Ask a Question or Search InspectApedia. Questions & answers or comments about structural brick foundations & brick walls: crack, leak, or movement diagnosis, defects.
Although cracks in decorative brick facings and some brick structures can be cosmetic, other cracks can be severe enough to cause all or part of the building to collapse.
What Causes Hairline Cracks in Walls? Whether cracks occur on the finished surfaces of masonry, wood or metal stud walls, the most common cause is the movement of.
Whether cracks occur on the finished surfaces of masonry, wood or metal stud walls, the most common cause is the movement of building materials. While the natural movement of building materials surprises many homeowners, engineers, architects and builders expect and plan for natural settling, shrinking and swelling. Unfortunately, regardless of the quality of installation, surface materials and finishes often develop thin cracks called hairline cracks. Most cracks are relatively easy to repair, and, with the right materials, you can sometimes slow or stop their spread. Cracks regularly occur in all types of masonry walls, including reinforced concrete slab walls, concrete block walls, brick walls and stucco walls. Cracking is frequently found in masonry walls due to the settling wall foundations, the movement of framing materials, temperature changes and the application of loads to the wall. You'll also find cracks where separate materials meet in block and brick walls, such as the joint between mortar and blocks or bricks. Alternatively, cracks often appear in stucco over stick-frame walls when wooden framing naturally expands or contracts. Effective repair of cracks in masonry walls typically involves widening the crack, cleaning its contents and filling it with repair mortar or flexible sealant. Drywall In drywall cracks often occur due to the movement of underlying framing materials, such as wood studs, or damage to tape seams between adjacent sheets of drywall. Particularly common following water damage, hairline cracks develop along the loosened edge of damaged drywall tape. Alternatively, hairline cracks occur in drywall when fasteners, such as drywall nails, pop loose from wall framing. Additionally, drastic changes in interior temperature and humidity or poor drywall tape installation often causes drywall and drywall surface coatings to develop cracks. While drywall repairers fix minor cracks with spackle or drywall mud, major cracks require removal and replacement of the drywall. Discerning Blemishes From Serious Damage Although often simply blemishes, cracks sometimes indicate serious structural damage or water damage. Indicators of structural damage to masonry walls, particularly concrete, block and brick walls, include entire sections of a wall that protrude along a crack or single blocks or bricks that protrude along a crack. On interior walls, indications of serious damage include sagging and bulging wall surfaces or moist areas along cracks.','url':'http://www.ehow.com/info_10004589_causes-hairline-cracks-walls.html','og_descr':'Whether cracks occur on the finished surfaces of masonry, wood or metal stud walls, the most common cause is the movement of building materials. While the natural movement of building materials surprises many homeowners, engineers, architects and builders expect and plan for natural settling, shrinking and swelling. Unfortunately, regardless of the...
How to Recognize Foundation Cracks in Brick. If you learn to read brick properly, you can easily determine whether damage to a brick wall is merely a surface.
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BRICK WALL THERMAL EXPANSION CRACKS - CONTENTS: How to recognize, diagnose, & repair or prevent brick wall or foundation cracks due to thermal expansion.
![What Causes Hairline Cracks in Walls?](http://img-aws.ehowcdn.com/200x200/ds-photo/getty/article/147/71/71031305_XS.jpg)