What is craquelure?
Craquelure (from the French craquelé) is a fine, irregular network of hairline cracks in a surface layer, such as the glaze on tiles, a paint coat on masonry or the top layer of concrete. In construction, the term describes superficial crack patterns caused by shrinkage, temperature changes or ageing.
How does craquelure form?
- Drying shrinkage — the surface layer dries faster than the substrate and contracts
- Temperature differences — uneven expansion of materials during heating or cooling
- Ageing — chemical degradation of binders in paint or glaze
- Elasticity mismatch — a rigid top layer on a flexible substrate cracks when deformed
Applications
Craquelure appears in various construction contexts:
- Concrete slabs and floors — superficial shrinkage cracks in the surface layer
- Painted façades — weathered paint coats exhibiting craquelure
- Ceramic tiles — glaze craquelure from tiles cooled too rapidly
- Plasterwork — fine cracks from shrinkage during drying
- Decorative use — craquelure is sometimes deliberately applied as a finish technique on ceramics and furniture
Prevention
For concrete: proper curing to limit shrinkage. For paint: use the correct primer and avoid excessively thick coats. For ceramics: match the thermal expansion of glaze and body.
Related terms
- Shrinkage
- Shrinkage crack
- Concrete
- Plasterwork
- Glaze
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