Painting a house that'll forever crack

[brianjbox]

Hi all

Right what I think I know is:

My house is 150 years old
It's built on mud, there's no footings it's simply sat straight on the clay.

I believe it's a lime type mortor between bricks and what I've read is this stays flexible and will allow movement without causing cracks?

Right the previous owner set about the house with a 'scotching hammer' and had the house completely rendered [this may have been a damp proofing measure as solid walls].
The render is good and solid [well attached] but will not stop cracking, only fine hairline cracks following brick lines but not very pretty.
I'm guessing as I know no better that this is because the house can move but the render can't, it doesn't help that they're building a Tesco's down the road and I'm having daily over 100 heavy haulage lorries come right past my house [house is near roadside and it's a little country lane]. Didn't really notice cracks before this work started but how can you prove they're responsible, I know it wasn't this bad two years ago because that's when we bought the place.

Sorry back to point of post

Is there a rubber skin type paint for outside that will cover the hairline cracks and make the house look nice again? I would knock the render off but not sure what damage previous owner did to the brick faces

Many thanks
Brian

 

[Chri5]

I've used this on a few problem jobs and it has held back minor cracking problems.

http://dulux.trade-decorating.co.uk...eld_maximum_exposure_smooth_masonry_paint.jsp



In your position I'd buy a can and suggest a sample patch, lay on and allowed to prove if it works.

I'd also fill with http://www.decoratingdirect.co.uk/viewprod/t/TOUELFB/

Might be worth waiting until the lorries stop, although you might find the lorries for supplying the store will use the same route.

 

[brianjbox]

Many thanks for the tip's Chris

The paint looks like it'll do the job so worth trying, the cracks are so fine that without actually digging them out I'm not sure they're even wide enough to accept any filler [really hairline]

Will most definitely try filling/covering them with the paint first and see how I get on from there

Cheers mate

Brian

 

[RigidRaider]

Gawd help anybody who tries to buy a house like this - I can see the surveyor's report now....

 

[brianjbox]

Gawd help anybody who tries to buy a house like this - I can see the surveyor's report now....

Cheers mate both helpful and constructive