How to tighten the walls of a house from the inside. How to strengthen the walls of a brick house. Strengthening a brick wall

Building a house using brick is one of the most common options today.

No matter how expensive materials are purchased for the construction of a structure, after a certain period of time cracks may appear in the walls, which indicates the presence of a negative process occurring in the foundation. It is important to carry out repair work to eliminate the defect as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the building may warp, internal surfaces may deform, and the foundation may completely crumble.

If the wall is cracked brick house, then before starting repair work you should understand the reasons for the appearance of such a defect. Experts highlight the following points that led to destructive consequences:

close location groundwater can lead to erosion of the foundation, resulting in base deformation and subsidence. In addition, constant changes temperature regime negatively affect the binders that make up the foundation;
shrinkage of a house is a natural process. Depending on the composition of the soil, soil displacement may take place over several years;
the foundation was disturbed when pouring process or low-grade material was used.

Strengthening a brick wall or eliminating it?

What is the process of strengthening a brick wall?
In fact, eliminating cracks in brick walls is a rather labor-intensive process and requires special attention. In most cases, the defect appears due to deformation of the base. If a crack is obvious in the foundation of a brick house, then the following measures will need to be taken:

along the wall where there is a crack, a trench of certain overall dimensions is dug near the foundation;
the area with the crack is opened with extreme care and caution (the hole widens slightly);
To understand how to strengthen the foundation of a brick house, you need to drill holes for the reinforcement rod in a cleared area. If necessary, welding can be used. Thus, a kind of connecting link is created;
Next, the formwork is installed and a new layer of foundation is poured. Leave the trench filled with solution until completely dry;
upon expiration as minimum 28 days On the site you can carry out compaction and build a blind area.

Repair work to strengthen the foundation of a brick wall

What is strengthening the foundation of a brick wall?
By strengthening the foundation in the future, you can prevent the formation of new cracks, as well as stop the expansion of existing ones. Moreover, this concerns the growth of the defect both in length and width. If the wall of a brick house has burst, then in addition to strengthening the foundation, a simple procedure should be carried out, the results of which will make it obvious whether the growth of the split has stopped. It is enough to stick unique beacons made of paper onto the cracks in the walls of a brick house. If after a certain period of time the stickers remain intact, then you can safely begin repair work. To do this you need to do the following:

minor cracks in the brickwork, the causes of which have been established, and the width does not exceed 5 mm, can be covered with ordinary cement mortar. First, the edges of the recess must be carefully trimmed, construction waste remove and moisten the surface with water for better adhesion to the cement mixture;
if the width of the gap reaches 10 mm, then it is sealed cement-sand mortar, prepared in a ratio of 1:3.
Initially it is necessary to dismantle the damaged section of the wall
When it cracked brick house, and the width of the target exceeds the average size, then you should approach this task more thoroughly. By first eliminating the causes of cracks in the brickwork, you can take emergency measures to eliminate surface defects, restoring its integrity.
Before strengthening brick walls, it is necessary to disassemble the damaged fragment of masonry. The disassembly procedure is carried out from the top row. All bricks that are damaged or do not hold tightly enough must be removed.
Elimination of cracks in brickwork occurs by laying new bricks on the cleaned part of the wall. Many may ask the question of how to strengthen the walls of a brick house so that history does not repeat itself in the future. It is enough to include reinforcement, metal corners or strips in the process of making new masonry. In addition, the masonry must end with a lock.
When restoring components of a brick house, you need to use strips of steel. Such linings are fastened with bolts or other elements to impart strength and reliability to the structure.
If a brick wall is cracked and it is impossible to remove bricks, then the damaged area must be filled with a mixture of crushed stone and cement mortar. Having retreated 20-30 cm from the edge of the crack, a “T”-shaped anchor is fastened, after which the gap is connected with a strip of metal.
How to strengthen a brick wall if the gap is deep enough? Very simple. Holes need to be drilled along the entire length of the crack, the spacing between which can vary within 20-25 cm. A pipe is inserted into the resulting holes, with the help of which the hole is filled with cement solution. Pipe nozzles can be used that are most suitable for filling holes of various diameters.
Strengthening cracks in brickwork can also be done by using polyurethane foam. After the foam has completely hardened, the excess is cut off and the surface is treated with cement mortar.

What to do if there are vertical cracks

Both vertical and horizontal cracks in the brickwork that have passed through are eliminated if a complex of restoration works is carried out. After you have succeeded in strengthening the brick wall from the outside, you can begin repair work inside the building.

The area of the wall where there are cracks is thoroughly cleaned of dirt and plaster. The crack is moistened as much as possible inside.
Before strengthening the old brick wall inside, the existing cracks should be filled with a solution of fine crushed stone and cement.
Window section in brick wall carefully inspected for damage. It may be necessary to remove this window opening and then install a more advanced one, for example, a plastic one.
Before tightening the walls of a brick house, you need to carefully inspect the entire surface of the wall and fill all existing cracks. Only then are metal overlays mounted, which are fixed with any fastening element (bolts, anchors, dowels).
The wall is plastered with special means. After the surface has completely dried, you can safely begin tiling work indoors. Read more about how to plaster a brick wall by following the link.
It is extremely necessary to carry out such work. After all, through cracks in the foundation and wall, flows of cold air can penetrate into the room, which is simply not acceptable. After sealing the cracks, you can additionally place a layer thermal insulation material to create a kind of barrier against the cold. This, in turn, will significantly save money on energy bills, which is very important at the present time. It is also worth paying attention to the option of plastering a brick wall with clay.

A rather serious problem arises when it begins to crack. So how to strengthen a brick wall? You can’t rebuild the entire building because of this trouble, so you need to look for ways to strengthen the brick wall. Many such methods have been invented today. For example, you can strengthen a weakened area in the surface of the wall of a house by partially replacing the brickwork.

A cracked brick wall can be restored and strengthened, for example, partial replacement masonry

The set of tools depends on the installation being carried out and the type of damage. Mainly used:

hammer;
trowel;
electric drill (or a hammer drill);
jointing;
level;
plumb line;
roulette

System Strengthening Options

Scheme of sealing a through crack in a brick wall with cement mortar

Here are some ways to strengthen the masonry:

The weak part of the brick can be strengthened by injecting cement.

This can be done only after the gap stops increasing in size, otherwise all the efforts made will be in vain. In order to monitor the gap, you need to attach special paper beacons to the wall and monitor their integrity. As soon as these beacons stop tearing, it will be possible to begin directly sealing the cracks in the brick wall of the house.

Next you should prepare cement mortar. It is mixed in this way: cement and dry sand in a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3 must be poured with the required amount of water and mixed thoroughly, using for this purpose an electric drill with a special attachment or a very ordinary shovel.

A crack that has spoiled is filled with tow and filled with liquid cement. After the cement has completely dried, it, along with the tow, must be removed from the crack, and the gap formed as a result of such machinations should be filled with plastic cement specially designed for such purposes, and in addition it is necessary to joint the masonry.

Partial replacement of masonry is carried out only if the area of open cracks is more than 4 m.

Partial replacement. In the case where opening cracks have formed over an area of more than 4 m, the most radical measures are necessary.

If the wall is made of at least half a brick, then it should be partially dismantled in the area where the masonry was damaged. To do this, you need to remove half a brick in depth and 1 brick in width.

Then the entire masonry should be washed with cement milk (dry cement diluted with some water). Then it is necessary to make a new masonry of solid red brick. This type of masonry must be done using cement mortar.

The cement solution for masonry is prepared as follows: take 1 part of the cement, add water to it and mix thoroughly. Next, you need to add 2 parts of sand and a little plasticizer to the cement lait, mix everything.

A plasticizer is added to such a mixture so that the composition is as flexible as possible and does not crack over time. The new brick wall of the house should be carefully linked to the old one. In the case when the walls of the house are less than 1.5 bricks thick, then the easiest way would be to disassemble the weak area entirely and re-lay it.

Replacement and strengthening with a stiffening belt

When a section of a brick wall has been severely deformed, it must be completely replaced.

Before you begin to dismantle the wall of the house, you should reliably strengthen that part of the wall that is located directly above the damaged area and cannot be subsequently replaced. Then you need to start dismantling the deformed section of the brick wall being strengthened. The area should be dismantled from the top.

This solution is prepared in this way: pour cement into a container, fill it with water and mix. It is very important that every grain of cement gets wet.

Next, add a little fine screenings and plasticizer to the cement water and add 2 parts of sand. Mix everything well. For such purposes, scraps from reinforcement or metal pins placed in checkerboard pattern in increments of 400-600 mm.

All temporary fastenings can be removed only after the masonry reaches its own strength of at least 50%.

Strengthening a brick wall with a stiffening belt. In order to strengthen as much as possible brickwork walls of the house, you can make a monolithic stiffening belt from a material such as reinforced concrete.

Such a belt can be made completely monolithic, or from slag concrete. The monolith will take quite a lot of time, but slag concrete also has a significant drawback - slow hardening. But it can also be made from a channel.

The stiffening belt is designed to significantly reduce the sensitivity of the wall of a brick house to various precipitation. Such a belt instantly absorbs tensile forces and does not allow deformation of the surface of the wall of a brick house to develop.

The places where repair work will be carried out must be completely cleared of plaster, and grooves or grooves must be made. Next, you should install a frame made of metal material, and tighten it with bolts. If the surface of the wall of the house is quite long, then in its center it is also necessary to arrange a screed using bolts.

A rigid belt can be made both around the entire perimeter of the building, and in individual places from the corner of the building. First, you need to make a stiffening belt on one side, and only after that - on the opposite side.

Loss of verticality of the wall

If a brick wall loses its verticality, then it can be strengthened using triangular or trapezoidal shape, which should be installed from the outside perpendicular to the wall that you are trying to strengthen in this way.

In order to install a supporting wall, it is necessary to lay a foundation under it to a depth similar to the foundation of the wall. In order to ensure the connection between the old and new foundations, anchors should be driven into the last row, connecting the latter with the reinforcement of the fresh foundation. The length, height, and number of supporting walls depends only on the specific situation.

So, today we looked at such a construction operation as strengthening brick walls. Carrying out this work is not very difficult, the main thing is to do everything carefully and slowly.

And, of course, for such purposes, use only high-quality building materials.

Sooner or later, individual homeowners will have to face this problem. There are several methods for solving it, but many of them are difficult to implement. independent conduct works This is due to the complexity of the technology and the need to use various technical means, and with some experience in this field. In most cases, such activities can only be carried out by employees of specialized organizations who have everything necessary to carry them out.

Therefore, we will consider only the most simple options strengthening the foundation, in which all operations can be performed independently. Especially considering the fact that, as a rule, among the owners of old houses there are no people knowledgeable in this matter. After all, only a few people have to do this type of work very rarely. Since in most cases individual developers prefer to equip their home, we will focus on it.

Strengthening the tape is carried out in stages. For partial repairs, a section up to 3 m long is selected, and only after it is completely ready, work is carried out on the next one.
If there is uneven subsidence of the structure (misalignment), then you should start from the side of the wall that has “sank” as much as possible.

Features of this method

Work is carried out sequentially on each side of the building. It is impossible to expose the entire perimeter at once, as the house may “move.”
The walls of the base are strengthened according to the “crosswise” principle. First on one side, then on the opposite.

Installation of ebb tides

This method is somewhat more complicated, but the effectiveness of such strengthening is quite high. What it consists of is easy to understand from the picture. Although this cannot be done without the help of special equipment (devices).

Arrangement of the “shirt”

It can be either concrete or ordinary brickwork.

Installation of piles

This technique is somewhat simpler, since reinforced concrete slabs are not used.

And in conclusion, let’s dwell on this question - is it always necessary to deal with such a troublesome and costly task as strengthening the foundation when a gap appears? There is a fairly simple way to understand this. When a crack appears, it is covered with a thin layer of mortar (based on cement or gypsum). You can also stick a paper strip on top. If after some time such a “control” breaks, then a major repair of the base will have to be done, as this indicates that the destruction process continues. In other cases, as a rule, it is enough to seal the gap with a solution -.

Finally, let’s look at the reasons for foundation defects:

Changing the configuration of underground water layers

This phenomenon is very common and is caused by various factors. For example, large-scale construction taking place nearby, laying a highway (pipe or highway) in the immediate vicinity of the house, and a number of others.

In this case, it is imperative to address the issue of arranging drains (if they do not exist) and reconstructing and improving existing ones. The task is clear - to drain excess liquid from the foundation.

Ground displacement

This happens, as a rule, when the technology of construction and repair work carried out next to the building. For example, laying utility lines.

Violation of the rules of operation of the structure

Excessive workload load-bearing structures, installation of units with increased level vibrations and the like.

Design errors and violations committed during the construction phase. This is often faced by homeowners who have bought a ready-made house.

Knowing the cause, firstly, will allow you to correctly navigate the choice of methodology (how and how to strengthen the foundation), and secondly, it will make it possible to either completely eliminate them or minimize the influence of a negative factor on the foundation.

To summarize, it must be pointed out that if the foundation is strengthened not because of the elimination of an identified defect, but to carry out any work on further reconstruction of the building, then work can begin only after the poured mass has completely hardened. The time it takes to be ready depends on many factors - the brand of cement, the type of aggregate, the outside temperature and a number of others.

Often in apartments of old construction during overhaul or redevelopment, there is a need to strengthen walls and partitions. This can happen for various reasons. For example, cracks have appeared on the surface of the wall, and the structure is beginning to crumble in some places, or it is necessary to combine neighboring rooms, making an additional opening. Before purchasing a mounted kitchen furniture Most apartment owners have a question about how to strengthen the wall in the kitchen.

There are a lot of options for strengthening enclosing structures, and their choice directly depends on the material and condition of the wall, its purpose and the magnitude of the loads taken.

Simple ways to strengthen a wall

Upon purchase kitchen set Certain difficulties often arise. One of them is solving the problem of hanging cabinets on the wall so that they do not fall. As a rule, not all walls in the kitchen are load-bearing, and the bathroom can be separated from it simply by a partition.

Fragile and dilapidated walls in apartments of old buildings are often found. Some people advise simply demolishing them, but this is not always possible for some reason. In this case, you should listen to advice on how to strengthen the wall in the kitchen so that you can install a couple of cabinets on it.

Metal corners or profile pipes attached vertically to small sections of corners previously screwed to the base of the floor and ceiling. The frame is placed close to the wall and covered with decorative paneling. The number of frame racks depends on the number of cabinets that need to be placed. A strong metal strip is horizontally attached to the frame, on which the furniture is mounted.
The wall is drilled through and long bolts are pushed through it, a support strip is placed on them from the kitchen side and screwed with nuts. The washers, in this case, should be as large in diameter as possible so that the load on the wall is distributed more evenly. The protruding ends of the bolt are cut off, the visible parts of the fasteners are decorated on the bathroom side, and furniture is hung on the support bar. For greater reliability, the planks are mounted on both sides.

There are too many ways to strengthen a wall and it is simply impossible to list them all. In each case, the decision is made individually. To strengthen structures use:

plywood;
gypsum fiber sheets;
reinforcing mesh with tin plates and screws;
carbon fiber;
frames from wooden beam or metal strips;
anchors, profile metal and fittings.

Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages, which are taken into account when choosing a method for strengthening a wall or partition.

Apartment redevelopment

Every owner dreams of making his home unique. In new buildings, even at the construction stage, the customer can plan himself where the partitions and doorways will be located. Another thing is Soviet-built houses, which were built according to standard designs with small rooms and tiny kitchen. In this regard, owners of “Khrushchev” apartments are increasingly beginning to think about the need to redevelop their apartments. They cut out or dismantle part of the walls for openings, combine loggias with kitchens, one room with another.

For any redevelopment involving partial destruction of partitions or walls, it is necessary to provide measures to strengthen them. It should be noted that it is recommended to completely disassemble dilapidated structures in order to avoid emergency situations, and openings in load-bearing walls need to be reinforced with stronger structures, and specialists with special approvals must be involved in the work. In addition, coordination and registration of permits with the relevant services is necessary. Without complying with these requirements, break load-bearing walls strictly prohibited!
Strengthen the walls in case of redevelopment, metal corners and channels. Such strengthening, with correct installation, will be quite reliable and will last for decades. Metal profiles, subsequently masked using finishing materials, therefore on appearance they have no effect on the premises.

The installation of the reinforcing structure is carried out within one day, and the process itself includes several steps:

the contour of the future opening is marked in place and then measured;
holes are made in the floor on both sides of the opening into which fastening plates are inserted;
Through cuts are made along the vertical marks, and racks for the corners are installed, which are subsequently tightened with bolts;
a hole is punched along the horizontal marking along the opening, and a channel is inserted into it (it will have to rest on the corners);
on the other side of the wall, fastening plates are also installed in the floor, corner racks are installed in the vertical cuts, and a channel is installed in the horizontal cuts;
the channels are tightened with bolts, and the joints are outside welded;
the required opening is cut out;
Angles are welded to the posts, mounting plates and channels.

The above-described method of strengthening a wall when constructing openings in existing structures is one of the options for strengthening. To determine how the building envelope will be strengthened, you should invite professionals who can offer their own option based on the specific situation.

Today we will talk to you about a very interesting topic. If you are now looking for an answer to the question of how to strengthen a wall correctly and reliably, then you are not yet ready to part with your home. The options of “cheating” and then selling, or destroying and building a new one are not for you. You're right. There is always a way to strengthen even a clearly destroyed wall. First, let's figure out why the wall began to collapse.

Reasons for wall destruction

Both old and new houses can develop cracks in the walls. The reasons are different:

Having built the house, they did not take into account all the areas where there may be underground voids. The foundation was incorrectly designed and all power loads were not taken into account.
The base is not sufficiently prepared. Groundwater is poorly pumped.
The foundation is filled with low-quality mortar.
The foundation of the house was flooded by atmospheric or domestic waters.
Insufficient wall rigidity, no cross bracing, no reinforcement mesh or they are missing in places.
Old houses were built from low-quality materials, without following any technology.

Experts will tell you how to strengthen the walls of your house, and after an inspection, they will decide on the possibility of strengthening the wall, its effectiveness and durability. Many construction sites publish articles on how to repair cracks in a building by applying special staples to gaps in the walls and plastering them. You can cover up the crack, but! This will not strengthen the house, and the crack will appear again, since the cause of its occurrence has not been eliminated. If you notice that a crack keeps appearing and appearing, and the wall begins to tilt, and these vertical deviations are clearly visible from the plumb line, the building needs major repairs.

In order to understand how to strengthen a brick wall, let's first think about the condition of the house's foundation. After all, if you just try to get rid of the cracks in the walls, you will simply get cosmetic repairs, the results of which will disappear to zero in just six months.

Therefore, many experts, answering the question of how to strengthen a falling wall, only note that first you need to strengthen the foundation of the house.

Solving the issue of waterproofing walls

If you have decided on the issue of strengthening the foundation, then next you should strengthen the walls themselves. The main problem leading to the destruction of walls, in addition to the foundation, is the lack of waterproofing. If this is your case, we recommend applying bitumen-based mastic to the walls of your house. Since after some time the bitumen may peel off and fall off, covering the walls with hydrophobic materials is considered a much more reliable method. They have an excellent ability to repel water from the surface and firmly adhere to the wall. In addition, penetrating inside, they saturate the wall up to 1 cm.

The most expensive, but also the most reliable way is to impregnate the wall with special waterproofing compounds. They completely saturate the wall and become one with it. Also drain groundwater from the house by digging a trench in a circle. Pack the trench tightly with clay.

How to further strengthen the walls of a house

I recommend in all cases with cracks in the walls or other damage, wall restoration using the device monolithic belts. The belts must be reinforced and installed around the perimeter of the house. Next, this entire sandwich is plastered over metal mesh. If you repair the foundation and the walls in this way, then your house will last for many more decades. Now let's talk in more detail about the technology itself. You must:

Install reinforcement belts, preferably along the top of the house, above window frames, in several rows around the entire perimeter. We always use corrugated reinforcement, at least 6 meters in length, 12 mm in diameter. Be sure to tie them together or weld them together to form a single monolithic structure.
Install an additional reinforcing belt just below window openings around the entire perimeter of the house.
Using a grinder, make a recess for laying the reinforcement. Moisten and prime these holes with primer.
Plaster old house exclusively by lighthouses. For greater reliability, it is necessary to use a reinforcing mesh (including polymer). Attach the mesh to a section of the cinder block wall using simple nails with plastic washers, and on sections of the brick wall - dowels.
Plaster the plastered facade of the house.