![]() ![]() ![]() Push gently on the plaster on each side of a crack to test for movement. So unless we’ll be skimming the entire surface we prefer a dig-out and infill method.įor a sound repair to any crack, you must stop the plaster on each side from moving or shifting, and the substrate material (wood or rock lath) must be solid and secure with no bouncing. We sometimes use fiberglass tape for hairline cracks, but it requires multiple layers of patching material to cover and camouflage it. If you use a quick fix such as spackling, taping, and/or repainting, the crack is likely to come back. If you do it correctly, you’ll have long-lasting or even permanent results. Crack repair is a good place to start and will provide a foundation for other damage control, such as patching and skimming. One or more of these conditions affect most older buildings, so it’s a good idea for their caretakers to learn some basics of plaster repair. Cracking is further exacerbated by any structural disturbances or building repairs (foundation or sill work), leaving a building unheated during the winter, or deteriorating framing and timber (rotting sills, weak floors and joists, insufficient framing). Climate and temperature changes, buildings settling and moving over time, weight loads, chimney movement, and environmental stresses (heavy traffic, nearby trains, construction blasting) all contribute to plaster cracking. Make no mistake, though: Cracking can be serious and lead to further plaster damage if not taken care of.Ĭracks occur for a variety of reasons, many of which are simply the natural reactions of plaster compounds and building materials. It’s rare to see older plaster without any cracks, and there are those of us who find cracks part of plaster’s aesthetic character and charm. The crack is notched and ready to be vacuumed out. Because this plaster was becoming detached from the lath (delaminated), it has been marked for reattachment.
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