hairline cracks in new plasterwork

charfield_2

please help- I am slowly going mad! I just had a new extension done and hairlines cracks have started appearing on a lot of the plasterboard joins. The plasterboard is 9mm. The plasterer claims there is nothing he can do. The walls are block work and the ceiling is timber- it was said that perhaps there was not enough screws fixing the board to the timber frame, but nobody seems to be doing anything about it. any views from plasterers out there?
We have a builder who has subcontracted this plastering work- my view is I don't care who's fault it is- it needs sorting. I've paid nearly £30,000 for this extension. It's not unreasonable to expect uncracked pasterwork is it? I mean, the odd crack is ok I guess- what with settling and drying out, but these cracks keep appearing in straight lines along joins.
The plasterer has suggested I fill the cracks (I have checked and the joins have been taped). What could be the cause- and who's responsible (I just know it's not me!)
I am so fed up with this- we can't even decorate until this matter is resolved and the build is already 3 months overdue. So much for the kitchen being done in time for Christmas....

thanks for reading.....

warpedchippie

If the cracks are occuring where the boards meet then maybe the jointers/plasterers didn't fit any scrim/jointing tape along the joints before plastering/jointing.

If this is the case, then it needs to be re-done.

Steve

themacster

The builder is liable as he is the one you have your contract with. The fact he subcontracted the plastering is his problem. You have no right of direct action against the plasterer, you have to get your builder to sort it.

charfield_2

that's the weird thing- there is evidence of jointing tape. Another plasterer said he couldn't understand it, but that I could fill it and 'see what happens'. I have to say I don't like this idea- they could simply reappear and more besides.

thanks for your replies- much appreciated.

iamcornholio

Joint tape - especially the self adhesive fibreglass mesh type can crack if the scim coat is too thin or the tape is a bad batch or cheap version.

Also, rapid drying soon after plastering can cause these cracks

It's no good trying to fill them - they will reappear. The joint needs to be re-made with more tape, and as this will show, the whole wall will probably need to be re-scimmed

You need to take this up with the builder. Did you keep a retention in the final payment for eventualities such as this?

kmmr

I am getting something similar, although on a very small scale. I had thought it was just kind of 'settling'. Basically at some of the corners, there is some cracking in the paintwork. I was just going to paint over... how can I tell if its a real problem?