Guided evidence worksheet
Crack geometry: finish separation versus structural movement
Photograph both endpoints with scale, record width at fixed points, and note offset, sticking doors, floor change and reopening after repair.
Reasoning guardrail
Separate the routes before choosing a repair.
Crack width alone cannot identify the cause without geometry, location and trend.
- Trigger
- Change over time matters more than one photograph.
- Area
- Structure
- Provenance
- Original explanatory diagram, not a site photograph.
1. Freeze the evidence
What happened first?
2. Competing hypotheses
Record evidence for and against each route.
Finish or drywall joint movement
A surface joint opens with ordinary seasonal or finishing movement without deeper displacement.
Evidence that raises fit
Evidence that lowers fit
Notes
Foundation or framing movement
Differential movement changes geometry across finishes, openings or structural elements.
Evidence that raises fit
Evidence that lowers fit
Notes
Material shrinkage or local drying
Timber, plaster or filler changes dimension and creates a local non-progressive separation.
Evidence that raises fit
Evidence that lowers fit
Notes
3. Decision points
Change one condition at a time.
Is there measurable offset, widening, or nearby door and floor change?
Yes: Escalate structural movement for qualified assessment.
No: Continue a fixed-point log before cosmetic repair.
Observed answer and evidence
Does the crack follow a known finish joint and remain stable across seasons?
Yes: Finish movement becomes more likely.
No: Keep material and structural alternatives open.
Observed answer and evidence
Safety boundary
Stop rather than create a better clue.
- Seek urgent assessment for rapid change, bulging, instability or loss of support.
- Do not conceal a changing crack before its movement has been documented.
5. Current conclusion
