This house may look modern due to UPVC windows, felt flat roof and pebbledash – all resembling modernised housing across the North-West. However, built in the 1920’s, it is now 100 years old.
On the owner’s homebuyers survey (over 20 years ago) cracked render had been noted along with a proposed repair solution, commonly referred to as ‘crack stitching’.
Patchworks had been applied over time and had held static, though the owners needed to address the issue ahead of a full re-render. Followers to our case studies will already appreciate the damage a non-breathable render can have upon brickwork.
The cementitious render was falling away, and having fully exposed the area of concern, we were able to confirm the need for lateral restraint ties for ‘crack stitching’. This is the process of inserting high tensile helical reinforcement bars across the crack to tie masonry panels together.
We inserted the bars and set them in a corresponding grout that maximises bonding and resilience. Thereafter, we repointed the remainder of the joint in lime mortar, which has flexible benefits and ability to allow any moisture to evaporate.
Following our work, the clients will now able to progress to the intended works of preparing for the removal of remaining render and installation of a new render system of their choosing.
