Types, causes and methods of treating cracks or cracks in walls and how to maintain them
Wall cracks are one of the problems facing many homes, as they make them look improper, causing many residents to worry because of that distorted appearance. This problem may be due to many reasons, including climatic and environmental reasons, including reasons due to the origins of its equipment and those in charge of its construction. These cracks differ according to their causes, some of them are simple and can be treated, and some are dangerous. In the following, we will explain the types of cracks and how to treat them.
Types of wall cracks
The first type is… Structure cracks:
This crack occurs in the structural elements of the building, such as the columns and ceilings, which are the foundation of the building.
The second type, which is the cracks of whiteness:
This crack occurs at the ends of the lower windows to extend to the ground and can occur in the middle of the walls or occur vertically at the areas where the walls meet.
The third type, which is .. contraction cracks:
This crack occurs between doors and windows and between the wall attached to them, and this crack is one of the most common cracks in many homes.
The fourth type, which is..expansion cracks:
And this crack mediates at the separation between concrete materials and brick buildings such as beams and columns, and this crack is often on the sides of buildings that are exposed to the sun a lot.
Reasons for the presence of cracks
The first reason is: Separation in buildings. This reason is one of the biggest reasons that lead to cracks in the walls, as we find that cracks center around the corners of windows and doors, and those cracks are very accurate and produce those cracks because of the relief of buildings after their implementation
The second reason is: the natural sliding or slumping of the building, meaning that if the building was newly constructed and executed with high accuracy, but there were factors that led to the relaxation of the building, which led to the slump of the concrete and the whiteness, this will result in cracks in the layers of whiteness. Causes of cracks in the walls
The third reason is: The type of cement used for whitewashing when mixing cement with water during the whitewashing process may make it of high temperature and strength, which may cause wall cracks.
The fourth reason: Not to treat the joints between the wall elements, meaning not to install extended fibers in order to connect the walls and concrete columns, which may result in cracks also in the walls
The fifth reason: the modifications that are made in the walls from electrical and sanitary works that are implemented may lead to many cracks
wall cracks treatment
First: The cracks are emptied by the so-called putty knife, where the thickness of these cracks ranges from 2 to 3 millimeters
Second: The paste responsible for treating cracks is brought and then placed on the crack after cleaning it
Third: The paste is left for several hours to dry, then sanding is done for the cracked area until it is equal with the surface. This step is done several times to obtain the desired result.
Fourth: The walls are painted secondly using finishing paints, but care must be taken that these paints are of high quality so as not to cause any damage to the walls.
How to protect walls from cracks
The first method .. Using high-quality paints to reduce the exposure of the wall to extended cracks
The second method.. Make sure to install rubber insulators when doing any sanitary or electrical work in the walls
The third method .. Reducing the cleaning of the walls by using water mixed with chemicals, as it works to crack the walls and then cracks occur in them.
The fourth method .. Choosing a highly skilled technician when doing home finishes, as the technician with insufficient knowledge of paint and finish works is a factor in the damage to the walls because he is not fully aware of what he is doing, and this may lead to the occurrence of such problems later
And with this, we will explain the causes and problems of wall cracks, as well as how to treat and maintain them.