A settlement joint is a vertical joint that runs the full height of the masonry where two parts of a building meet without being bonded together. The Dutch term is loodvoeg, from te lood — plumb, vertical. It belongs to the family of movement joints, and its job is to let building parts move independently of each other.
Why break the bond deliberately?
Masonry is normally laid in bond: perpends stagger course by course so the wall acts as one. A settlement joint interrupts that on purpose. Two situations call for it:
- Different construction phases. An extension, a later wing or an added bay settles differently from the original, because the foundation is younger and the loads differ. A continuous joint absorbs that difference instead of letting it appear as a crack through the brickwork
- Planned movement. Masonry expands and contracts with temperature and moisture. Without a break, a long wall cracks at its weakest point — usually diagonally from the corner of an opening
Practical points
- Spacing. How far apart movement joints should sit depends on the unit. Fired clay brickwork expands irreversibly after firing; calcium silicate and concrete blockwork shrink. Always follow the unit manufacturer’s guidance, which varies by product and situation
- Filling. A settlement joint must never be filled with rigid mortar — that defeats the purpose. Use a closed cell backer rod with a permanently flexible sealant, or a purpose made joint profile
- Tying. The two parts should slide past each other but must not fold outwards. Slip ties or debonded restraint ties keep the leaves aligned in plane while allowing movement along the joint
- Reading an old wall. A dead straight vertical line in an old facade is almost always a construction joint between phases — not a crack. A crack wanders and runs through the bricks; a settlement joint runs neatly around them
Related terms
- Movement joint
- Expansion joint
- Masonry
- Shrinkage
- Bond
- Settlement
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