I'm just 'redoing' the attic bedroom. The back wall used to have a fireplace in it but was blocked off many years before I moved
in.
Now as you can see, the house has moved over the last 100 years, I'm not to bothered about that but my question is; What is the best way of
covering these cracks (assuming the wall may move a little over the years)?
A. Use the tape the goes over the gaps between the plasterboard, the mesh type tape, then skim over the whole wall.
2. Plasterboard the whole wall over the top and skim.
iii. Dig out the crack and fill, then skim the whole wall.
or %) Tell me your ideas.
Thanks, Lee.
Assuming.that.the.underlying.plaster.is.sound.and.not.blown.I.would.simply.use.some.polyfiller.sand.smoooth.and.paint
my.space.key.is.broken.hence.dots
Depends on the sort of finish you are after. To do it properly I would remove back to brick and plasterboard and skim. If not too concerned tape and skim wall.
Dig out the crack to see what's actually going on in there, then take it from there.
The most accomodating solution will be to strap the wall and line with plasterboard followed by your choice of skim coat or tape and fill.
I would want to know for sure what's going on before covering it again though.
fill and sand down.
quote:
Originally posted by Danozeman
fill and sand down.
quote:
Originally posted by tegwin
Assuming.that.the.underlying.plaster.is.sound.and.not.blown.I.would.simply.use.some.polyfiller.sand.smoooth.and.paint
my.space.key.is.broken.hence.dots
sorry, my 'f' is broken
Right then, I'll go with tape and a skim then, I'll let you know if it goes tits up 
I'm sure there was a plaster that was a little rubbery so the house could move a little and it wouldn't re-crack.
Also one of my friends spent six.months.texting.like.that.cos.her.0.key.was.broken. No idea how she dialled numbers!
as a plasterer i would open the cracks up a little and then fill them with bonding. then paint the wall with thistle bond-it before skimming.
i would never skim directly over an old wall like that. seen it blow of to many times but thistle bond-it painted on works very well.
Cracks don't look too bad. A rule of thumb I used to go by was if you can't get your fingers through the crack it's superficial. If you
can - worry.
Go with the raking out and bonding prior to a skim. There are proprietary crack stitching kits available based on stainless ties and epoxy filler
which are used when the underlying subsidence is stabilized but those cracks appear to be only cosmetic and not worth loosing sleep over
Whilst the cracks may very well be superficial, they are certainly wider at the top than at the bottom. I wou;dn't be prepared to comment further
without much more evidence, but this is often symptomatic of an underlying defect.
As I said previously, it's absolutely worth your while checking the condition of the substrate to assess the condition whilst you're down at
this level.
One last thing.
Do you live in an area susepctible to shrinkable clay soil ?
Cheers
JF
Building Surveyor.
I know you are right John, but myself id just go for the cheap approach of poyfiller/easifill and stretchy paint. If it reappears, you've lost nothing except a few hours, and if it doesnt, you've saved a day or a plasterer.
quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
I know you are right John, but myself id just go for the cheap approach of poyfiller/easifill and stretchy paint. If it reappears, you've lost nothing except a few hours, and if it doesnt, you've saved a day or a plasterer.
