Stone foundations crack for several reasons

Stone foundations are not used very much in the construction of homes or buildings today. However, there are several old homes and buildings were these structures still existent.

When a stone foundation cracks the average homeowner or do-it-yourselfer, cannot make the necessary repairs on his or her own. For this reason it will be necessary to hire professionals to make the required repairs.

Stone foundations crack for several reasons, with water damage being the most prominent cause. Cracks caused by water leakage in stone walls, which are mortared can be easily identified by a single thin crack located in a particular area of the wall. Tree roots also create cracks in foundations as their large roots push through the soil. This is seen especially with oaks, maples, ash, and Chinese Tallow. Stone foundations can also crack and crumble due to vibration that can be caused from heavy vehicles running aboveground, and even sonic vibrations created from aircraft.

When repairing minor cracks, which can form in mortared stone walls, you will need to first chisel out approximately 1/2 inch of the mortar from around the crack. The next step is to mix fresh mortar. For this step you can purchase one of the several mortar mixes available commercially from your local home improvement store, using a bucket, simply follow the instructions on the bag. Then using a small trowel called a tuck pointer, press wet mortar into the cracks. For a finished edge, smooth joints and corners with a tool known as a jointer. Once the mortar has dried completely the crack has been repaired.

Stone foundations are very susceptible to leakage and water damage. This is especially true if the construction was shoddy to begin with, leaving gaps between the stones. These gaps then become entry points for leaking water. If the damage is extensive, then it may be necessary to have external excavation done in order to repair the damage to the foundation. External excavation is when contractors excavate the ground from around the foundation to create provision so that the water will run away from the foundation of the building. The contracts then repair the faulty mortar.

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