Porch looks like its twisting/warping

[ax222s]

Hi guys

I noticed 2 weeks ago all these crack around the front porch. It gets the full sun on it in the afternoon. I think its been so sunny/hot the past few months that its possibly warped the porch.

I polyfillered over the cracks, but the following week theyve all opened back up:




It almost looks like the porch is coming away from the main building. My concern now is that water will get in the cracks and cause damp issues.

How best to fix this? Is there some sort of easy polyfilla solution for this, or will it need lime render?

Thanks

 

[tell80]

Its possible that the knee walls of the porch have no foundations to speak of?
The knee wall brickwork might have been simply butted up to the main house wall - its probably not tied in with starter ties.
The above will make the structure fragile when thermal pressures ie the long hot summer, take place.

The abutments might move back into house wall contact over the coming weeks? Or not?
Squeeze in some polysulphide (or similar) sealant for now.
Has the roof pulled away - a pic of the roof flashing area would help.

 

[ax222s]

Thanks @tell80 . I suspect youre right that theres no foundations on the porch. But its been fine for 30+ years (the previous owner built it) and now has suddenly come away. Perhaps thats the nature of things. (and just my luck! )

I will take some further photos. Im currently away but back in a few days so will post them when Im back. Cheers!

 

[ax222s]

Hi @tell80

Heres some more photos:

Small crack has formed along the door sill:



Looks like theres been a bit of movement on the roof line.


Its just odd that its been fine for 30 years, and then this heatwave and its moved so much!

 

[tell80]

Thanks for the new pics.
You have a choice 1. to painstakingly repair, and attempt to pin back all thats pulled forward - or 2. re-build a whole new enclosed porch to modern standards?
My choice would be re-build but then I'm not paying for it?

 

[ax222s]

Thanks @tell80 . I think my plan of action will be to seal over the cracks with mastic and then bury my head in the sand and try and forget about.

Honestly, this bloody house has been a ####ing nightmare. Wish Id never bought the damn thing.

 

[ax222s]

@tell80 Ive just found a tube of Gripfell in the garage https://www.screwfix.com/p/gripfill...60894571095&ds_rl=1249416&gclsrc=ds&gclsrc=ds

It says "general purpose gap-filling adhesive". Do you think that will do, or should I get something else?

 

[tell80]

Yes, use it.

 

[Mr Chibs]

I'm not a fan of grip fill for joint filling, it sets quite hard, and the cracks will return.

You'd be better off with a flexible silicon as tell80 had previously mentioned. You can get all this stuff cheap from Toolstation/screwfix.

Think you are worrying over nothing.

 

[ax222s]

Thanks guys!