance of cracks and cracks in the walls.
We get rid of cracks on the plastered wall
Both for external and for walls inside the structure, the destruction of plaster is one of the most common problems. They very often form on sand-cement plaster. Most often - they are quite thin, not thicker than a hair, and they are usually located along the entire wall in the form of a web. They are especially noticeable after priming plastered walls. This happens when the proportion is violated during the preparation of the plaster mixture, as well as when it is applied incorrectly or the surface is cared for after plastering. It also happens if the material is applied in a thick layer at a time (more than 2-3 cm), this is unacceptable, as the technology is violated.
Among other things, cracks can also appear when decorative processing is performed (painting or wallpapering). To avoid this, before the final putty, it is necessary to reinforce the wall. Various building materials will help with this, for example, painting fiberglass, fiberglass mesh or glass wall paper. Considering that glass wallpapers are much more expensive, we will not focus on them, it is only worth noting that the method of their application does not differ from gluing fiberglass.
Fiberglass is considered the best option for eliminating cracks in the walls. It is fixed on a special glue (for glass) on a pre-prepared (treated with soil) base, followed by puttying or painting without applying it. Due to its structure, fiberglass is a reinforcing material.
When the walls are deeply damaged, the options for elimination
One of the main reasons why cracks appear in the walls is the uneven settlement of the constructed structure. First of all, this applies to new houses, which during the first two or three years after construction give a draft. After this period, most often, the built house no longer precipitates so much and rarely cracks. However, this is not insurance against further slight deformation and, therefore, cracks will appear anyway.
In addition, the cause of cracks and crevices on the walls may be non-compliance with the technological process during the construction of the building. This includes an incorrectly made cement composition, and improper laying of stone blocks or bricks, as well as a violation during the construction of the foundation, etc.
Under various circumstances, cracks appear in the walls and they need to be repaired. If the cracks are deep, then beacons should be set first to determine if they continue to expand. Lighthouses are a control seal of cracks in some places with a cement mortar for research. If there has been an expansion of cracks, first establish the cause of their creation and only at the end of the process close them. If there is an increase every day of the crack, you need to turn to professionals to prevent the destruction of the house and ensure the safety of your life.
If GKL cracked
The plasterboard wall is cracking, mainly at the seam. A problem arises when the technology for installing a metal frame and fixing GKL sheets is not followed. For the correct installation of sheets, you need to study the rules for installing GKL. A common mistake is also the one that the seams in drywall are not properly sealed. However, sometimes there are other cases, for example, a sharp temperature drop in the room, great dampness or a flood. When interacting with water, drywall is subject to deformation, and when it dries, it cannot be corrected. This leads to its complete replacement in case of flooding.
It is possible to eliminate a gap in a plasterboard wall using the following methods: embroider and seal with acrylic or putty intended for drywall. Alternatively, fiberglass is glued over the seam, followed by puttying, grinding and further painting or wallpapering. This method is more time-consuming and financially expensive, but it has greater reliability. It must be borne in mind that both methods are used if the metal frame for drywall is firmly attached to the wall and does not oscillate.
The sequence of work to eliminate cracks
Before you cover the cracks in the wall, you need to "embroider" them - that is, clear, deepen and expand at a 45-degree angle in all directions and primed. There are several termination options:
- the seam on the surface can be eliminated with the same mortar that made the wall masonry. You can buy the solution in the store or make it yourself. If you use a cement mortar, the gap must first be moistened with water;
- Another method of sealing gaps is the use of various sealants. The advantage is based on the fact that when it dries, it becomes rubbery, and this, when narrowing or expanding, does not allow the appearance of cracks, which is impossible when using an ordinary mortar. The seam is sealed with a gun, and an unnecessary amount is removed with a rubber or metal spatula. It is important to know that silicone sealants cannot be used, as they are greasy, so paint, plaster and putty do not stick to them. This method is not cheap, but justified;
- The next way to seal gaps is to use mounting foam. If a crack is detected not in the plaster layer, but directly in the masonry, the method used to eliminate the gap depends on the size and location of the crack.
When the gaps are very wide
When cracks form from 5 mm or more vertically, angles of 45 degrees are knocked around the crack so that the plaster layer is on the same level with the wall surface and “grabs” it securely. After that, with a vacuum cleaner and a brush, you need to clean the crack well and prime it. After the soil dries, the crack is “blown out” with mounting foam. Excess dried foam is cut in such a way that the gap goes deeper than the surface by a few millimeters, followed by covering it with a layer of plaster.
If there is a crack in the wall through, then the outer side is repaired with cement, and the inner side with plaster. This method of sealing the gap seals it so that bacteria does not grow there and it does not blow through.
When a horizontal gap appeared in a brick house, the foam will not fix such a moment. The void of the gap, in order to exclude the settlement of the building, must be laid with cement mortar, thereby creating a support for a part of the wall above the gap. To seal large gaps, it is worth putting pieces of broken brick or concrete into them first. When the hole is through, it is necessary to glue the plaster mesh on both sides, then close the gap from above with mortar.
In this case, it is recommended to use a special mixture for ceramic tiles, made on the basis of cement, as a binding solution. Such a solution is very durable and adheres well to the surface of the wall.
What to do if the layer of plaster collapses
There are two main types of plaster: internal and external. Usually they are thrown with a thickness of 15 mm. When decorating the outer surfaces, a sand-cement mixture is used, and the walls inside are often plastered with lime mortar, which is softer. If you have a hygroscopic and rough surface, then it is enough to apply the plaster mixture in one layer. However, for durability, it is recommended to apply it in two or three layers.
Spray plastering requires skill and special skill. In this case, the mixture for outdoor work is prepared in the ratio: one part of cement, three parts of sand. To strengthen the plastered surface, they throw in a “fur coat”, which can be made using a special machine purchased in a store. "Fur coat" is performed with a solution in the ratio of cement and sand one to one.
For interior work, a mixture is used: one part lime, four parts sand. You can buy a ready-made dry mix in the store - isogypsum (usually sold in paper bags). The mixture is soluble in water and the density of the solution should have the consistency of sour cream. With the help of a trowel, it is distributed along the wall: they throw the solution with a sharp movement so that it lays down like a “pancake”. With a weak throw, the solution will fall on the wall in a lump and will not stick.
The plaster mixture applied in this way is stroked with a grater in the directions from the bottom up and to the side. After a slight "seizure" of the solution, rub the plastered surface with a grater in circular and spiral movements.
If you need to finish a wall of a large area, “beacons” are fixed at a distance of about 1.5 m from each other (necessarily even metal or wooden planks). Installation of beacons is considered, perhaps, the most important stage. Their top edges define the surface of the layer because the smoothing tool will move over them. They work with the surface of the areas between the beacons. Wooden beacons are then removed, and metal ones can be left, sealing them with mortar.
Various types of patterns can be applied to the base layer of the plastered surface. For external surfaces, as already mentioned, you can apply a fur coat that strengthens the surface layer. Interior surfaces can be primed and then painted or wallpapered.
There are many ways to finish masonry, but these jobs require skill and patience. Therefore, before you independently start this work, you should first practice.
Tools
To perform work on sealing cracks on their own, a beginner plasterer will need the following construction tools:
- capacity to prepare the plaster mixture;
- grater and half grater;
- steel trowel;
- Master OK;
- brush and brush;
- small trowel for filling small holes.
You can make a solution yourself, or ready-made dry plaster mixes are sold in stores, which are diluted with water.
According to the advice of experts, for better sealing of cracks in the wall surface, it is recommended to use reinforced tape, thanks to which cracks do not spread further.
Summing up, it can be noted that, if cracks are identified, first you need to decide on the correct selection of the option for sealing cracks. And then the surface will be repaired quickly and efficiently, and for a long time you will not have to resort to repair work.
A very common problem when you make repairs to yourself, you have assembled 2 or 3-level ceilings, and before you had time to finish it, the seams on the ceilings began to crack.
A very unpleasant situation that takes a lot of time, effort and nerves to correct.
Why Do Drywall Seams Crack?
But before we talk about how I close up the GKL seams, let's try to figure out why these same seams are cracking:As a rule, all builders blame the shrinkage of the house for this, but this is not always the case. Well, I would also like to note. that it is not drywall that is cracking, but the putty between the drywall seams.
The main reasons for the formation of cracks in the seams of drywall
- Use of weak profiles and suspensions. (Buy a profile with a thickness of 0.5-0.6 mm, with profiles of 0.3-0.4 mm, forget about quality work)
- Violation of the seam sealing technology.
- Violation of temperature and humidity regimes.
- exceeding the permissible load. associated with house shrinkage.
How to seal drywall seams so they don't crack
Before proceeding with the sealing of the GKL joints, all wet work in the room must be completed.
The procedure for sealing joints is quite simple:
1) We prime the GKL seams with a deep penetration primer, or the entire ceiling). Let's wait for the primer to dry for 4-12 hours and proceed to the next step.
2) We cover the seams with a putty of the type: Uniflot, after 1 = 2 hours we pass the second layer if necessary. We wait for the complete drying of the putty, and proceed to the next step.
3) Now we will glue the paper tape on the PVA glue.
We cut off the desired piece of paper tape, and apply a thin layer of PVA ley on the tape and the surface of the drywall seam. We glue the tape, smoothing and removing all bubbles with a rubber spatula.
After the glue dries, 13-24 hours, make sure that there are no bubbles left on the glued tape, and there are no delaminations, now you can putty the ceiling with ordinary putty.
If you did everything right, the GKL seams will not crack.
Alexander Borisov, Samara
After years of operation, even the most solid and strong houses can give slack. In many cases, this manifests itself in the appearance of cracks in the walls and ceiling. The streaks may be microscopic at first, but will inevitably increase over time. If defects are not repaired, they can cause damage to the inside and outside of the building. As a result, the wall decoration will completely deteriorate. Today we will tell you why cracks can appear and how to fix them.
Cause of cracks
It may seem that the only reason for the occurrence of cracks is the wear of the walls, but this is not entirely true. Deformation is influenced by a number of factors. Cracks can appear at a shallow depth and width of the foundation, excessive pressure on the soil, which can lead to its mobility. This often happens with older buildings.
Problems can also arise if low-quality materials, such as gravel or concrete, were used to fill the foundation. For such structures, the concrete grade must be at least M 200. The above factors are associated with a violation of construction technology, but these problems are not limited. The house is able to sink due to the rise of groundwater, the slope of the site, the destruction of the foundation body, or the heterogeneity of the soil.
Before reinforcing, it is necessary to carry out a primer with a deep penetration composition.
Another factor is the quality of the materials from which the walls are built, how resistant it is to external influences. Cracks can appear due to their swelling, vibrations or shrinkage, too busy street traffic. Harsh weather can also cause cracks in the walls.
Elimination of cracks with reinforced mesh
If your walls are sagging, the most suitable repair method is mesh reinforcement. It consists in stretching special plaster or painting nets based on fiberglass onto a plaster or putty layer. is sold with mesh sizes of 2x2 mm, and plaster - from 5x5 mm to 45x45 mm. When plastering or painting, the mesh should not be completely immersed in a thick layer of mortar.
The mesh absorbs tensile stress and prevents cracking. The material can stretch up to 3%, but if the building settles or moves a lot, the mesh will not help. Putty or plaster will peel off the surface and hang on the mesh itself.
Wall crack repair (Video)
Mesh reinforcement is used in certain cases. For example, at the corner joints of walls made of different materials: one wall is made of plasterboard, and the other is made of plaster. If your walls are about 5 years old, the entire surface may crack due to shrinkage of the concrete. In this case, it is not necessary to reinforce the entire surface, but you can do it in the corners.
Such brickwork must be disassembled and replaced with a new one. Fresh bricks are laid in the so-called "brick castle". It is better to use pieces of reinforcement that cover the gap as part of the masonry. Bricks are sorted from top to bottom. If the masonry cannot be dismantled, the gap is sealed with cement mortar. Depending on the length of the gap, T-shaped metal anchors are driven into it, which are fixed with dowels on both sides of the wall. Cracks in brick walls can also be repaired. After the material hardens, it is cut to a depth of 2 cm. The cavity is sealed with cement mortar.
How to fix cracks in concrete walls?
If you have cracks on a concrete wall, some preparatory steps are required before starting the main work. First, the opening in the wall needs to be widened. Then the surface is thoroughly cleaned of dust and plaster residues. Then carry out a primer and moisten the surface to be treated. There are several ways to repair a concrete wall.
The first involves blowing out the crack with mounting foam and puttying. Mounting foam is sold in cylinders. This foam is great for mounting, because it expands 2-3 times in volume after application. The material can be used not only in working with concrete structures, but also with wood and metal.
In the second case, the gap is filled with cement mortar. After removing foreign objects, it is washed and filled with a solution. For best results, use an expanding compound. After treatment, the crack is moistened for 2-3 days in a row. Polyvinyl acetate can be added to the cement solution.
High-quality finishing of cracks will be obtained if they are filled with resin. It begins to be introduced immediately after the preparation of the wall. Attention! Be sure to wear gloves and goggles to protect yourself from the harmful effects of the resin. Cracks can also be repaired with special concrete restoration compounds.
conclusions
Any appearance of cracks should give a signal that the walls need to be repaired urgently. Do not delay with this and, if possible, try to repair it yourself. It is not as difficult as it seems at first glance.