Cracked plaster beside doorway

[Jorgejen]

My partner and I have just moved into our new home. We have taken off the old tiles in the bathroom to uncover a crack and would like opinions of how big a problem this is and what people think this is with an idea on what we should do

Thanks a lot

+++++++++++++++
Moderator's note -
DUPLICATES HAVE BEEN REMOVED
+++++++++++++++

 

[KenGMac]

Jorgejen, good evening.

As I see your first post? Welcome to the board!

Your plaster crack, in my opinion is not recent.

Question? what age is the property?

Have you any idea as to what the external walls are constructed of??

The crack in the Plaster is consistent with Concrete Lintel Expansion,

What happens is that the Concrete Lintel expands and contracts at a different rate to the brick or Block that the Concrete Lintel is built in to, result the different rates of expansion and contraction of the concrete lintel can, cause the plaster and and at times the brick or block in the wall to crack.

The plaster crack does not appear to be seriously structural, but one question? is there an external matching crack?

In general terms the Concrete lintel will have a bearing, where the Concrete lintel rests on the internal brick or block by an average of 100.mm

Ken.

 

[^woody^]

Common thermal cracking (shrinkage).

Search for plaster crack repairs using reinforcement. Repoint any cracked brick/blockwork and relay any really loose bricks/blocks first

 

[Jorgejen]

Hi Ken

Many thanks for your advice on this and yes it is our first post

Our house is a 1950's detached, the external walls are brick.

Thanks a lot for your advice and recommendation that it could be concrete lintel expansion. We had similar light cracks which were smaller in length in other rooms that we have decorated also.

There doesn't seem to be a crack to the external wall but I will double check in the morning.

What recommendation would you have of it were concrete lintel expansion? Is it just a case of having it patched up and replastered by a plasterer which we were planning on doing anyway

Thanks again for your help

 

[Jorgejen]

Thanks woody for the advice - really appreciated.

You would think it was a fairly common problem with an easy fix?

Thanks

 

[^woody^]

It's not lintel expansion, but the opposite. As the wall shrinks the lintel has held on to that bit of wall below the lintel bearing, causing that crack as the wall ties to pull away from it.

It's very common and relates to heating patterns and moisture.

It's most likely cracked a while ago and won't be moving any further.

 

[JohnD]

If it was me I would want to hack off the cracked and loose plaster, and look at the crack in the wall itself. With luck the crack will have run down the mortar joints, you can scrape them out and pack with fresh mortar. Moisten the blocks first. Trying to plaster or decorate over a cracked wall, the crack will come back. There might be a crack on the other side of the wall as well.

 

[Jorgejen]

Thanks a lot John, we'll have a look to check the quality of the wall