Made me laugh

[essexandy]

Started my first render job after starting back this week, a nice S&C job on a new build chalet.
Anyway first coating an elevation yesterday that is sixteen metres long and I'm telling my son how it should have expansion joints in it but that there haven't been any built in when the guy building the place comes round the corner and says, "aren't you going to put any expansion joints in?". I reply, "but there aren't any built in". "Oh yes there are" he says, "well I can't fecking see them" says I. "Well you won't out here will you we built them on the inside blockwork". I just laughed and said "they won't do any good there will they". His reply "my bricklayer has been doing this a long time and says that's where they should go". I just shrug my shoulders and carry on banging on the render whilst laughing.

 

[spunky]

I had that on some big staircases andy there was a young finishing foreman, sure you know the type lol and he was going I'm sure you're supposed to have expansion joints every so often
I didn't want to do them it was concrete and id have to stick them on ( skim stops)
Anyway that's what I said theres no expansion joints in the wall what's stopping it cracking over there or over there?? Didn't do them in the end

 

[bubbles65]

Had that a few times, do they think the render knows where it's supposed to crack or something :-0

 

[heafy]

I know the brickies put in the expansion joints but how often should you have expansion joints on long runs??

 

[spunky]

I thought it was every 30 Sqm but I bet it's wrong

 

[Expand1t]

Normally every 10 linear metres for brick and block so surely it should be the same for render not 100% on that though :RpS_biggrin:

 

[spunky]

What if it's 7m high though or is it only vertical joints that will crack

 

[lucius]

Every 10 metres but on a long run but on a house it would be different often in an internal corner on the outside brickwork but why the brickie is deciding it is beyond me as it should be on the drawing.

 

[essexandy]

I know the brickies put in the expansion joints but how often should you have expansion joints on long runs??

Any run of six metres or more should have an expansion joint, on a long run the first joint should be three metres in from a corner and then every six metres after that.

 

[owls]

Any run of six metres or more should have an expansion joint, on a long run the first joint should be three metres in from a corner and then every six metres after that.

your correct with that, but there aint no hard and set rule it seems on sites. ive rendered large areas before with out expansion joints ten years ago and theres been no movement.

 

[bodplasterer]

I reckon the architects just make it as they go along there is obviously theory behind it but only when it suits them.

 

[essexandy]

your correct with that, but there aint no hard and set rule it seems on sites. ive rendered large areas before with out expansion joints ten years ago and theres been no movement.

I reckon the architects just make it as they go along there is obviously theory behind it but only when it suits them.

I know you're both right they never seem to be put where they "should" be. It was just the fact he'd put them inside and thought they'd help with the render that got to me. I've seen cracks coming away from windows with five feet of an expansion joint showing that they can only help with expansion and contraction but not with stress cracks.