Stair-step cracks in Bellaire brick: cosmetic or structural?
Gulf Coast clay soil moves. Here's how to read what your brick is telling you.
Bellaire sits on soil that swells when wet and shrinks when dry, and brick veneer is the first thing to show it.
Hairline cracks that follow the mortar and stay the same width season to season are usually cosmetic.
Cracks wider than a quarter inch, cracks that widen toward the top, doors and windows that stick, and separation at the corners are structural signals.
Fix the cause first. If the movement is drainage or foundation driven, repointing alone will crack again within a year.
We assess drainage, downspout discharge and grade before we quote any repair, and we work alongside foundation contractors when the movement needs correcting first.
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