Defects in Buildings
Cracks
Cracks in concrete floors or slabs occur in poured concrete slabs may be found both in basement and in slab on grade or "patio home" construction and have a variety of causes and cures that we discuss here. This article series describes how to recognize and diagnose various types of foundation failure or damage, such as foundation cracks, masonry foundation crack patterns, and moving, leaning, bulging, or bowing building foundation walls.
Remedies:
Contraction joints are commonly installed using conventional wet-cut or early-entry dry-cut saws fitted with a diamond blade. Joints sawed with conventional wet-cut saws are made within 4 hours during hot weather and 12 hours in cold weather. The waiting period for joints installed with early-entry dry-cut saws is much shorter — in hot weather, saw cuts are typically installed within 1 hour after finishing and 4 hours for cold weather. Using an early-entry dry-cut saw reduces the risk of cracking by allowing saw cuts to be installed sooner than conventional wet-cut saws.
Stucco
The defects associated with stucco are usually excessive cracking. Cracking of stucco can be caused by a number of issues. Structural deficiencies are one of the leading causes. Structural components such as a shear wall (plywood wall) are either missing or improperly installed causing the stucco to bear a load that it weren’t designed to bear. Soil settlement can cause stucco cracks as well. This is where improper compaction of the lot or expansive soils present (soils that expand when exposed to moisture). Another cause is stucco shrinkage. This is where the stucco was mixed improperly or applied in severe weather conditions.
Other construction defects found in stucco walls include: * Stucco condition that allows water intrusion * Inadequate attachment of the lath * Insufficient embedment of the lath into the stucco * Corroded metal lath * Unsealed holes, rips, and
Cracks in concrete floors or slabs occur in poured concrete slabs may be found both in basement and in slab on grade or "patio home" construction and have a variety of causes and cures that we discuss here. This article series describes how to recognize and diagnose various types of foundation failure or damage, such as foundation cracks, masonry foundation crack patterns, and moving, leaning, bulging, or bowing building foundation walls.
Remedies:
Contraction joints are commonly installed using conventional wet-cut or early-entry dry-cut saws fitted with a diamond blade. Joints sawed with conventional wet-cut saws are made within 4 hours during hot weather and 12 hours in cold weather. The waiting period for joints installed with early-entry dry-cut saws is much shorter — in hot weather, saw cuts are typically installed within 1 hour after finishing and 4 hours for cold weather. Using an early-entry dry-cut saw reduces the risk of cracking by allowing saw cuts to be installed sooner than conventional wet-cut saws.
Stucco
The defects associated with stucco are usually excessive cracking. Cracking of stucco can be caused by a number of issues. Structural deficiencies are one of the leading causes. Structural components such as a shear wall (plywood wall) are either missing or improperly installed causing the stucco to bear a load that it weren’t designed to bear. Soil settlement can cause stucco cracks as well. This is where improper compaction of the lot or expansive soils present (soils that expand when exposed to moisture). Another cause is stucco shrinkage. This is where the stucco was mixed improperly or applied in severe weather conditions.
Other construction defects found in stucco walls include: * Stucco condition that allows water intrusion * Inadequate attachment of the lath * Insufficient embedment of the lath into the stucco * Corroded metal lath * Unsealed holes, rips, and