The most popular form of domestic construction in eastern states of Australia: brick-veneer wall, has many advantages and one of them is being aesthetically pleasing. But, if any crack appears due to foundation movements or durability failures, it would probably leave unsightly cracks and cause some concerns to the structural conditions of the building.
Articulation joints are designed to provide some degree of flexibility in brick-veneer wall and also to control those cracking locations. Therefore, correct installation methods and careful on-site supervising work are important to ensure those joints can be performed functionally. Any control joints shall be free from any incompressible material such as mortar, those protruding mortar from the adjacent brick panels must be thoroughly cleaned and the gaps are filled with elastomeric sealant and compressible backer rod, then masonry expansion ties are installed to ensure the strength continuity of the wall.
