Mortar cracks - how to fix? (pics)

[wedge69]

Hello,

We live in a 1980's house that is built in an area of clay soil. I don't know much about building or diy, and sometimes I get worried when I see things.

I was looking outside, and I saw there are cracks in the mortar along bits of the bottom of our house. Is this a problem, or is it just to do with the shrinkage and lift caused by the clay soil?

Here are some pictures:

If it is a problem, how can I fix it in a simple way?

Many thanks.

 

[cotswoldbuilders]

If the movement is only on the section by your s/v pipe, you may have, or had leaking drainage.
It looks like those red engineering bricks have been retro fitted, they arent usually laid on edge, plus the mortar is different colour, and where settled has cracked the bed joint.
2nd photo looks like those engineering bricks are not upright.
Whats behind the cane.

 

[wedge69]

The bricks are straight, I just wasn't holding my phone very straight!

There was nothing behind the cane, which reminded me to throw it away!

I had a look at the other houses on my street, and they all have the same brick pattern and mortar. I saw a bit of the dark mortar missing, it is not very thick. Behind it was yellow mortar with a black stripe running through, which I would guess is the damp proof.

So I am still not sure what has caused the cracks. Is it just the soil? Or weather conditions? Or something else?

 

[^woody^]

It looks like it has cracked along the DPC, which is common and not a problem

If you repoint it, you may need to trim the DPC back a bit so that its about 10mm back from the face

 

[xr4x4]

It looks like it has cracked along the DPC, which is common and not a problem

If you repoint it, you may need to trim the DPC back a bit so that its about 10mm back from the face

So your saying he should bridge the dpc?

 

[^woody^]

No, I'm saying he should cut it back so that it does not crack again and point it up like it should be pointed

 

[xr4x4]

No, I'm saying he should cut it back so that it does not crack again and point it up like it should be pointed

I'm saying, by doing that, wont the dpc be bridged?

 

[^woody^]

No a bridged DPC is different to a pointed DPC

When you are out and about, have a look at how many DPCs on buildings are pointed up. It should be all of them

 

[noseall]

I'm saying, by doing that, wont the dpc be bridged?

When constructing a building, the dpc is deliberately kept back in from the edge of the brick by about 5mm so that the above problems do not occur.

 

[wedge69]

That would explain what I have seen then - behind the cracked red mortar is the dpm sandwiched between yellow mortar. The red mortar is indeed only between 5 and 10mm thick.

Why is this done then? Is it purely decorative to keep things tidy?

If it is not a problem, and with me being poor at DIY, I should think I will leave it alone until we come to sell the house. Obviously if it was an issue I would fix it straight away.

Thanks for the help.

 

[cotswoldbuilders]

Dont cut the dpc back, it is to cover the full bed, ie 100mm dpc sits on a 100mm wall, so should be flush with face edge, normally bedded on a thin bed of mortar.
Just rake out the loose mortar and repoint.
Ignore the incorrect advice of cutting the dpc.

 

[xr4x4]

Dont cut the dpc back, it is to cover the full bed, ie 100mm dpc sits on a 100mm wall, so should be flush with face edge, normally bedded on a thin bed of mortar.
Just rake out the loose mortar and repoint.
Ignore the incorrect advice of cutting the dpc.

 

[^woody^]

Dont cut the dpc back, it is to cover the full bed, ie 100mm dpc sits on a 100mm wall

That's going to be a bit difficult to do considering that bricks are 102.5 mm wide

Our is it just perfectly cut 100mm blocks of stone in the cotswolds?

..... and cracked dpc joints, and rainwater tracking back across the top of the dpc as it runs down the face of the wall?

Stick to lego matey

 

[cotswoldbuilders]

In woodys area, you might not see the dpc, because he probably forgets to fit them.
Most likely cause he forgets is hes to busy looking over his shoulder in case Dominic Littlewood is after him.
Dpc flush with brick face, simple as that.

As for lego, Ive been in the trade over 40yr, and Im not your matey, who would want a mate working with them, when they cant fit a dpc properly and is to busy going round cutting everyones dpc back, because he wants to point over it, idiot.

 

[stuart45]

It depends where you live. It's quite common here to sit the DPC straight on the brickwork a couple of mm back so it's almost hidden and has a normal sized joint. Other places you have to use 112.5mm DPC which allows 5mm sticking out each side, which is what some over keen BCO's are looking for.
Personally I don't think it makes much difference on the external skin.