Cracks – Type of Cracks and Causes

Settlement crack

Expansion Joint Crack

Cracking in area of bond loss

Impact Crack

Cracking in stone and tile are common problems that inspectors run into all the time. But do you know what type of crack you are looking at or what caused it? The following is an excerpt from my stone and tile inspection manual.

Types of Cracks

SETTLEMENT

Settlement cracks can occur when the substrate moves up or down. You can recognize this type of crack because it is long and continuous, and one side of the crack will be higher than the other.

EXPANSION/CONTROL JOINT CRACKS

When tile is set directly over a control joint and filled with setting mortar the tile will crack resulting in a long, continuous crack distinguishable from a settlement crack because both sides of the expansion/control joint crack will be even. This type of cracking ….

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