Topic starter
Went up into the roof space today to try and sort out all the random wood and other stuff that was in there when I moved in.
Moved some boxes and was greeted by this sight
<img src="http://<img src="https://i.ibb.co/RQwFc9h/20240203-111838.jpg" alt="20240203-111838" border="0" />" alt="garage" />
Not the best picture but I couldn't really get any closer.
That white horizontal line... That's daylight.
How concerned should I be?
The garage is detached and nearly 5 by almost 6m. The 6m wall has 2 single up and over doors covered by a single lintel. Truss roof that looks like it's made of matchsticks. Walls are single skin brick except the double thick pier running up to the ridge that you can see in the pic. The other end is the same construction. There's a double thickness pier between the single doors and one on the opposite wall. The crack is in the gable end and doesn't seem to have gone through the thicker section.
Looking at the outside of the opposite end, the mortar is cracked in a line but slightly higher. Can't see daylight from the inside though but still doesn't look great.
Obviously, I'm a bit worried. I seem to recall that type of construction is basically the long walls support the trusses and the trusses hold the roof up. The roof structure is self supporting and resists skewing with diagonal braces. The gable ends are just there to fill the gap?
If that's the case, can it just the repointed and forgotten about? Or do I need something more serious? I'd hate for the wall to fall down and scratch my bikes.
Posted : 03/02/2024 8:03 pm
Concerned, but it's fixable by stitching the brickwork from inside. Get a good builder to have a look.
Posted : 03/02/2024 8:08 pm
It's been made as cheaply as possible. I'd expect a bit of movement. My general rule with cracks is to fill them. If that fixes it then great, if they come back then try something more substantial.
Posted : 03/02/2024 8:11 pm
The foundation under the pillar must be resisting sinking better than the foundation under the part with the gaps. The root of the problem is at the bottom - the foundations. As for fixes the epoxy/sand mixes that come in tubes stick like shit to a blanket. Fill the gap with some of that and it'll be as stong as any other part of the wall - which will still be sitting on sinking foundations and probably crack somewhere else.
Posted : 03/02/2024 8:17 pm
Guess that's over the doors? Have the lintel(s) moved?
Have a look at the bearing surface at each end and the middle. Any cracking/evidence of the lintel either rolling or rotating?
Posted : 03/02/2024 9:33 pm
