Cracks are the most frustrating facade problem because they often seem to appear “out of nowhere”: yesterday everything looked perfect, and a season later thin lines show up at corners, around windows, or along joints. In most cases, cracks are not caused by a “bad material,” but by the way the facade responds to settlement, temperature changes, and stress at critical junctions.
Below is a simple explanation of where cracks come from and what should be done at the finishing stage to avoid them.
Where Cracks Come From: 3 Main Causes
1) Building settlement and micro-movements of the substrate
A new house always settles a little, while an older house may still “move” due to seasonal soil shifts. If the finishing layer is too rigid and the junctions are not properly reinforced, these micro-movements turn into cracks.
2) Thermal expansion and contraction
A facade heats up during the day and cools down at night. On the sunny side, these fluctuations are even stronger. As materials expand and contract, stress builds up in weak points — and cracks follow the shortest path: corners, joints, and openings.
3) Errors in reinforcement and surface preparation
The most common cause is not physics, but installation quality:
the mesh is interrupted in a high-stress zone
corners are not reinforced
the primer is weak or missing
the wrong adhesive or layer thickness is used
According to your installation recommendations, preparation and reinforcement are basic steps that directly affect the final result.
Where Cracks Most Often Appear
If you look at typical projects, cracks almost always appear in the same places:
corners of windows and doors
reveals and junctions
transitions to the plinth/base
cornices and projections
joints between planes
That is why on a facade it is not enough to simply “install it красиво” — the junctions must be built correctly.
How to Prevent Cracks: What the Finishing Stage Must Include
1) Mesh reinforcement as one continuous shell
The mesh must work as a single continuous layer, not as separate pieces:
with proper overlaps
without breaks at corners
continuing onto reveals and junctions
This helps distribute stress and prevents a crack from “cutting through” along a weak line.
2) Reinforcement of corners and openings
The most critical area is the corner of an opening. These points need extra reinforcement, including diagonal mesh patches, to relieve stress. It is a simple measure, but also one of the most commonly skipped.
3) Proper preparation: strength, primer, adhesive
If the substrate is weak or dusty, cracks may appear even with good reinforcement. That is why:
the substrate must be solid
primer is mandatory
the adhesive must be selected for exterior conditions and frost resistance
All of this follows directly from the installation technology.
If the Facade Is Insulated, the Requirements Are Higher
On an insulated facade, everything works as a layered system, and cracks appear more often because of weak junctions. That is why Facade insulation must be built as a complete system: reinforcing layer, corners, junctions, and proper transitions first — and only then the final finish.
Why the Finishing Material Also Matters
Even when the junctions are done correctly, the finish still needs to perform well in everyday conditions. The better the material handles micro-movements and daily stress, the lower the risk of unpleasant surprises on difficult areas.
That is why, on facades where finish stability matters, many choose KORDEKO Flexible Tile (PletaFlex): it is convenient to install on details and helps achieve a neat result when the technology is followed properly.
Conclusion
Cracks on a facade almost always result from a combination of three factors: substrate movement, temperature cycles, and mistakes in reinforcement or junction detailing. To prevent them, the facade must be built as a complete system: proper mesh reinforcement, strengthened corners, well-prepared substrate, and a suitable finishing layer.