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SB Tuckpointing are Melbourne and Hobart’s cracked brick wall repair experts who excel in deep foundational solutions and comprehensive repair jobs instead of temporary and superficial patches.
Crack stitching is a common method of repairing cracks in brick walls and reinforcing the strength and integrity of the wall.
The crack stitching method involves clearing out the old and degraded mortar from around the bricks and affected area, cleaning the area, inserting special masonry metal rods between the brick lines for extra support and then filling in with new mortar.
Only after the crack stitching process is complete and the strength and integrity has returned to the brick wall can we start the cosmetic repairs and brick wall restoration.
Much like the exposed brick and mortar walls, the way to identify if your rendered wall is experiencing foundation issues or water damage problems is also by the cracks appearing in the walls render or plaster.
SB Tuckpointing can inspect your cracked render or plaster and determine if further exploration is needed to identify a hidden cracked brick wall beneath and what repairs need to be undertaken.
SB Tuckpointing has experience in tracing cracks along internal plaster walls or through rendered exteriors to identify the extent of cracked bricks and mortar. With all information undercovered the SB Tuckpointing cracked brick repair experts can explain the repair process.
Cracks in your brick wall and degrading mortar joints might look like a small problem and minor aesthetic defection but they can quickly become an expensive catastrophe if not treated - and a major safety concern and insurance liability.
Another thing to consider with your cracked brick walls is the size of the cavity - if rain or drainage water gets in the crack then it can exacerbate the existing problem and create new water damage issues in your property.
Want to know how serious the cracks in your brick wall are? SB Tuckpointing can come and inspect the brick wall, discuss what is involved in the repair and a quote of how much it will cost to fix the cracked brick and mortar.
There are a few major types of cracked brick walls you need to keep an eye out for:
Basically a vertical crack through your brick wall will cross multiple bricks in a straight line ignoring the pattern of the bricks and mortar joints. Vertical straight cracks can be quite serious as it indicates significant foundation movement.
Is when the crack goes down the wall following the mortar line without actually cracking the surrounding bricks. Usually this is an indication of a flaw in construction, perhaps a weak mortar was used or not enough of it used to begin with.
Recognised by a line running between bricks horizontally usually indicated the wall is being pushed outwards. When untreated it can become at risk of collapsing under the pressure being applied from above and below.
In brick walls usually appear when an uneven stress distribution has formed in your wall. These load-bearing cracks in brick walls are commonly seen breaking away from or nearby windows and doorways and sometimes created by soil foundation movement.
SB Tuckpointing can give you an in depth consultation and investigate the reasons as to why your brick walls are cracking and what will be involved to repair them.
Brick walls crack when natural elements or man-made environmental impacts compromise the masonry materials causing them to shift, buckle and crack under the weight of the forces applied.
SB Tuckpointing masonry experts can visit your house and inspect the cracked brick wall and surrounding areas to determine what the cause of your degrading brick wall may be. In the meantime, here are some reasons your external brick walls may be cracking:
Your brick walls should be built on some steady foundations to ensure the least amount of movement holding up your heavy house. If a significant amount of soil gets disrupted, uncompacted or moved away from the base it could cause the bottom of the rigid brick wall to shift and create cracks throughout.
Removing large trees in the area may also cause local destabilisation to the soil making it decompress to fill the void previously filled with firm tree roots. The looser soil and decompression may cause brick walls to crack because the foundations have dipped.
Your brick walls are constantly exposed to the temperamental Melbourne and Hobart weather elements and a wide variation of temperatures from freezing cold during winter mornings to baking hot in peak summer sun.
Your brick and mortar are highly durable and highly water resistant but can degrade over the years and decades (like anything). When the mortar crumbles away and the bricks are looser and more exposed the wall integrity degrades and may start to flex - but being a rigid brick wall, it starts to crack.
One of the most common causes of cracked bricks is foundation issues. If your house isn’t built upon steady ground that has become uneven over time then the brick wall is going to try and flex, but being made of rigid brick and mortar, the bricks will crack and the mortar will degrade and fall away.
Usually there are other signs of significant foundation problems that can accompany cracked bricks, such as doors that don’t shut properly, floor cracks, wall fissures, interior wall cracks and broken chimneys, so keep an eye on the signs.
It’s an unfortunate fact of life that there are dodgy contractors out there trying to finish builds fast and cheap which usually causes brick houses to degrade and require repairs sooner rather than later.
Melbourne has some comprehensive construction regulations to follow however when combined with age, wild weather and questionable craftsmanship your brick wall may need maintenance or experience damage sooner than expected.
Even if the construction of the brick wall and surrounding foundations was of a quality build, cracks can appear in a brick wall through the degradation of construction materials used - especially if the brick house is decades old.
Brick and mortar generally ages well but with historic and heritage houses it’s difficult to tell what construction material they had access to at the time and the brick and mortar maintenance measures taken through the years.
Brick and mortar are highly water resistant and can last decades when properly constructed, but they aren’t meant to have prolonged periods of time being wet or submerged in water. Leaking pipes, improper drainage and years of rain can penetrate the brick wall . If you live in an area that experiences freezing temperatures the masonry can be compromised with moisture then through the process or freezing and thawing the mortar can push out the bricks causing them to crack.
Rising Damp is another potential cause of cracked bricks which is the process of water and moisture containing salts from the ground to rise up the brick walls making mortar crumble and bricks to degrade. Tuckpointing or Repointing is a recommended technique for preventing water damage in bricks.
Tree roots are unseen and slow to grow but can have some serious ground-moving strength. You may have seen cracks and raised pavement near trees - it is much the same for brick walls and mortar but instead of having space to be pushed up, the weight of the house will cause the brick wall to flex outwards and quickly fracture and crack.
A great way to keep the leafy foliage to compliment your brick wall, without the hazard of cracking bricks and mortar, is to only plant shrubs, bushes and flowers which typically don’t have an invasive root system.
SB Tuckpointing always recommends fixing cracked brick walls early to avoid worse problems in the future.
Concerned about a cracked brick wall and mortar? Get an appraisal directly from Melbourne and Hobart brick repair experts and find out the cost of repairing cracked bricks.
SB Tuckpointing has all the required masonry material, equipment and experience to identify the problem and repair your brick walls to make them look terrific once again. Check out some of our cracked brick repairs in Melbourne & Hobart on the SB Tuckpointing Instagram page.
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