The right way (and experts) for fixing cracked walls

Johannes van Graan Johannes van Graan
Exterior Renovation, Kgodisho Solutions & Projects Kgodisho Solutions & Projects Classic style houses
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When it comes to exterior renovation projects, Kgodisho Solutions and Projects can be relied on for their expert services. Based in Pretoria, this construction company is known for providing a widespread variety of construction services to clients based in the Gauteng region. 

The firm might be small, yet they are also dynamic and multi-disciplinary. Accredited with the NHBRC, their core areas of expertise are building renovations (even though their vast portfolio shows that they are capable of undertaking any form of alteration, extension, and renovation).

Some of their most popular services include:

• Building,  

• Painting,   

• Kitchen and bathroom designs,   

• Built-in cupboards,   

• Paving and decking,

• Wood/laminate flooring,  

• Plastering,   

• Waterproofing,   

• Roof designs and repairs, and many others. 

Let’s take a look at their way of approaching a cracked wall…

1. Identifying the problem

It’s happened to most of us: examining a wall surface (either inside or outside) and then discovering a crack in the paint. Consider yourself lucky if it’s just one crack; however, in most cases that tiny crack is accompanied by quite a few others, which is never a good sign! 

But what does a crack in a wall mean? Is it a cosmetic problem, or the first sign of a more serious and structural problem? Let’s identify which one it is.

Read more: Crack in your walls? Here’s what to do!

2. Structural damage or hairline cracks?

Generally speaking, horizontal cracks implies an unbalanced soil pressure. Sometimes you can see cracks spreading like tree branches, it may be a result of the moisture issue.

If the wall crack is more than 3.8cm and it persists after a few repair jobs (or causes you to close your windows and doors with difficulty), it might be a sign of a structural issue. And here is where the best advice would be to phone up a professional skilled to deal with the matter – like Kgodisho Solutions and Projects

In comparison, a non-structural crack (also called a ‘hairline crack’) is much more common. These tend to appear near windows and doors for a variety of reasons (and in a lot of cases they are simply unavoidable). 

Learning what caused the crack and how to fix it the right way can help to avoid the same problem popping up again in the future.

3. Why do walls crack?

1. Contraction and expansion: Changes in humidity and temperature can cause the materials coated on your walls (like paint and plaster) to contract and expand. Usually this problem occurs in a room that’s regularly air-conditioned or which gets a lot of afternoon sun. The movement of contraction and expansion can result in hairline cracks.

2. Substandard paint: Bad-quality paint leads to poor paint adhesion on a wall, resulting in cracks appearing over time. But what can cause even more cracking is applying different paints for each paint coat. The best way to avoid this is to paint consistently with a top-notch paint.

3. Rushing a plastering project: Not allowing cement plaster to dry completely before starting with painting happens in a lot of cases – and it always leads to cracks.

4. A terrible paint job: It can be quite tempting to rush through a major paint job (like painting an entire house), but this can result in making mistakes like missing out layers or not allowing sufficient time for those layers to dry. A successful paint job always takes time and patience – and it’s always worth it!

4. Consult with professionals

Some types of cracks are caused by hidden defects which implies that further reinforcement will be needed, but what if you spotted a hairline crack on a wall? Sometimes a professional can be called in, and other times it’s a straightforward DIY project. But before you take out those paint cans and –brushes, see the 14 mistakes you're making when painting the walls.

Where in your house is a wall crack just waiting to be fixed?

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