How To Repair Those Messy Wall Cracks

By Author: Michale Horton
Total Articles: 94
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Your house’s basement wall may develop cracks due to facing constant hydrostatic pressure from the soil or simply from a colder climate that creates thaw and freeze patterns. These create external pressure on the wall and lead to its expansion against the foundation. While curing, concrete gets shrunk and that is the reason the basement walls get cracked. Though vertical cracks are not that difficult to deal with, horizontal cracks are surely a concern. Horizontal cracks can even lead to the failure of the complete structure. Do consult an expert structural engineer if you notice horizontal wall cracks, while vertical cracks can be dealt by yourself. Check out some ways you may handle Buffalo Wall Crack Repair (in terms of repairing the basement wall cracks) work.

How to handle a leaking crack

Leaking cracks are usually repaired using polyurethane foam. Follow these steps for your Buffalo Wall Crack Repair (in terms of repairing the basement wall cracks) task in case of leakage:

1. Use a chisel and hammer to chip off the loose pieces that you may see around the crack on its edges. To remove small pieces ...
... of debris, you may use a wire brush, while masonry dust can be vacuumed.

2. You may purchase a crack repair kit in which you would usually find a plastic injector for the sealant. Get a bottle of polyurethane foam sealant and insert its tip into the crack to be repaired. Fill up all the space inside the crack using the sealant. When the sealant will come in contact with water or moisture, it would automatically expand, thus filling up the crack.

3. You will also have an epoxy-based sealant inside your kit. Use a putty knife to apply it over the crack or you may bead it using a caulking gun. Smooth the surface of sealant on the crack while taking the knife outward and keeping making the sealant thinner. This repairs your leaking crack.

How to handle a wet crack

A wet crack can be filled up using hydraulic cement and the following procedure should be followed for it:

1. Similar to the above repair procedure, chip off loose concrete from the crack’s inside edges. Brush off the mortar and sweep out the crack using a whisk broom or just vacuum-clean it.

2. Use a putty knife or trowel to press the hydraulic cement into the crack. Force the cement as far inside the crack as possible. Continue applying it to the crack and keep layering until you reach the wall’s surface height.

3. Now apply a thin layer of cement over the repair and keep spreading outward while you smooth it.

How to handle a wet or dry crack

If you are using the elastomeric joint sealant, check out the steps to repair a wet or dry crack.

1. Add a tube of elastomeric joint sealant to a caulking gun.

2. Put the tube’s tip into the crack and trigger the caulking gun to create a bead of sealant into this crack. If the crack is small and you cannot enter the tip into it, just run the bead on the crack.

3. Finally, press the sealant inside the crack using your finger. Then, make the surface smooth.

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