Strengthening the walls in the garage. Repairing cracks in brick walls The wall of a brick garage is cracked, what to do
Many people know the expression of the famous poetess Faina Ranevskaya that after a few years life gives cracks, which will grow over time if they are not patched up in time. So it is with a residential building, if a split or small crack appears on the load-bearing wall, then it is urgently necessary to solve this problem.
The very first question that comes to mind is “ What to do if a brick wall is cracked?”
First of all, you need to consult with a professional builder, because a person who does not have even a minimal level of knowledge in the field of foundation construction and repair will find it very difficult to understand how to get rid of this problem once and for all.
Why does brick crack and how to repair cracks in a brick wall, and similar to brickwork? These questions need to be examined from many angles. So let's get started.
Types and causes of crack formation
Today, construction companies offer revolutionary, strong and durable Portland cement, which has revolutionized construction materials. It is distinguished not only by its durability, but also by its instant hardening speed, which is perhaps its main advantage among its competitors in the field of reinforcing materials.
All experienced builders know that immediately after construction, the building does not immediately take its place firmly and for a long time in the main foundation, this process takes about five to ten years, and the cement mortar, on the contrary, very quickly gains its strength. Such a very large difference between the subsidence time and settlement of the house can lead to the appearance of cracks and large splits, which will intensively tear apart the mass of load-bearing masonry.
Well, as for the solution of lime with the addition of sand, things are much simpler. It hardens quite slowly and when settlement of the foundation itself begins, empty or through voids should not appear in the walls. This strengthening technology is mainly used exclusively for the construction of new houses according to today's standard, and as time shows, in new buildings there are no problems with cracks and settlement of the foundation for a long time.
Builders - specialists divide cracks among themselves in brickwork according to the following signs:
- What causes them to appear: deformation of the house structure, shrinkage or temperature wear of a residential building;
- External and internal view of the destruction itself on the wall: Split, rupture, cut;
- Direction of destruction: horizontal, vertical, inclined at various angles;
- Shape: curved, straight, closed or broken in half (that is, it almost does not reach the edge of the load-bearing wall).
- Size and depth: on the surface of the wall and inside it;
- How complex the repair work is, what is the risk of wall destruction: dangerous and non-hazardous;
- Time since destruction: stable or unstable;
- Size of the opening of the split or crack itself: microscopic (up to one millimeter), small (up to three millimeters), medium (from four to eight millimeters), large (more than ten millimeters), very large (from fifteen millimeters or more).
Several main reasons for the appearance of such destruction on the wall, of which there are quite a lot:
- Settlement or destruction of the soil itself. This problem can be caused by uneven natural burning of the soil (its strong and weak sections), incorrect and unacceptable load of the main foundation, leakage of a very large amount of waste water, as well as contaminated water, into the soil. It is these reasons that can lead to the appearance of large indirect splits or to the formation of vertical cracks that can reach right up to the edge of the load-bearing wall, and so on.
- The soil on which the house stands is very hardened. This phenomenon can be caused by severe frosts, which can cause uneven lifting of the foundation. In particular, soil hardening is very dangerous for an unfinished building, the walls of which have not yet hardened and have not acquired the necessary stability. In this particular case, uneven and deep cracks may form near the walls, and when the soil begins to melt after winter, the opposite process may most likely occur - settlement of the foundation, which can lead to new damage to the load-bearing walls.
- New repairs to a load-bearing wall may be needed after a small building or room has been added, as the foundation may not be able to support the new, additional weight and may settle.
- Uneven and inconsistent loads on the foundation of the house. For example, if a house is built in the Art Nouveau style, then luxurious and long glazing (which is very often used in this architectural style) can quite often alternate with small blind areas of the house, which will lead to a large difference in weight and ground settlement.
- If the pit is located next to a building, then very high temperature conditions also have a detrimental effect on the soil, which in the future can lead not only to sedimentation of the soil, but also to its excessive looseness. It is for these reasons that medium-sized cracks can form on the walls.
- Extra load due to neighboring houses. On a common foundation, the zones of greatest stress are superimposed on each other and allow the soil to settle very strongly.
- The reasons may lie not only in the soil itself, but also above it. For example, collecting heavy building material in large quantities next to an unfinished building and already in the ground itself, additional loads and stresses can appear, and they can cause very strong external settlement of the foundation and the appearance of large cracks and splits.
- Constant impacts on the foundation. For example, if you are driving piles on the territory of a residential building, you are constantly moving heavy vehicles, compressors are running - all this leads to the sinking of sandy soil and a strong softening of clay masses in the soil. The combination of all these factors can result in soil settlement and cracks in load-bearing walls.
- High temperatures can cause vertical cracks and splits in the walls of your home. Repairing cracks in masonry is mainly required for longer buildings that do not have expansion joints.
- Overloading of brickwork. In this case, cracks may appear between the walls and on the pillars. Such cracks can be identified by the characteristic closedness and verticality of their direction. Overload of masonry. They appear in walls and on pillars. A characteristic feature of crush cracks is closedness and a vertical direction.
- Various non-hazardous shrinkage deformations can be observed on the plastered walls of a house - these can be small or small cracks that are very randomly scattered over the entire area of the wall and are mostly closed, and the most important thing is that they do not reach the edge of the wall. They appear due to shrinkage of an overly thick plaster mortar.
Crack sealing technology
There are many ways to repair a crack in brickwork:
- You can install a brick lock or a lock with an anchor;
- Reinforcement of walls using tension bolts;
- Repairing a through crack with steel staples;
- Carry out repair work in the area where the floor slab is unlocked;
- Strengthen the cracked wall;
- Make an overlay from hardened steel;
- Install special brackets
- Install the floor slab;
- Cover the wall with a finishing layer.
Watch this video for more details:
Conclusion
Judging by all of the above, it can be noted that the general condition of a house made of building bricks must be monitored very carefully. Since the sooner a crack or split is detected, the less time and money will have to be spent on fixing this problem.
More on the topic:
Over time, the garage, like any other building, will require repair work. As basic repair and restoration work, you can waterproof and strengthen the garage. Read.
Waterproofing and strengthening garage walls
Over time, the garage, like any other building, will require repair work. As main
Waterproofing
If during the construction of the garage the technology was violated, that is, when laying the foundation, the type of soil was not taken into account, as well as the level of groundwater, waterproofing and thermal insulation of the floor and walls were not carried out, then the first signs of increased air humidity in the garage will soon appear . Check out the tips on how to paint the walls in your garage.
A damp wall in the garage is a sure sign that high-quality waterproofing has not been carried out, and the operation of the ventilation system may also be impaired. In this case, it is necessary to resort to measures aimed at drying the garage (for this you can use, for example, a heater or a heat gun), and then restore or install new ventilation that provides a constant flow of fresh air.
Water can run down the wall of the garage if the roof is not properly waterproofed, and all precipitation, be it rain or snow, easily gets through the ceilings into the room.
In the same way, a water leak may form along the wall from the side of the neighboring garage if the waterproofing at the junction of the roofs has been damaged; in this case, the most budget-friendly option would be to lay roofing felt.
Treating the contaminated surface with chemicals with antiseptic properties, such as white spirit or turpentine, will help eliminate and prevent the formation of mold on the walls of the garage; you can use a solution of copper sulfate from folk remedies; you can also purchase an antifungal primer at any hardware store.
In addition to the garage drying procedure, you can apply heat-insulating plaster to a damp wall, actively sanitizing it. This type of plaster constantly artificially draws moisture from the walls, thereby drying them out.
Also, damp walls in the garage basement can be treated with a penetrating primer.
One of the new products on the market of waterproofing materials is liquid rubber, which is applied in a uniform monolithic layer by spraying.
To waterproof the outer wall of a garage, you can use bitumen membrane material, which is laid on a metal mesh pre-fixed on the wall surface and heated under high temperatures.
Waterproofing walls in a garage with “Liquid Rubber” will cost about 600 rubles/m2.
Waterproofing walls in a garage with penetrating compounds will cost approximately 1,300 rubles/m2.
The wall has burst, what should I do?
If a small crack appears, you can use sealant or foam.
The problem of sealing the crack that has formed in the garage wall can be solved by jointing, grouting and installing a nylon mesh; cracks of impressive size are sealed with cement mortar.
In order to sue the defendant in case of destruction of the garage walls, it is necessary to perform a number of actions:
- Collect evidence. To do this, you can install beacons on the cracks that have formed and prepare a photo report, and also use the services of an organization specializing in drawing up reports on the condition of real estate.
- Drawing up an application to the court (the application sets out the chronology of events).
- Payment of state duty.
- Copies of the necessary documents confirming ownership are attached to the application.
- Submitting an application to the court, then setting a hearing date.
- The trial itself is carried out.
How to strengthen?
Over time, the brickwork begins to deteriorate and the wall may become deformed. To avoid deformation of the walls, it is necessary to strengthen them. One such method is reinforced concrete reinforcement. A reinforcing mesh is attached around the perimeter of the wall, wooden formwork is installed and a concrete mixture is poured (the thickness of such a jacket can be from 4 cm to 12 cm).
You can strengthen the walls of a brick garage against burglary by welding on a reinforcement grid. In case of building up walls, it is necessary to raise the ceiling. Raising the ceiling is usually done using jacks or a truck crane.
Video
Watch the video on how to strengthen garage walls:
Failure to take measures to eliminate the causes of the formation of high humidity in the garage and, accordingly, premature destruction of supporting structures can lead to disastrous results when it will be necessary to do only a major repair of the garage.
Quite often you can witness how, some time after construction, the walls of a garage or other building begin to crack. This unfortunate circumstance may indicate serious violations committed during construction or changes in soil properties, but, be that as it may, you need to know that a crack in the garage wall can be repaired. Exactly how this process should be carried out will be discussed below.
Causes
First of all, it should be noted that before starting work, it is necessary to establish the cause that led to the crack. The fact is that some of them can be quite serious and subsequently lead to partial or complete destruction of the entire structure.
- One of the most common problems that can lead to the formation of cracks in walls is foundation subsidence. It can occur due to a violation of the construction process, incorrect calculations, or changes in soil characteristics.
- Roof leaks can cause cracks to appear.
- Construction started nearby can also cause cracks.
- We should not forget about the so-called force majeure circumstances. We are talking about seasonal increases in groundwater levels or breakthroughs in sewerage systems, but in any case, the soil is washed out, which means a decrease in its bearing capacity, which leads to the formation of cracks.
Note! It is necessary to determine the reason why the wall in the garage cracked. There is no point in sealing cracks in the wall if they are harbingers of the destruction of the structure.
Execution of work
If the cause is clarified and it becomes clear that the crack is expanding, then it is necessary to take drastic measures to repair and strengthen the foundation, and then repair the wall.
If the crack does not expand further, and the damage is local in nature, work can begin to eliminate it. It should be noted that to some extent the work will differ depending on the material that was used to make the walls. It is rather a question of choosing the most suitable materials. The general procedure will be approximately the same.
- First, the crack in the garage must be freed from small fragments and dust that have probably formed inside. For these purposes, you can use, for example, a vacuum cleaner or a simple brush. The bottom line is that all internal surfaces of the crack must be cleaned as much as possible. This is necessary for better adhesion of materials.
- After this, it is necessary to prepare a composition to fill the crack cavity. So, for example, if the crack is not too wide and is located vertically, it can be filled with polyurethane foam. However, it is worth remembering that direct contact of this material with the environment can lead to the loss of its properties, and therefore the crack should not be filled completely, but leaving a small depression. When the foam hardens, the distance between it and the plane of the wall must be covered with some kind of solution, for example, cement mortar or plaster, depending on what is more appropriate in a particular case.
It is worth adding that for the most durable contact of the surfaces inside the crack with the solution, they can be treated with a primer.
In conclusion, it must be said that the question of how to seal a crack is, of course, important, but it is no less important to determine whether this crack is expanding. Local subsidence of the foundation, which may have caused the crack to appear, will stop over time, but if the cause is soil washout, then simple elimination of the consequences such as sealing cracks will only be a temporary measure. It is necessary to decide what to do in each specific case individually, but in any case it will not be superfluous to involve a knowledgeable person to assess the situation.
Video
This video shows how to repair a crack in a garage wall on your own:
termist 09-06-2009 10:55
, the “bull” was installed by my father, but it seems to me of little use, I would like to return to the previous state. Help, how to raise the angle and how to fix it?
I sat down because earlier, where there was a hole in the corner, they filled it up with something (I know from the story, I don’t remember it myself) then they built a garage, it stood for 10 years without sitting down, and now the corner has crawled down, the wall has cracked, as if the whole thing didn’t lie down. Shrinkage is about centimeters by 5
BEREZYAK 09-06-2009 11:17
IMHO.. Dig the well at an exact angle, pour in the support, jack up the angle from it, then lay the foundation.
Gee 09-06-2009 11:27
Agree
+1
termist 09-06-2009 13:16
Digging a well at an exact angle
As long as I dig harder, won't it shrink?
Gee 09-06-2009 13:32
Grips no more than a meter wide, and not immediately yamishu
BEREZYAK 09-06-2009 16:14
You need to manage to dig a narrow but deep hole - all the way to the ground. Just at an angle. And pour a column-type foundation in it. After hardening, jack up the corner. It’s only natural to adjust the height of the column so that the jack will fit. And the jacks are hydraulic... with a height of approx. 350 mm., and a force of 20 tons. I had one like this, from a heavy truck. Only after raising the corner you need to manage to put a stand on the same column. Working at an angle hanging on a jack is the same as working under a car. And further. It seems to me that if only the crack did not have to be cut. This is not a broken cup - the fragments may definitely not fit back into place. Good luck.
termist 09-06-2009 21:33
quote: Originally posted by BEREZYAK:
that if the crack didn’t have to be cut
Nikofar 09-06-2009 22:12
I watched it today and thought about it too
Termist, if possible, take several photos of the sagging corner and crack in the wall from several angles and post it here. After this it will be possible to give more intelligible advice. I assume that there was no reinforced concrete tape under the brickwork of the garage? Is the wall thickness 1 brick (25cm)?
IMPORTANT! Before digging under a cracked brick wall, you need to install a tension band on the sagging corner of the garage. The bandage consists of one steel corner with shelves 100x100mm and a length of at least 3/4 of the wall height and 3-4 cables diameter 8-12mm, clasping the walls around the perimeter and tensioned with lanyards. This is to prevent it from being blocked by a wall when excavating at the corner of the garage.
termist 09-06-2009 22:33
Termist, if possible, take several photos of the sagging corner and crack in the wall from several angles and post it here
Now there is no way (where were you this morning) and my father covered the gap with cement, temporarily
quote: Originally posted by Nikofar:
I assume that there was no reinforced concrete tape under the brickwork of the garage?
I remember digging under the foundation, and then punching it, making a 100 mm hole in which I mounted the hood to ventilate the cellar, and when I was digging in the blind area I came across reinforcement, and in the foundation itself a chain (almost like a ship’s chain, well, the size of half a fist) mine), and grid-welded fittings!
quote: Originally posted by Nikofar:
The thickness of the wall is 1 brick (25cm)
2 bricks, just not across the masonry
there was a crack right in the middle of the garage, the garage was 15 meters long, the gap in the crack was about 15-20mm, now I’ll sketch out a sketch
Nikofar 09-06-2009 22:58
quote: Originally posted by Termist:
I apologize for the poor sketch, I drew it in a hurry
Normal sketch. All clear.
Termist, please clarify what type of soil is under the garage, loam, sand, clay or something else.
quote: Originally posted by Termist:
On the blind area I came across reinforcement, and in the foundation itself I came across a chain (almost as long as a ship’s chain, well, half the size of my fist), and reinforcement welded with a lattice!
It looks like there is a reinforced concrete "tape" under the wall. Indicate where the hole for the hood was made. Is the garage on a slope or on a horizontal piece of terrain? Is there a pronounced bias? And where, approximately, was the hole that was “filled with something”?
termist 09-06-2009 23:09
quote: Originally posted by Nikofar:
loam, sand, clay or something else.
a bit of everything!
quote: Originally posted by Nikofar:
termist
Yes Lekha I am
quote: Originally posted by Nikofar:
Garage on a slope or on a horizontal area
On horizontal
termist 09-06-2009 23:11
quote: Originally posted by Nikofar:
Indicate where you made the hole for the hood
I marked it with a red dot on the sketch and drew it so that it captured both part of the foundation and part of the masonry, just like it is in real life.
quote: Originally posted by Nikofar:
And where, approximately, was the hole that was “filled with something”?
sketched in black
Nikofar 09-06-2009 23:15
One more question for clarification:
Gee 09-06-2009 23:26
You can just seal the crack and forget about everything for a couple of years, or maybe forever, the corner with the cellar sank, but not with the goat it looks like
Has the garage stood for 10 years?
Seal the crack with sealant and plaster, wait a couple of years
But it’s better to post photos, including the walls of the cellar
No need to wrap cables
termist 09-06-2009 23:40
quote: Originally posted by Nikofar:
That is, there are no other cracks in the wall?
No
Nikofar 10-06-2009 12:04
quote: Originally posted by Termist:
I stood there for 10 years and didn’t sit down, but now the corner has started to creep down.
By indirect evidence:
1. The garage has stood for more than 10 years;
2. It sank at an angle in the place where they previously “buried something” - this “something” rotted and, having lost its load-bearing capacity, caused the soil to shrink, and will not shrink again, IMHO;
3. With a wall length of 15 m, and a crack approximately in the middle of the wall 15-20 mm wide and corner shrinkage of about 0.05 m, the height difference is approximately 0.067% to the horizontal.
The most economical treatment option. Drill holes with a diameter of 150-200 mm with a garden drill close to the garage wall with a slight slope towards the vertical projection of the garage wall, 1500-1600 mm deep. You will need from 6 to 10 holes, with a step between them of 400-600 mm. The holes should be filled with concrete with reinforcement. Concrete should be used grade B22.5 (M300), reinforcement - with a diameter of 10-12mm, 2-3 "threads" without a bond.
IMHO it's a big deal.
termist 10-06-2009 12:14
quote: Originally posted by Nikofar:
The most economical treatment option. Drill holes with a diameter of 150-200 mm with a garden drill close to the garage wall with a slight slope towards the vertical projection of the garage wall, 1500-1600 mm deep. You will need from 6 to 10 holes, with a step between them of 400-600 mm. The holes should be filled with concrete with reinforcement. Concrete should be used grade B22.5 (M300), reinforcement - with a diameter of 10-12mm, 2-3 "threads" without a bond. IMHO it's a big deal.
Thank you, it eased the pain
quote: Originally posted by Nikofar:
Concrete should be used grade B22.5 (M300)
and M500, maybe?
Gee 10-06-2009 12:23
why not B15? restful sleep ratio?
The blind area will have to be chiseled.
Where do you drain water from the roof? in a shrunken corner? Sandy loam with the inclusion of loams should not be wetted too much.
You can hammer it into a crack. If a crack appears on the second wall, then dig a pair of holes 1.2 - 1.4 m under the tape in the corners and concrete it with reinforcement from whatever comes to hand (up to the mesh of the chain-link, cables, chains, wire rod and what is bad lies, you can buy the fittings cheaper), etc... and that's all.
Nikofar 10-06-2009 12:27
quote: Originally posted by Termist:
and M500, maybe?
Of course you can. By the way, do you know the recipe for its preparation? Eton brand B40 P4 F300 W8? How much MB, S-3, or CE, or LST does it contain?
termist 10-06-2009 12:31
quote: Originally posted by Nikofar:
? Eton brand B40 P4 F300 W8? How much MB, S-3, or CE, or LST does it contain?
Are you kidding? the bridge workers may know this, it’s a little out of my profile
Nikofar 10-06-2009 12:36
up to the mesh of the mesh, cables, chains,
But you don’t need to do this. This is not reinforcement, but a flexible connection. She has nothing to do in reinforced concrete. !!!
Udavilov 10-06-2009 12:40
Isn't it easier to disassemble by jacking up the roof? But in general, never mind it, the garage will stand for a long time.
termist 10-06-2009 12:41
quote: Originally posted by Gee:
The freezing depth in RnD seems to be about 1.2 meters?
Come on, what are you talking about, maximum 0.8 meters
quote: Originally posted by Gee:
Where do you drain water from the roof?
once they were diverted, but not to a sagging corner, then the gutters were pioneered by “good neighbors” and water flows onto the blind area
termist 10-06-2009 12:42
Isn't it easier to disassemble by jacking up the roof?
no, there will be a lot of dismantling involved, and the roof is not a slab! suddenly it will lead to the side, a good breeze will blow
Gee 10-06-2009 12:43
Let's try to collect loads? In fact, you can simply add it without reinforcement - the gravy works for compression, and the stubby reinforcement works to gain strength.
But how were floor slabs or BDR beams reinforced with flexible connections?
There really weren't any chains there.
Gee 10-06-2009 12:44
It is MANDATORY to take the gutter back from your neighbors. Looks like it cracked after they communized him.
If it flows onto bulk soil, the crack will grow
termist 10-06-2009 12:48
quote: Originally posted by Gee:
In short, hammer away at the crack. But first, cover it up...
Yes, my father has already painted it completely smooth, but this garage is my workshop, and another room was allocated to me for my hobbies, now there are 2 rooms, one 4x3m, the other 5x3m
Gee 10-06-2009 12:50
termist 10-06-2009 12:50
quote: Originally posted by Gee:
But the blind area has also sagged and water seems to be flowing into that corner
By the way, she didn’t sag, only near the corner
quote: Originally posted by Gee:
Looks like it cracked after they communized him.
cracked a little earlier
termist 10-06-2009 12:51
quote: Originally posted by Gee:
Well, you DEFINITELY need to choose a little more convincing from your hobbies and return the gutter
I can get into the safe, there are 2 “toys” there, also related to hobbies, but having practically nothing to do with the premises and the crack
Udavilov 10-06-2009 12:52
termist 10-06-2009 12:56
quote: Originally posted by Udavilov:
we can recommend screeding with steel tapes
Yes, I can’t find such ones, I probably have them
quote: Originally posted by Udavilov:
through holes
won't they weaken the wall?
Udavilov 10-06-2009 01:31
quote: Originally posted by Termist:
won't they weaken the wall?
No. drill the wall. in a row at a distance of 1 meter. you are missing reinforcement or a bolt. There is a washer at one end and welded to a steel strip on the outside. buy at the metal base. I think it will be inexpensive. Do this for 2-3 circles. Place a thicker bolt on the long side so that after installation you can tighten the receding wall and put a load on the belt. Don’t forget to weld it to the back side of the gate and the “bull”.
termist 13-06-2009 02:53
I’ll focus on the “treatment” method from Nikofar, which is simple and seems to really help, but we’ll see
If you notice that the walls of the garage are “decorated” with a web of cracks, then get ready to quickly deal with this problem. Alas, this eloquently indicates that your building is going through hard times. There may be several reasons for this “behavior”:
- Uneven shrinkage of the soil (flooding of the garage, lack of drainage, etc.)
- Errors when designing a garage (insufficient depth and “power” of the foundation)
- Technological errors when laying walls
- Wear of building materials and weathering of seams
- Poor quality of building materials
- Mechanical “injuries” of walls
Depending on the degree of damage to the garage “box,” there are several methods of strengthening the walls. They allow you to relieve “stress”, increase their load-bearing capacity and stop further destruction of the structure. First of all, we will touch upon the specifics of strengthening brick walls, since structures made from this building material are most often susceptible to deformation.
In the first two years, a “caravan” built from bricks shrinks, which can cause cracks to appear due to the unevenness of the process. The garage settles in parts, so “stressed” areas appear on the walls, the “box” of the building cannot withstand additional loads and creates a “gap”.
Knowing this specificity of brick structures, architects carefully calculate the possible shrinkage of the future object, trying to mitigate its consequences as much as possible. That is why it is so important to use a project in construction where all the parameters of the garage are selected for the specific and reliable conditions of the site.
So, let's assume that this problem affects your garage. Where to start and how to deal with it correctly?
Cracks appeared on the wall: we are looking for the cause and determining the scale of the “disaster”
Do not rush to immediately seal the cracks; first of all, the walls are strengthened, and only then measures are taken to eliminate these unsightly defects. The severity of protective measures depends on the cause of the problem, so it is necessary to determine exactly where the “root of evil” is buried. In the process of analyzing the situation, it is important to know whether the cracks continue to “grow”. This will help you accurately “diagnose” your garage and choose the right way to “treat” it.
The easiest way to conduct “surveillance” yourself is to install plaster or cement beacons. The latter are used to monitor facades, where the walls are more humid. Gypsum is used indoors.
What is a beacon and how to install it?
Strips of gypsum (cement) 10×4×0.8 cm are formed over the crack. The thinner the beacons, the more accurate they will work. Attach the “flag” to a previously cleaned and moistened surface using a spatula. To simplify the work, you can make a template that allows you to attach several beacons at the same time. 
After the material has hardened, draw a line along the strip with a pencil and write down the date of installation of the “observers”. For accurate recording, keep a notebook where the test result is noted every day.
The growing crack will soon make itself known, tearing apart the lighthouse. By noticing the dynamics of its growth, you can determine the degree of damage to the “box” of the garage.
Attention!
Old cracks in the wall react to seasonal temperature fluctuations: in winter they narrow, and in spring they diverge. Such changes are typical for longitudinal walls. To find out whether shrinkage continues in the structure, it is more correct to install beacons on the transverse sides of the garage “box”, which primarily react to such “movement”.
Strengthening brick walls: all available methods of combating “cobwebs”
If the reason for the appearance of “cobwebs” does not lie in technological errors when arranging the foundation, there are several ways to strengthen brick walls, restoring and increasing their load-bearing capacity.
Reinforcing an opening in a load-bearing wall
Cracks in the doorway are the most common cause of complaints from car enthusiasts on construction forums. Damage occurs due to the excessive weight of iron doors.
Before installing massive gates, you should additionally strengthen the opening in the load-bearing wall to avoid the appearance of cracks. It is “dressed” in a metal frame, which eliminates excess “tension” at the points of contact with the doors.
Before starting repair work, timber supports are installed under the upper lintel of the opening to prevent its collapse. Then you should beat off the plaster layer in the places where the frame is attached. The edges of the opening are covered with a channel (according to the thickness of the wall: in one or two rows), rigidly connecting it to the base with anchors (step 20 cm).
Reinforcing an opening in a load-bearing wall must be done with the utmost care. You should work especially carefully when the surfaces are already “decorated” with cracks. They can be sealed only after installing the metal frame.
Strengthening walls with cords
This measure is taken when the verticality of the walls is violated, which leads to their gradual destruction. To balance the forces, they are pulled together with iron cords, which encircle the structure at the floor level. The task of the iron “belt” is to dampen the “excess” transverse forces that are responsible for the appearance of cracks. 
The easiest way is to reinforce the walls with strands in the form of a round reinforcement rod (d=25..30 mm). It is tensioned using intermediate couplings and end fastening nuts. In order for the walls and fastening reinforcement to work together, the rod is laid in a furrow, and after tensioning it, it is plastered with cement-sand mortar. In this way, you can strengthen the entire building around the perimeter or a certain part of it.
A more complex system of strengthening walls with cords consists of reinforced “bases” - metal plates secured with bolts and interconnected by lanyards. At the corners of the structure they are screwed to vertical channel posts. This design of the strands “works” more efficiently, since it provides higher tension at the junction points due to rigid fixation with the wall.
To install the “bases,” grooves 4 cm deep are made and after installation, the gap between the wall and the element is carefully sealed with foam. The tightening of the iron belt occurs simultaneously along its entire perimeter. It is recommended to warm up the strands with an autogen before doing this. After full tension (the belt elements should not sag; when you hit them, a clear clear sound is heard), the couplings are welded to the plates.
Attention!
When reinforcing walls with strands, care should be taken to ensure the durability of the working elements of the system. All “spare parts” of the belt must be protected with an anti-corrosion coating.
Reinforcement of walls with reinforced concrete jackets
This method allows you to restore the former strength of the tired “box” of the garage. Reinforcing walls with reinforced concrete jackets is useful in case of loss of structural strength due to wear and tear. The method is based on the double-sided framing of a separate section or the entire “box” of the structure with a metal mesh rigidly attached to the base. The “armor” is covered with a cement-sand mortar of grade B10 with added plasticizers. The metal mesh should be covered with a 2.5 cm (for wet areas of the wall) or 1.5 cm (for dry areas of the wall) layer of concrete.
The reinforcing base is attached to the surface using anchors or dowels (step – 20 cm). The work area must be thoroughly cleaned of dirt and dust. Any cracks on the surface are sealed, this also applies to masonry seams that have weathered.
To reinforce walls with reinforced concrete jackets, a mechanized or manual method of applying a finishing coating with mortar is used. If the thickness of the “clothes” is up to 4 cm, then concrete is shotcreted onto the wall surface. For these purposes, a special installation is used, which helps to quickly spray the mixture onto the work surface. Do-it-yourselfers simply plaster the wall by hand. 
If the reinforced concrete jacket is more massive (5-12 cm thick), then formwork is used for concreting it. When pouring, the solution is thoroughly vibropressed. The use of permanent formwork made of thin concrete sheets greatly facilitates and speeds up the procedure.
Reinforcement of walls with steel frames
This method allows you to increase the load-bearing capacity of walls by 2-2.5 times and is used to strengthen the “box” of the structure before the superstructure. Reinforcing walls with steel frames is the covering of surfaces with a steel frame made of vertical posts (step - no more than 0.5 m), connected by jumpers (step 30-50 cm). For its manufacture, round reinforcement or flat strips of metal are used. Fastening is carried out with anchors: vertical posts with a pitch of 20-30 cm, horizontal jumpers - attached to the posts and additionally fixed in the center.
To reinforce walls with steel clips, it is important to ensure close contact with the surface. To do this, grooves are made, and the buildings and lintels are placed on cement mortar. After installing the iron frame, they repair the cracks, and then the surface is plastered, additionally strengthening it with a metal mesh. The thickness of the “armor” is 4-12 cm.
Sealing cracks
Let us separately dwell on methods for eliminating cracks in the “box” of a garage. If their size is small (up to 5 mm), then the cavities are filled with cement mortar. The gap is thoroughly cleaned of dust, moistened and then filled with freshly prepared mixture. Often, “warm” plaster, which contains polystyrene beads, is used for these purposes.
An effective way to deal with cracks larger than 5 mm are metal staples. The cavity is filled with cement-sand mortar. Then holes are drilled on the sides of the crack (d = 2 cm, depth - 11 cm) in increments of 15-20 cm. For the base of the bracket, grooves are made (width - 3 cm, depth - 4 cm). They are fixed using cement-sand mortar (they are also plastered with it).
Massive through cracks larger than 1.5 cm require more serious repairs. To do this, metal jumpers rigidly connected with bolts are mounted over the gap on both sides of the wall and the damaged section of the masonry is replaced.
Important!
Since metal is an excellent conductor, improvement of walls leads to a noticeable deterioration in the thermal insulation of the “box” of the structure due to numerous “cold” bridges. In parallel with the strengthening of the “box”, it is insulated, which neutralizes this side effect.
