Cracking in Brick Walls: What It Means and How to Fix It
Brick and mortar are rigid, so when the wall or foundation beneath them shifts even slightly, the stress usually shows up as a crack in the brick or mortar joints before it shows up almost anywhere else. That makes brick cracking one of the earliest visible clues of foundation settlement. Foundation Solutions evaluates brick cracking as part of a full foundation repair assessment.
What Brick Wall Cracking Looks Like
The pattern tells you a lot about the cause:
- Stair-step cracks following the mortar joints diagonally — the classic sign of settlement
- Straight vertical cracks running through the brick itself
- Cracks radiating from the corners of windows or doors
- Cracks that widen noticeably toward the top or bottom of the wall
Similar patterns in the foundation wall itself, rather than exterior brick, are covered on our horizontal foundation cracking page.
Why Brick Walls Crack
Brick veneer and brick foundations have very little flexibility to absorb movement, which is why they crack so readily:
- Foundation settlement is the most common cause of exterior brick cracking — as the foundation shifts, the rigid brick above it cracks rather than flexing
- Normal mortar aging can cause minor, stable hairline cracks over many decades
- Thermal expansion and contraction stresses mortar joints season after season
When settlement is the cause, our wall repair system addresses the structural movement behind the crack, not just the crack itself.
Is Brick Wall Cracking Serious?
Some hairline mortar cracking is normal with age. Have a professional take a look if you notice:
How We Fix Cracking Brick Walls
Foundation Inspection
A free inspection confirms whether the crack is settlement-related.
Carbon Fiber Repair
Reinforces the wall beneath the brick when cracking is caught early.
Wall Repair System
Steel I-beams hold a moderately bowed wall in place behind the brick.
Backed by a Warranty You Can Count On
Every wall system we install is backed by warranty-supported protection. If you ever notice new cracking after repair, our team will inspect it and make it right.
FAQs
About Cracking in Brick Walls
Is a Small Crack in the Mortar Between Bricks Normal?
Yes, minor hairline mortar cracking is common as a home ages and isn't necessarily a concern. It's worth a closer look if the crack is widening, spreading, or running through the brick itself rather than just the mortar.
Can Brick Wall Cracks Be Repaired Without Replacing the Brick?
In most cases, yes. Once the underlying wall movement is stabilized with carbon fiber or a wall repair system, the crack itself can typically be tuckpointed or patched rather than replacing the brick.
How Can I Tell if a Brick Crack Is From the Foundation or Just Old Mortar?
A stair-step pattern that follows the mortar joints diagonally, especially near a corner or opening, points to foundation movement. Scattered, thin cracking throughout an older wall is more often just age. A free inspection can confirm which you have.
Ready to Talk Through Your Options?
A cracking brick wall is easier and less expensive to address the sooner it’s caught. Reach out and our local team will inspect it, explain what’s causing it, and recommend the right fix.
Testimonials
I don't even know where to start with this review. From the first contact to the end of the job, Ryan and his crew were amazing - professional, knowledgeable, courteous, tidy and clean and very respectful of the impact the job had on me as the homeowner. The job was major, but I felt confident with the information that Ryan and his crew shared with me each step of the project. Since they are specialists, they are very busy so it took a while from start to finish but worth the wait! I could not be more pleased. They get an A+++ from me.
We had a consultation with a very knowledgeable engineer (Collin) who's extremely patient to answer questions and concerns we had. After a thorough walkthrough and measurements, it turned out the area which we thought might be problematic with leveling is only centralized and minuscule, not foundation-related. I'd like to thank Foundation Solutions for this engineer's detailed explanations, professional knowledge and recommendations. At the end, we acquired peace of mind and would highly recommend this company to anyone that may be seeking help with foundation related issues. If we are doing any addition/expansion of our house, we would definitely get in touch again for securing our foundation.
Kyle and the team are awesome! A corner of our foundation has a horizontal crack and when we go out for a quote, many companies explained how serious it is and give us a high estimation. Kyle came onsite and did a detailed inspection, explain why it crack, and how to properly fix it. Then few days later, gave us a reasonable estimate, and we decided to go with the service, they handled the permit, came to fix it in a day and did all the final inspection and passed, we have a smooth experience on the fix. My family are super happy with their service and already recommend to friends in case they need some work in the foundation.