Strange solid wall bond & wall ties?

[plasticbucket]

Help, I'm doing up a 1930's semi which I currently have stripped back to the brick inside. It is of 'solid' wall construction in so much as there is only a mortar width (12mm) gap between the inner and outer leaf of the brick wall, but I am worried about the quality of the brickwork which although perfect and crack free internally, has many fine cracks through both bricks and render on the outer leaf.
The reason for my worry is that there seems to be too few headers compared to stretchers in the brickwork: It has approx 54 courses of bricks and only 5 are full rows of headers with the rest being full rows of stretchers. The courses of headers are not even evenly spaced; there are 18 consecutive courses of stretchers at one point.
Does this sound either iffy or familiar to anybody out there? I was wondering about fitting some sort of remedial wall ties (resin or compression fit to make up for the lack of headers, and then making repairs to the outer wall before re-rendering internally and externally. Can anybody offer advice, and do remedial ties for solid walls actually exist?

 

[Thermo]

its been standing for nearly 80 years with no signs of any fault, why on earth do you think it needs fiddling with! if it aint broke dont fix it. it will be there in another 80 years

 

[plasticbucket]

I just want to minimise any future movement of the cracked outer leaf before repairing the cracks and re-rendering. I thought tieing the leafs together properly might give extra strength/ stability

 

[marksson]

Can you post any photos of the cracks?

 

[^woody^]

There are no inner and outer leafs on a solid wall.

The 12mm gap is actually a joint and not a cavity and it is supposed to be like it

How can you see all these headers and count the courses if the wall is rendered?

Most walls have fine cracks in them - it is normal.

From your description, I can't see an actual problem that needs solving. What is the problem with the wall?

 

[ModernMaterials]

brickwork which although perfect and crack free internally, has many fine cracks through both bricks and render on the outer leaf

You said its ok on the inside

Is it actually rendered on the outside (as in plastered) or do you mean cracks in the pointing?

anyhoo if you want to tart it up, if its rendered you can get it patched and if its pointed you can get it repointed.

to answer your point about ties, it has already been said that you dont have a cavity wall so you dont need them.

ties are used in cavity walls, and on outer brick skins on wooden buildings, to stop wind suction forces from pulling the outer leaf away. If this building is 80 odd years old i reckon it has already passed its wind tests anyway.

 

[Nige F]

sounds like a £550 speculative built house from the 30`s..........perfectly acceptable .......they knew it was going to be rendered/pebbledashed ,whatever.........and the brickies saved a bit of time , built to a budget........just like the £200k ones they build new today ..........I know which I`d rather have

 

[marksson]

Wouldn't touch a newly built house unless I built it.

 

[plasticbucket]

Thanks for all advice

How can you see all these headers and count the courses if the wall is rendered?

I stripped back to the brick inside cos plaster was damp (survey said penetrating due to trapped water) , so can now count the bricks.

Is it actually rendered on the outside (as in plastered) or do you mean cracks in the pointing?

Outside above dampcourse is roughcast, which I have chipped away a small area of to check if cracks went into bricks & they run mostly stepped through mortar but do split accross a few bricks.

Sorry can't photo at mo.

The 12mm gap is actually a joint and not a cavity and it is supposed to be like it.

I was wee bit worried that due to lack of headers it was a weak joint which had broken in places allowing bit of movement (& cracks) in wall outside but not inside. (maybe this isn't even possible?)

Anyhow, I guess I figured that if it does need a bit of reinforcing, now was the time to do it before a coat of pebbledash goes on the outside and it gets replastered inside.

Having read posts I am beginning to lean towards 'V' out cracks a bit, fill and slapping the new pebbledash on (only as a weatherproof coating of course)