Stitching Cracks in the Walls | Design of RCC Structures

How to stitch the cracks in the plastering of the wall and prevent further cracking?

Occurrence of cracks in a building is a common problem to deal with. The intensity of the problem of the occurrence of cracks increases with the increased depth of the cracks.

The cracks are generally classified into two major categories:

  1. Minor Cracks or Surface cracks
  2. Major cracks or Structural Cracks

Minor cracks or Surface Cracks

In one of my earlier articles, I discussed various reasons for the occurrence of minor cracks or Surface cracks. Surface cracks do not result in making the structure unsound. The structural stability is intact incase of minor cracks. The aesthetics are affected due to the occurrence of minor cracks.

Major Cracks or Structural cracks

Major cracks or Structural cracks as the name suggests are responsible for making the structure unsound in nature. When deeper cracks are seen to develop on structural components such as columns, beams, foundations, these cracks are termed as Structural cracks since they cause structural damage.

Now we will go ahead with discussing how the cracks occurring on the plastered surface can be stitched and prevented from further deepening…

Stitching cracks
Stitching cracks

The small diagonal grooves are made across the crack.

16mm diameter steel rods are embedded in the grooves and are then covered with cement concrete.

If there are too many cracks occurring on the plastered surface, remove the entire plaster and plaster it again.