Our house is old and has plaster walls with cracks everywhere. We're going to repair and repaint, but don't want them to recrack. A friend said you can not avoid this as it is due to the cold air outside during the winter???
2006-08-10 06:40:59 · 12 answers · asked by cass 3 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
One of your answerers was spot on with maintaining constant humidity. Your friend is partially right; the winter will affect your plaster, but due to the lower relative humidity more than the change in temperature. Even so, in spite of your best efforts, you probably will experience cracks in the future. Since you are going to repair and paint anyhow, your choice of materials is the key:
Use polyurethane caulk to cover the existing cracks. I like O.S.I. Pro-Series white polyurethane caulk, $4.50 tube @ Lowe's or Home Depot. If the crack is large, you may need to reinforce with fiberglass mesh tape. The polyurethane will move with the wall and help prevent future cracking. If you smooth it down with your finger, it will become shiny and show right through the paint. Make sure your final coat of caulk is pressed in with a tiny roller that will give it a bit of a textured finish. Don't forget the corners- They love to crack.
Elastomeric is typically an exterior paint, but it has the feature you need for this interior application. Elastic and thick, it will allow for minor cracking without transferring the defects to the surface. Elastomeric is not a brand name, it is a type of paint so-called because of the high percentage of dissolved acrylic solids in the formula.
I hope this information helps. Good luck and God bless you!
2006-08-10 07:17:32 · answer #1 · answered by Elwood Blues 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Plaster Walls Cracking
2017-01-01 12:22:11 · answer #2 · answered by furlong 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There's no way to prevent interior plaster walls from cracking. It's pretty much a function of the construction of any wood frame buildiing that sets on a foundation on a cement footing. If you live in a section of the country that has seasons, hot in summer, cold in winter, then the ground below heaves and thaws and repeats that process several times throughout the year. Each time that happens the building moves up and down with the ground, and it doesn't take much to make plaster crack. You can minimize the problem by installing extra jack posts under severely cracked walls, and in some cases, may even by able to make some of the cracks close some, or completely disappear by raising the jacking end of the posts a little each week for several weeks. The only real way to eliminate the problem cosmetically is to install paneling over the plaster. There are about as many designs of paneling as your imagination can muster. But that will completely cover the cracking problem and depending on which paneling you might select, some can be wall papered over and painted. Good luck.
2006-08-10 07:13:47 · answer #3 · answered by Corky R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Cracks In Plaster Walls
2016-11-07 10:57:59 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You must be sure to crawl under the house and resupport it. The house has settled over the years. We had to reblock and support the underneath of ours to prevent the lath and plaster from cracking more. We found that our house was 3" out of plumb! No wonder we had cracks!
As far as the cold weather outside, that doesn't make sense to me as you keep it warm inside so that should not effect the plaster..... just my thoughts
2006-08-10 06:47:48 · answer #5 · answered by Deana G 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
well its not really do to winter cold air.
check your outside walls you should find small cracks around the base and window areas. your house is moving/sinking a little at a time each year so it causes your house to change shape a bit and it cracks the walls inside. if its not happening alot then you don't need to worry but if its big cracks on outside you might need to get someone to help redo the foundations.
If its not too bad I would suggest using wall paper that way if it cracks again it won't show over the wall papers.
2006-08-10 06:52:52 · answer #6 · answered by Jeff L 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
is true. since your house is old, your house "settles" every now and then causing shifts in weight from the different walls in your house. this in conjunction with cold air, moisture and humidity will inevitably crack the plaster. there is no way to prevent it, it's just one of those things that home owners have to get used to.
2006-08-10 06:47:01 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
usually age is the killer. the fix is to remove the old plaster and have it drywalled. this is the time to check for insulation. If there isn't any, you will recoup the cost of the whole job by adding insulation and new drywall. Your utility bills will be much smaller.
The old stuff is attached to lath strips that run left to right and have a gap between them. it all has to come out to the studs. do you think you can do it yourself? go to Home Depot and ask if they have a free class on drywalling to get an idea what to do.
2006-08-10 06:50:12 · answer #8 · answered by zocko 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Plaster cracks when subjected to heat and humidity change. If you maintain a relatively constant temperature and humidity, it wont crack. Think of a humidifier in the winter, dehumidifier in the summer, and AC.
2006-08-10 06:47:08 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Knock it all off and sand blast the bare brick have bare brick walls, the plaster won't be there to crack then.
2006-08-10 06:48:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋