You’ve got cracks in your drywall, and cracks in your exterior brickwork due to foundation issues. If you go through the trouble of foundation repairs, you want to make sure the repairs will also fix the wall cracks. So will they???
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we have repaired thousands of Brazos Valley foundations since 1985 and understand the concerns that homeowners have about cracks. We can tell you when they should close up and when they might not and why.
In this article, we discuss the impact that foundation repair potentially has on wall cracks of different kinds. We also review what foundation repair covers when it comes to wall cracks and what would need to be repaired by someone else.
Will Foundation Repair Fix My Drywall Cracks and Brick Cracks?
First, let’s clarify the word “fix” in this scenario. Foundation repair fixes cracks in the sense that the cracks can physically and visually close back up provided the home is raised and returned to its original elevation.
Foundation repair’s impact and results when it comes to cracks are a little different for drywall cracks vs. brick cracks, so let’s address them separately.
For Drywall Cracks
The diagonal cracks in drywall should theoretically close up with foundation repairs in most cases but will still be there unless you get drywall repair after foundation repairs. Foundation repair does not fix cracks in the *drywall repair* sense. Essentially, the cracks still exist even though they are closed and not as visually apparent anymore.
Drywall doesn’t mend itself, once it is cracked it does not get uncracked.
Foundation repair contractors do not repair your drywall, unfortunately. We only do work with the foundation. Most of the time, foundation repair should have a positive impact on the drywall (we will discuss exceptions to this very soon), but it doesn’t resolve all your drywall needs.
Don’t despair though, you would be surprised at how well a closed-up drywall crack can disappear visually after foundation repairs are completed. Results vary and depend on your drywall, paint, and lighting conditions if you can still see the cracks after the home is raised.
So let’s not say the word fix anymore when it comes to drywall cracks. Let’s use the word *close* instead.
For Brick Cracks
Foundation repair should have a positive impact on stair-step brick cracks and close them up in most cases. Once a foundation is raised back into position, mortar cracks are often barely discernable.
Also, we can use a little new brick mortar to seal up any remaining visual mortar cracks. This is called *tuck point* or *tuck pointing* but most people have never heard that masonry term. It’s kinda like spackling on some new stuff over the old stuff. Just keep in mind that a mason might be able to do it a little better, but we do pretty well in most cases.
P. S. Not every foundation repair company will do tuck point for you so you need to ask your chosen contractor about it, but we certainly will!
When Foundation Repair Will Close Cracks
As already mentioned, in *most cases* foundation repair should have a positive effect on drywall and brick cracks and close them up. This is especially true when there are only original finishes on the home and nothing has been remodeled or changed since the foundation settled.
Below is one example of a foundation repair “before and after” closing up drywall cracks and there are even more examples in this article with other signs of foundation issues.
When Foundation Repair May Not Close Cracks
There are some scenarios when all cracks might not close back up after foundation repairs. We will list them first and then explain as needed. Cracks will not or may not close:
- When a home is only stabilized in place to prevent further settlement, but not raised.
- When a home has been remodeled after settlement occurred.
- If the scope of work does not include all the affected areas of settlement.
- If the home *tells us* we can’t raise it any further without creating new damage.
Each of these issues has enough material for a separate article, so we’ll just do our best to quickly explain here and refer you elsewhere when we can.
Stabilization Only
Stabilization is only half of what we normally do with foundation repair. Typically, we want to stabilize AND raise the home back into place. In some cases, we can’t raise or the homeowner doesn’t want us to (usually because of recent remodeling – see next section).
With the stabilization process, we place all the needed piers and secure your foundation at its current position. In other words, stabilization is designed to prevent further foundation settlement, but the foundation isn’t raised and returned to its original levelness and elevation. The foundation is simply secured where it is to keep it from moving down further.
It stands to reason that your cracks will not close with stabilization because it’s the *raising part of foundation repair* that closes the cracks. That’s a brief explanation, but if you need more details, check out this Stabilization vs. Raising article.
A Remodeled Home
When a home has been fixed up and remodeled, sometimes you get new flooring, backsplash tile, cabinetry, and fresh paint. If all those new finishes have been placed on an unlevel home, leveling it will damage them. So in this case, any old cracks might have been repaired with the remodel, and raising the home will actually create cracks and other issues with the new finishes instead.
It’s kinda like putting a band-aid on your bent elbow – the band-aid is the new finishwork and your arm is your foundation. When you try to straighten your elbow i.e. the foundation, the band-aid gets crumpled up and doesn’t stay flush with your skin anymore.
Nobody wants to mess up a fresh model, even for the sake of foundation repairs. Often when a home has recently been redone, we suggest stabilization only instead of full foundation repairs.
For more info on this remodeled home issue, check out one of these:
4 Foundation Repair Options for Your Remodeled Home
Remodeling or Foundation Repair: Which Is Best to Do First?
Can I Level or Repair the Foundation of a Home That Has Been Flipped?
Scope of Work Doesn’t Include All Settled Areas
Foundation repairs are expensive, and sometimes homeowners can’t do the whole home all at once. Or you opt to only do perimeter foundation repairs when perimeter and interior foundation repairs are needed. Some cracks may remain if you opt to only do partial repairs instead of the whole enchilada.
This is a less common scenario, but look into this article for more understanding:
Perimeter vs. Perimeter + Interior Foundation Repairs: Pros and Cons
Home Starts to Show New Damage
When a foundation has been settled for a long time, other home parts, like framing, can warp and become resistant to going back in place. Or perhaps a remodel was done a while back when the home had settled some, but then settlement progressed further afterward.
In these cases, your home might start to become damaged before we reach the original elevation. We don’t continue lifting the home if we see any signs of the house resisting the raising process. We don’t want to cause new damage to your home.
So we might only be able to improve some cracks but not close them up completely due to stress on the structure creating damage elsewhere. We talk about this situation a little more in this article.
What Should I Do If the Wall Cracks Do Not Close All The Way?
At the beginning of this article, we discussed that foundation repair *should* close up cracks but it doesn’t always. There are certainly times when we raise the home back to its original elevation, but something still doesn’t close back together as expected. This is particularly true with drywall.
It happens. Homes are weird and unpredictable and don’t comply with all theoretical models. Warped framing that can’t be corrected is usually to blame but the issue could have several contributing factors.
If cracks don’t close up all the way but the foundation repairs are 100% complete, then drywall repair is in order. Drywall repairs range from cheap and basic i.e. a little DIY spackle and paint, to extensive with professional replacement of sections or whole walls of drywall. It’s up to you how much time and expense will satisfy your need for flawless walls.
The most important thing here is to wait a few months before moving forward with any drywall repairs. Your home will adjust and move a little after foundation repairs so it’s best to wait until the next change in seasons before beginning any sheetrock work, spackling, or painting.
This gives your home time to *get comfortable* in its new position and lessens any chances of your drywall repairs getting immediately undone by a little more shifting.
Here’s a list of reputable local drywall contractors in the Brazos Valley area for you.
What Foundation Repair Does and Does Not Do For Your Home
Now you understand how cracks might or might not respond to foundation repairs and how to handle the results. Maybe now you’re wondering, “Well, what DOES foundation repair do for my home anyway?”
At Anchor Foundation Repair, we offer fair and impartial assessments, empowering education, and a fully transparent repair process. After 40+ years in business, we want you to know as much about foundation repair as we do and we’ve got no secrets to hide about what foundation repair does and doesn’t do.
We’ve got an article that covers this very topic if you’d like to check it out: What Will (and Won’t) Foundation Repair Do For My Home?
