An expert in older homes has warned that crack-free concrete formwork is a must in modern properties.
Roger Hunt, co-author of Old House Handbook, explains that older properties were designed to crack and shift over time.
Lime mortars and renders allowed for this - meaning buildings can experience fairly substantial bulges and cracks without becoming unstable.
Modern structures, however, are often built using concrete formwork which can be more resistant to some shocks, but less able to withstand cracks.
Here, Mr Hunt warns that cracks should not be underestimated in terms of their importance.
"Movement tends to be much more destructive because you get cracks in the solid concrete or cement structure," he says.
Concrete frost blankets could help to make sure structures are crack-free when first built.
During periods of colder weather, concrete frost blankets keep warmth in, making sure the proper chemical processes set the cement, rather than it simply freezing.
They can also prevent the contraction that comes with rapid cooling, which could otherwise introduce cracks into the structure.
Posted by Charlie Parkin
Roger Hunt, co-author of Old House Handbook, explains that older properties were designed to crack and shift over time.
Lime mortars and renders allowed for this - meaning buildings can experience fairly substantial bulges and cracks without becoming unstable.
Modern structures, however, are often built using concrete formwork which can be more resistant to some shocks, but less able to withstand cracks.
Here, Mr Hunt warns that cracks should not be underestimated in terms of their importance.
"Movement tends to be much more destructive because you get cracks in the solid concrete or cement structure," he says.
Concrete frost blankets could help to make sure structures are crack-free when first built.
During periods of colder weather, concrete frost blankets keep warmth in, making sure the proper chemical processes set the cement, rather than it simply freezing.
They can also prevent the contraction that comes with rapid cooling, which could otherwise introduce cracks into the structure.
Posted by Charlie Parkin