Repairing cracks in bricks from historical settlement

[larrylamb9]

Hi - I live in a period 1870s mid-terrace and am thinking of selling. But there are some unsightly cracks in the wall of the central passageway that separates my house from my neighbour. The cracks run straight through the bricks and mortar but haven;t changed in the 10 years i've been here. When I bought it I only had the basic survey and it wasn't picked up as alarming, but I worry what someone else may think so. The house has ancient slightly trapezoidal shaped doors so this settling happened many many moons ago and there are no internal cracks in the plaster.

The question is, is it possible to repair these cracks 'invisibly' and then repaint the passageway so that it looks respectable? They are about 3 mm at widest, but as I say, they run straight through the bricks.

(The reason is that the mortar, so I'm told by a builder who did some work here, is very very hard and allows no give or settlement.)

 

[larrylamb9]

Perhaps my question is long winded, the simple question is: is it possible to repair cracks that run through bricks to a neat standard and paint over without t looking a mess? Ir is this not usually done?

cheers

 

[Burnerman]

Give us a pic, Jamie if you can!
It seems like there's nothing to stop you just squeezing some sand and cement mix into those cracks and then going over with some masonry paint, if that's what you want.
John

 

[dominoman]

Yes - as Burnerman said.

Fill the gaps carefully though so that it doesn't look like a patch up job. Fresh paint or mortar is always going to arouse curiosity in a surveyor who may suspect you are covering something more serious.

 

[larrylamb9]

Hi

I couldn't upload a pic, but in terms of appearance, this is pretty close, tho not as severe:

http://authenticmasonry.hubpages.com/hub/Common-problems-with-a-Brick-Veneer

Is it best to use sand/cement or a filler of another kind. My concern is that the finish should be good.