Sorting out hairline cracks from settling plaster

Hi folks,

Have a 4 year old extension on the house. It's got its fair share of hairline cracks, in the walls and ceilings, where the new plaster went on. All the cracks that are visible line up with where plasterboard sheets would have met. So I'm aware they're expected, and I'm not worried they're a sign of something wrong that I'm overlooking.


Just wondering what the easiest way to deal with them is? I was half-tempted to paint them, and just beat the paint onto the brush and lump it on, to 'fill' the cracks that way. Apparently it can work well, but I'm not sure if I'm just gonna be looking at the cracks again in a few weeks if i do that.

I've read that you can caulk them as a quick way out. Google tells me i should make them worse, and then fill them properly with actual jointing tape and plaster mix, but that seems overkill.


Anyone any ideas?

Cheers.

darragh o meara

KKV wrote: »

Hi folks,

Have a 4 year old extension on the house. It's got its fair share of hairline cracks, in the walls and ceilings, where the new plaster went on. All the cracks that are visible line up with where plasterboard sheets would have met. So I'm aware they're expected, and I'm not worried they're a sign of something wrong that I'm overlooking.


Just wondering what the easiest way to deal with them is? I was half-tempted to paint them, and just beat the paint onto the brush and lump it on, to 'fill' the cracks that way. Apparently it can work well, but I'm not sure if I'm just gonna be looking at the cracks again in a few weeks if i do that.

I've read that you can caulk them as a quick way out. Google tells me i should make them worse, and then fill them properly with actual jointing tape and plaster mix, but that seems overkill.


Anyone any ideas?

Cheers.

Have tried a few methods like you have above and none last too long. Your last suggestion would according to people I’ve asked in the trade is the best solution without taking it down and starting again. I have a few to do myself and not looking forward to it. If times were different I’d gladly pay someone who knows what they’re doing to come in and do it.

BorneTobyWilde

White silicone and a wet cloth to wipe it smooth. It's a flexible crack then, won't reappear.

Probably not the '' pro'' thing. But works

Lumen

What colour are the walls painted?

listermint

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

White silicone and a wet cloth to wipe it smooth. It's a flexible crack then, won't reappear.

Probably not the '' pro'' thing. But works

Youd see the silicone when it's painted over with water based emulsion. Which is generally a what is used on walls and ceilings.

Johnthemanager

KKV wrote: »

Hi folks,

Have a 4 year old extension on the house. It's got its fair share of hairline cracks, in the walls and ceilings, where the new plaster went on. All the cracks that are visible line up with where plasterboard sheets would have met. So I'm aware they're expected, and I'm not worried they're a sign of something wrong that I'm overlooking.


Just wondering what the easiest way to deal with them is? I was half-tempted to paint them, and just beat the paint onto the brush and lump it on, to 'fill' the cracks that way. Apparently it can work well, but I'm not sure if I'm just gonna be looking at the cracks again in a few weeks if i do that.

I've read that you can caulk them as a quick way out. Google tells me i should make them worse, and then fill them properly with actual jointing tape and plaster mix, but that seems overkill.


Anyone any ideas?

Cheers.

If you want the job to last, and not have to do it every few years, scrape out the cracks, then run some plasterers jointing mesh along the length of the cracks and fill with patching compound. Use a filling knife at least an inch wider each side of the patching tape, and try and fill it in long continuous runs.

Don't go too heavy with the filler, remember you'll be sanding it off again. You might have to fill it once and let it dry, sand it back and then flush fill it all lightly again.

It's a bit of extra effort now, but it'll mean you won't have cracks appearing again in 3 months time.

Oh, and do not use silicone, you can't paint over silicone with emulsion, and plus you'll never get it right even using caulk. You'll always see the lines.

Quandary

listermint wrote: »

Youd see the silicone when it's painted over with water based emulsion. Which is generally a what is used on walls and ceilings.

You could also paint over the silicone with a slightly thinned oil based paint or primer first and then a couple of coats of paint on top should do the trick.

Juwwi

I wouldn't use silicone that's a recipe for a disaster .


A middle of the road repair is just put polyfilla over the cracks using a filling knife ,don't put too much as you have to then sand it smooth before painting it .

You will probably have to refill every time you decorate the room but it's an easier fix than scraping them all out and using a mesh tape on the joints .

Lumen

Juwwi wrote: »

A middle of the road repair is just put polyfillar over the cracks using a filling knife ,don't put too much as you have to then sand it smooth before painting it.

I recently switched from Polyfilla to Toupret TX110 after doing some research and got great results.

If using with certain dark pigments (e.g reds) you might need to seal using an oil based undercoat to avoid lighter streaks, apparently it's something to do with alkali in the filler.

Juwwi

Lumen wrote: »

I recently switched from Polyfilla to Toupret TX110 after doing some research and got great results.

If using with certain dark pigments (e.g reds) you might need to seal using an oil based undercoat to avoid lighter streaks, apparently it's something to do with alkali in the filler.

Yes l agree that Toupret is very good , probably the best filler out there .

Colour trend sell a quick drying caulk that's also very good ,, it can be painted over within 30 mins but more importantly tho it doesn't crack when it dries out like other caulks can do if not left to dry properly.

Johnthemanager

Lumen wrote: »

I recently switched from Polyfilla to Toupret TX110 after doing some research and got great results.

If using with certain dark pigments (e.g reds) you might need to seal using an oil based undercoat to avoid lighter streaks, apparently it's something to do with alkali in the filler.

Would usually just touch up the filler with emulsion before rolling walls or ceilings.

BorneTobyWilde

listermint wrote: »

Youd see the silicone when it's painted over with water based emulsion. Which is generally a what is used on walls and ceilings.

Not if you are painting the ceiling white.


You really want a chair and a magnifying glass to see any difference

Johnthemanager

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Not if you are painting the ceiling white.


You really want a chair and a magnifying glass to see any difference

Ceiling paint won't go over silicone, it will ciss. Also you'll never smooth it enough to be able to able to blend it in.

Juwwi

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Not if you are painting the ceiling white.


You really want a chair and a magnifying glass to see any difference

Unless your getting caulk and silicone mixed up but silicone indoors on cracks isn't the right way to go .

Water based paint doesn't stick to silicone it reacts and shrivels up .

listermint

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Not if you are painting the ceiling white.


You really want a chair and a magnifying glass to see any difference

I suggest you rub some on your ceiling and paint it . Come report back