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Brick wall cracking due to thermal expansion:

This article describes extensive damage that can be caused to brick structures due to thermal expansion of long brick walls lacking expansion joints.

We list factors that determine the extent of thermal expansion damage to a brick wall or structure. Absence of control joints or expansion joints in long brick walls leads to extensive cracking damage, and we provide photographs of brick wall crack damage attributible to thermal expansion

We describe how to recognize, diagnose, & evaluate thermal expansion cracks in brick walls &: brick foundations and how to distinguish between this type of cracking failures and other cracks and movement in masonry foundations or walls, such as concrete, masonry block, brick, stone foundation damage due to impact, settlement, frost or water damage, and other causes.

We illustrate properly-designed control joints to prevent cracking in brick walls.

Then use a sharp trowel to solidly pack the rest of the crack with mortar. Finish the outer part of the brick by matching the joints together. Use a trowel and jointer to fix up the joints near the surface of the newly grouted brick. The surface of the brick needs to match the other bricks on the wall as closely as possible. These usually occur when there is external or internal stress on the wall. Once the brick or mortar cracks, the stress is relieved. Use the trowel to pack the mortar tightly into each crack.

This article series describes ypes of concrete and other masonry wall & foundation cracks, crack patterns, differences in the meaning of cracks in different foundation materials, site conditions, building history,and other evidence of building movement and damage.

This information assists in recognizing foundation defects and helps separate cosmetic or low-risk conditions from those likely to be important, possibly quite dangerous, and potentially costly to repair.

We also provide a MASTER INDEX to this topic, or you can try the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX as a quick way to find information you need.

How to Identify, Diagnose, & Evaluate Thermal Expansion Damage to Brick Walls

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Thermal expansion failures in structural or veneer brick walls: is a topic misunderstood by many builders, masons, engineers, architects, and inspectors.

As Dave Wickersheimer, R.A. P.E. and masonry failure expert has pointed out, brick 'grows' in size indefinitely [though probably most of its size increase is early after it's manufacture.]

But a separate factor that can cause very large movements andextensive damage to brick structures or brick veneer walls is the thermal expansion which occurs across a long or tall brick wallwhen that wall is heated by sun exposure.

The photographs here show significant thermal expansion damage in a long brick structure - the Poughkeepsie NY Jewish Community Center) when we first photographed it in 1989. We visited this site again for an update in June 2007.

This brick veneer wall was built over a concrete block building.The brick veneer was attached using normal steel strapmethods and the brick veneer was also reinforced at intervals using a horizontal steel wire. But the wall, more than 100' long, wasbuilt without a single expansion joint.

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As the south-facing wall of this building heated in summer sun the wall grew in lengthuntil it pushed out the East and West building corners at their tops for a total of nearly 3' measured by dropping a plumb line from each building corner.

The veneer movement produced a variety of damage, including:

• Significant breaks and gaps at vertical brick mortar joints due to thermal expansion and perhaps some frost and water damage are shown in our photo above.

• Horizontal sliding breaks in brick mortar joints [above], exposing reinforcing wire to rust, exfoliation, and additional damage from those forcesas the exfoliating wire produced still more pressure on the mortar joint.

• Step cracking following mortar joints near the building corners and where the wall movement was resisted by first story intersecting brick walls abutting at right angles the middle section of the long brick wall. This long brick wall was built with no control joints.

Basement Wall Crack Fix

• Cracks and broken bricks, and damaged windows at intersections of brick walls and these openings. Additionalwindow damage is shown in the color photograph lower on this page.
• Cracks in the interior concrete block structural wall were observed in the building interior
• Leaks and water entry and some frost damage and related loosening of the brick veneer at various locations around the building but weremost severe in areas exposed to thermal expansion of long brick veneer walls.

We were surprised that there was not more extensive damage to the structural walls themselves, and we urged the building management to consultan experienced mason for further inspection and repair. We expected the mason to cut vertical expansion joints in the wall and to seal thesejoints with an appropriate flexible filler material or gasket.

No repairs were made, the cracks had grown slightly, and leaks had increased at the time of an informal site inspection and visit we made again in June 2007, as shown in the photographs below.

Factors which determine the extent of thermal expansion damage to a brick wall or structure

Above: an open a control joint built into a brick wall of a building in Kingston, NY. It's no surprise that this wall had a good control joint in the brick wall: note that the sign indicates that this building houses James McGowan and sons, a Kingston masonry company. Cahn c 31 microbalance manual lawn edger.

Below: sealed control joints in a brick veneer at the Van Scriver Elementary School in Haddonfield New Jersey. These control joints are placed at intervals of 25 stretcher brick courses - green arrows.

• Proper installation of thermal expansion joints
  is the critical design factor to avoid thermal expansion damage to brick.
  Omission of the expansion joint in a long brick wall is likely to lead to cracking damage, particularly on long walls.
  [See our photos above] [Click to enlarge any image]
• Selection and application of connectors
  between the brick veneer and the structure is an important factor - some connectorspermit more movement between the brick veneer and the structure.
  However even if a large brick veneer wall is properly fastened,if lacks expansion joints damage is likely, especially on the sun-exposed walls
• Sun exposure:
  simply walking around a large structure such as the building complex shown in these photographs, it becomesquite apparent that thermal expansion damage occurs worst on long brick walls which are facing South and/or those which receivethe most sun exposure.
• Means of brick veneer attachment:
  A second factor inthe probability of damage to a brick veneer wall is the means of attachment of the veneer to the building structure.
  Brick veneer wallswere traditionally secured to the underlying wood or masonry structure using corrugated steel strips which were fastened at one endto the structure and at the other end laid in the brick veneer wall at mortar joints.
  These connectors permit some verticalmovement between the structures but resists lateral movement. Some newer brick veneer connectors are designed to permithorizontal as well as some vertical movement differences between the brick veneer wall and the structure.
  And of course, whereproper expansion joints are provided in the expanse of a brick wall and at windows and doors which penetrate that wall, weshould not see thermal expansion damage to the bricks nor to the structure.

Below, a closer look at the sealed control joints at the control joints in a brick veneer at the Van Scriver Elementary School in Haddonfield New Jersey.

• Brick veneer bottom support:
  on some residential properties we've found loose brick veneer walls that lacked adequate support to carry their weight.
  Typical brick veneer support on a residential building uses either a steel angle iron fastened to the foundation wall to carry the bricks from their first course, or if the brick veneer was in the original plans for the building the architect or builder may have specified that the building foundation wall project approximately 4' (one brick width) out from the building structural wall to carry the load of the bricks.
• Combined effects of weather & thermal cracking
  may increase cracking and movement in a brick structure or brick veneer structure.
  It's possible that the wall-corner cracks in the photograph at the top of this page were aggravated by leaks at the roof or roof parapet since this building is located in a freezing climate.
• Distinguishing between brick thermal cracking and frost cracking:
  How can we distinguish between brick cracking due to roof or parapet wall leaks and brick cracking due to thermal movement: a leak and frost related crack on a masonry building tends to be horizontal near the top of the building wall at about the location of the roof surface behind the parapet wall, or just below that point - describing where water is entering the structure.
  Thermal cracking in the same brick wall will generate stair-step cracks or vertical cracks near the wall ends (or building corners) and will be independent of high-on-wall horizontal cracks that map the surface of the roof itself.
• Brick veneer vs. structural brick:
  OPINION: we suspect that at least in some cases, a brick veneer wall might suffer worse damage from thermal expansion than a brick structural wall, based on the hypothesis that a brick veneer wall, being a single brick in thickness, has less thermal mass and so will heat up more quickly across its surface than a structural brick wall which will be two or more wythes of bricks in thickness, joined by bond courses.
• Cracks & Movement in Loose Brick Veneer Walls - Support Issues?
  See BRICK VENEER WALL LOOSE, BULGED for details of bulged cracked brick veneer wall damage caused by inadequate support, frost, or building damage - low-rise residential buildings.

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Continue reading at BRICK VENEER WALL LOOSE, BULGED or select a topic from closely-related articles below, or see our complete INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES below.

Or see BRICK WALL THERMAL EXPANSION CRACK FAQs - thermal cracking brick crack questions and answers posted originally on this page.

THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS for a table of the coefficient of expansion of common building materials including brick, concrete, mortar, and stone.

Or see this

Article Series Contents

• BRICK FOUNDATIONS & WALLS - home
  • BRICK WALL DRAINAGE WEEP HOLES - home

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Fixing Cracks In Exterior Brick Wall

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To repair missing or cracked mortar joints on a brick wall:

1. Mix Mortar: Mix up a batch of matching colored mortar in a bucket or wheelbarrow.
2. Clean Mortar Joints: Use a chisel or screwdriver to remove any loose mortar from the mortar joints.
3. Fill Mortar Joints: Use a grout bag, trowel, or wood stick to force the mortar in the gaps.
4. Remove Excess Mortar: Remove any excess mortar and mortar on the bricks.
5. Let Mortar Set: Allow the mortar to dry.

Watch this video to find out more.

Further Information

• Matching Bricks and Mortar (video)
• How to Match the Brick and Trim on Your Home (video)

Video Transcript

Fix Cracked Brick Retaining Wall

To repair brick cracks, you’ll need to mix up a batch of mortar that matches the mortar on your house. Then clean the repair area to remove any loose material. Using a grout bag, narrow trowel or wood stick force the mortar into the voids. Be careful to remove any that spills over onto the bricks. As the mortar dries you can sculpt it match the surrounding joints so the repair is invisible.