One way of defining normal cracking is, that cracking that can be resolved with maintenance and depending on the age of the home, painting the home. The best thing you can do is paint over them with elastomeric paint. Cracks in the siding or stucco a few small cracks are common. This article will focus on the investigation of cracks and some suggested repairs. Reread my column and any others that talk about lumber shrinkage. Correctly repairing stucco cracks key to long term. Heres what you should be looking for, to identify the types of cracks you have in your stucco. These cracks no matter what the width are rarely acceptable.
Repairing hairline cracks in exterior stucco a helpful. Homeowners should be told to expect minor cracks as the stucco shrinks. Hairline cracks are those cracks which are observable on plastered painted surface near the two different materials meeting points like as you mentioned near electric boardetc are common but middle of wall wall not common untill there is any runn. Cracks in the foundation or is it bowed or leaning. My contractor says that this is normal and will not affect the integrity of the concrete. Most of the time, these will be relatively small and are refer to as hairline cracks. The january 2007 article on stucco cracks dealt with myths, planning, caveats and suggested contract language when working with such systems. Static cracks are often hairline in size and less than 116 th inch in width, and these tend to have a crazed or spider web pattern. Not all cracks in exterior stucco are the same, in fact you can learn a lot from analyzing where they originate from, what they look like and how large or small they are. Now in the winter i am seeing more and more hairline cracks and some spider cracks but still hairline. There you have it folks you can go by the book and even beyond as we did and still get some hairline cracking in a new stucco job. My contractor had a representative from the material supplier come out and take a look and he also said that this was normal. Multiple hairline cracks in stucco i truely do hate to carry this on but i feel it a must.
Hairline cracks are commonly observed in freshly placed concrete and their occurrence is owed to the phenomenon of plastic shrinkage. They use drywall tape and drywall joint compound, often called drywall mud. These photographs depict what we refer to as normal cracking. Stucco cracks dont always mean damage, but it is a common sign of stucco moisture problems missing chips and chunks of stucco surface damage to your stucco siding is a sign of water damage underneath. Most of the time these types of cracks can be fixed by homeowners with no plastering experience required, and requires minimal tools to do so. When the wall is pressurewashed beforehand, it will have a clean surface that paint adheres to easily. If concerned, do a quick structural check of the home. That means there is very little room to fill it with anything but a very lowviscosity liquid. Jul 28, 2014 repairing stucco cracks, why new stucco walls can crack. Spiderweb or hairline type cracks due to drywall mud issues. Many cracks could be avoided by paying attention to control joints, proper attachment of lath, allowing.
They ranged any where from 45 feet long to the length of my garage wall 16 plus feet between the front windows. This damage will only become a bigger problem with time. This can cause stucco cracks, and other foundational problems. Small cracks that are less than 116 inch are common and can be easily repaired with minor filling and repainting, if needed. The wood dries, the vibrations from the construction equipment and other factors play a significant role in this for a brand new home. Hairline cracks in this color coat are inevitable, but if the base coats are well cured, these surface cracks will not communicate water through the stucco. Cracks that present wider at the top usually mean the foundation is dropping or the center of the foundation is heaving. Often, large cracks develop at the intersection of vertical walls, at the upper corners of window and door frames, or at joints between wood framing and concretebrick masonry. Small cracks will not accept material, and the resulting patch will detract from the natural beauty of the stucco and will serve no useful purpose. Whether or not these cracks are serious is dependent on the particular circumstances. We have a relatively new build house now 8 years old and over the years have noticed the odd hairline crack, which we have obviously put down to settlement as it was a new build. Repairing hairline cracks in exterior stucco a helpful tutorial. Correctly repairing stucco cracks key to long term waterproofing success. At first i wasnt concerned, but the cracking seems to be getting worse.
Howto repair a crack on exterior stucco surface behr. For the past two years ive noticed small hairline cracks forming in the exterior stucco and in some of the walls and ceilings of the interior rooms. Jul 23, 2008 baker has assisted housings giants with identifying, correcting and preventing construction quality issues related to stucco. Stucco crack repair explained by professional stucco. If you find that your stucco tears or breaks off, its worth bringing out an expert to. Common examples are at the corners of windows and doors. There are several types of cracks that will occur in stucco walls. Cracks in stucco look for either large and obvious cracks or small hairline ones. Take a look at some of the many different types to get a better feel for what youre up against. Start hairline stucco crack repair by cleaning the wall. Sep 15, 2017 4 steps for how to repair hairline cracks in stucco. On the other hand, if i had a series of small windows along a ribbon of stucco, these reentrant hairline cracks are what i would term as normal and. Professional stucco contractors who have a lot of experience in how to fix hairline cracks in stucco remove dirt and dust from the stucco wall before they begin filling in cracks. When too much water is added to thin the mud prior to application, small hairline cracks may occur.
For these small cracks, get a flexible, paintable, exteriorgrade caulk. Hello everyone, i have a 5 year old home that had a few hair line cracks the first year. I can see several cracks in the exterior stucco on my home. The underlying cause of the hairline wall crack may be due to problems with the walls framing, contraction or expansion of wood sheathing, settling, thermal expansion or contraction, rapid changes in temperature, weak areas in the wall or abnormal.
Unlike hairline cracks, a large stucco crack may indicate a structural problem. Learn how to fix hairline cracks in stucco from stucco. First step outside the home and walk around the exterior. Repairing hairline cracks can be challenging because making the cracks vanish takes skill, forbearance, practice and a good eye for colour matching. Hairline cracks in new stucco contractor who did the work says its normal foam board was added to the exterior of an old home in the southwest, which was then finished with stucco. Before you learn how to fix hairline cracks in stucco, it is important to discover how they develop.
I pour dry stucco powder into a cup, then use a dry 1inch brush to dab the powder into the cracks. I put the builder on notice and of course the warranty has. The importance depends on their shape, size, location and the cause of them. Because of these serious risks that cracked stucco can entail, it is important to deal with it promptly. Repairing large stucco cracks in walls the width of a penny or larger cost more since they require the removal of. Youll also find cracks where separate materials meet in block and. The underlying cause of the hairline wall crack may be due to problems with the walls framing, contraction or expansion of wood sheathing, settling, thermal expansion or contraction, rapid changes in temperature, weak areas in the wall or abnormal vibrations in the ground. Jul 17, 2017 cracking in stucco or dryvit walls happens when there is more stress placed on the wall than the material can withstand. It sounds counterintuitive, but youll probably need to make the crack wider. Small, hairline cracks in stucco are normal and generally wont compromise the stuccos integrity.
One definition of a hairline crack is a crack that hasnt opened up. To determine how serious a wall crack might be, its best to examine the shape of the crack and the direction it runs on the wall. Understanding house settling cracks ask the builder. If the crack is vertical and starts near the apex where the wall. Cracks regularly occur in all types of masonry walls, including reinforced concrete slab walls, concrete block walls, brick walls and stucco walls. Its paint with a rubberized texture so the house can move and will reduse those crack lines. Using a scraper, remove any loose debris from the cracked area.
This gentleman bought a home several years agiio and quite literally had problems with the exterior application and finish from the get go. Hairline crack in concrete causes, repair and prevention. I just had a new concrete driveway poured and the very next morning, several cracks showed up in the concrete. This kind of stucco crack is about 116 of an inch wide. Cracks in the ceiling can be cosmetic or indicative of a serious structural problem. Correctly repairing stucco cracks key to long term waterproofing success the exterior walls of an occupied building should, among other things, prevent excessive air and water from entering to the interior. These stresses can cause movement within the stucco, which can result in wider cracks than internally generated cracks. Jan 20, 2017 this can cause stucco cracks, and other foundational problems. Repairing stucco cracks, why new stucco walls can crack. A better approach is to repair dead hairline cracks where the stucco is stable and the cracks dont change size or reappear by dusting them with premixed, pigmented stucco. Repairing stucco cracks, why new stucco walls can crack youtube.
Ron webber, a veteran plastering contractor in orange, calif. 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. As a result, the mere sight of a hairline crack causes great concern. Stucco gives in to stress and movement and it is a normal occurrence. For cracks that are wider at the bottom, the foundation is likely heaving and the center is dropping. These cracks are usually about 116 of an inch wide or sometimes even thinner. Houses of any age move and shift subtly over time, and the weakest area in a wall is the most likely to crack. If there are minor cracks in your stucco, this is a project that most san francisco homeowners can tackle if they want to.
So, save the dough and diy with the plastering tools we suggest direct from amazon, usually free shipping, two day delivery with prime right to. Photographs normal cracking stucco research, stucco. Cracks in ceilings may be cosmetic or a structural red flag. Unfortunately many of todays consumers are receiving inaccurate information regarding cracks in stucco. Hairline cracks are arguably the most common type of stucco crack. But if you ignore them, hairline cracks can become much worse. Many homes that have stucco as an exterior coating have cracking issues, but most of them can be repaired quite. Structural distress does cause cracks, but the vast majority of cracks are not structural in nature. Consult with a construction attorney, why not just my regular attorney. Get a stucco inspector that can do an moisture analysis. How to identify cracks in your stucco ai restoration. Often, large cracks develop at the intersection of vertical walls, at. If these hairline cracks must be repaired, they could be fog coated.
Cracks are most commonly caused by expansion and contraction of building materials due to changes in moisture content and temperature. How to repair stucco cracks on florida home dons painting. Paint is intended to seal hairline cracks of this kind. It is the purpose of this article to define normal cracking as opposed to excessive cracking. Heres how to determine the cause of your ceiling cracksand fix them. Hairline cracks tend to result from heavy vibrations due to construction or harsh weather, especially in new homes. Stucco and dryvit walls are relatively low maintenance, offering a durable finish to exterior walls. Hairline cracks are typically around a 116 of an inch wide or smaller, if the. Stucco crack repair explained by professional stucco contractors. Repairing large stucco cracks in walls the width of a penny or larger cost more since they require the removal of paint and loose stucco pieces. For hairline or nonstructural cracks in concrete, the answer as to whats acceptable is less clear. Hairline stucco crack is a very small surface crack within a wall crafted from stucco.
Hairline cracks over doors and windows are likely due to settling. For hairline or nonstructural cracks in concrete, the. If its bigger, or youre not sure, check out worrisome cracks in stucco, which should only be repaired by a professional. Stucco, like all cementitious products is susceptible to cracking. By code, builders should provide at least 48 hours of curing time after the first coat is applied and wait seven days after the second coat before applying the finish. It has to be thicker than a nickel to be a problem. It is normal for plaster to crack from movement and stress, especially in a new home. Micro cracks are a normal occurrence and are mostly invisible to the naked eye. This level of maintenance is to be expected with all stucco homes. I have hairline cracks on walls everywhere in my new house.
Follow these howto steps for successful repair of cracks in your stucco. When is it time to repair stucco cracks in the walls. There are hairline cracks all over the new stucco, noticed just a couple months after the work. Aug 15, 2017 hairline cracks are arguably the most common type of stucco crack. Hairline cracks in new stucco contractor who did the. It is the tar paper layer that protects the interior of. Depending on your locality you may find that its feasible to spray a paint finish over stucco, which can be by far the easiest and cheapest way to do it. When left unpainted, chunks of stucco will pop out and costly repairs will be needed. Heres a quick guide on how to repair stucco cracks and what not to do that will help you fix the cracks without causing even bigger problems. How to determine if the cracks in walls are serious home.
It has the same approximate thickness as a single strand of hair. Baker has assisted housings giants with identifying, correcting and preventing construction quality issues related to stucco. If you have a small crack in your exterior stucco, you can patch it pretty easilyand you definitely should, or you may be in for more extensive repairs down the. If the drywall joint compound is put on in one or more coats that are too thick. Just like the horizontal crack is bad news, so is a vertical crack.
Painting your home with highquality thick paint can fill these hairline cracks naturally with the paint film. Virtually all stucco homes these days all suffer from one thing, cracking. Identifying various cracks in stucco the stucco guy. For cracks that are wider at the bottom, the foundation is. They come about due to different factors, and these will inform how you repair stucco cracks. Cracking in stucco or dryvit walls happens when there is more stress placed on the wall than the material can withstand. Cracking in stucco can range from a small problem to a very large.
External stresses are due to the transfer of outside forces into the stucco assembly. Multiple hairline cracks in stucco inspection news. As the name implies, these cracks are very small about 0. Its important to remember that even though most of the time small stucco cracks or normal, there are some situations where a large crack can be a sign of a bigger problem. Mar 03, 2016 this level of maintenance is to be expected with all stucco homes. Jul 25, 2015 just like the horizontal crack is bad news, so is a vertical crack. One way of defining normal cracking is, that cracking that can be resolved with maintenance and depending on the age of the home, painting the home the first photograph below shows a wide crack along a corner of the building. This will remove old stucco, paint, and other debris from the cracks and will allow the patching material to bond tightly. Small hairline cracks, usually seen at the corners of door and window frames. How to repair hairline cracks in stucco ai restoration.
Call ai restoration today to talk about stucco cracks. Home waterproofing correctly repairing stucco cracks key to long term waterproofing success. Consult an engineer or concrete repair professional to determine the cause of the crack and to recommend the best repair solution. Feb, 2010 it has to be thicker than a nickel to be a problem. Stucco repair contractor in phoenix, az match all drywall.
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