Plaster coming off and crack in wall

stilernin

I'm taking the wall paper off every roomin an 1880s terraced house and beginning to wonder why I ever started!!

In many areas the thin 'top coat' of plaster is crumbling away and more is loose. I've found the 'crumpled paper trick' in one place too!! The plan was to repaper everywhere with 1700 lining paper, but does this poor plaster sound like the plan should change?

Main problem though, is a large crack in the small front bedroom. It is on the common wall and it goes diagonally from the ceiling about 2' from the front wall, down to the front wall approx 4' from the floor. The top of the crack is very thin and by the time it gets to the bottom the missing plaster is about 5" wide and a gap in the bricks is exposed, 1'' in places but no bricks are broken. Looks like that top corner of the wall has 'slipped' a bit.

The window (on the front wall) is only about 8'' from the end of the crack and the strip of plaster between window and common wall, about 2'' high, has also come away back to the bricks. Here I've taken the vertical architrave(?) off to get a better look:eek:

So the big question is ..... how serious does this crack sound?

I'm beginning to think the paper and paint was holding this place up.

nelly_2

can you post a photo of it?

floyd

Photo would definately help. Sounds like a plastering job may be needed for the other issue though, exposed brick will need bonding coat applying to it then a skim over the whole lot. But, get the crack seen to first and foremost. Movement is common is nearly all houses (this causes the cracks) but it needs to be assessed to see if its stable or still shifting.

stilernin

Thanks for your replies and I will try to post a photo.......... but will have to check out the techie sites to work out how to do it............... being a lady of a certain age you understand......

stilernin

Pictures? Well here goes....... Just tried a post preview and lost the lot, so I will try again...........

Canucklehead

Hi

Now that's a crack:eek:

I think you said it was the party wall?

You might need to get together with your neighbour as it must be just as bad on their side.

Can you see the wall bowing on the outside of the house (look along the wall from a distance if you can) or any cracks outside?
This might need a structural engineer or a good builder to look at it.
Was your area bombed in the war?
Mine works in your area?
Good Luck

Corgi Guy.

robnye

that looks definately like you need a surveyor of sorts......... small crack nothing to worry about, largish crack like that could be anything, even if the cause had been dealt with a while ago, form the look of it, it is caused my movement of sorts -- hence previous poster's question re bomb damage.....

are you aware of any cracks appearing on the outside.

as suggested, check with neighbours.... they might have same problem...

something else springs to mind, do you have chimeny breast/fireplaces in your property?

nelly_2

jesus christ! is you house on the san adreas fault line?

betheebee

nelly wrote: »

jesus christ! is you house on the san adreas fault line?

Ohh Nelly, you have made me laugh !!! and boy did I need one, It looks more like a bloody cave not a crack, seriously I would definately get some structural advice. Wish you well stilernin

scatz

That is most definately a chasm, not as crack. Definate surveyors job. If I had a crack in the wall like that I'd be living in my car!!

nelly_2

Fill it full of Blue tac, put some sellotape over it, shove a cupboard there and flog it quick