Filling cracks in new plaster

JustAnotherSaver

I've previously been told i need some "flexibile filler" to fill some cracks.
And to open up the cracks a little more with a stanley knife or small screwdriver.

Either way, this would be the worst one..

What filler exactly should i be looking at?

Doozergirl

Have you knocked the wall around it to see if it sounds hollow?

Before you fill anything, just check the plaster hasn't blown. I know you were concerned about the quality before.

phil24_7

Look like straight lines. I wonder if the plasterboard was screwed on properly (over driven screws can cause problems, as can under driven ones!) or if the crack is around a blocked up doorway or something and this hasn't been done securely?

cyclonebri1

the guys are saying straight cracks are understandable, (so are star cracks) straights however, with zig zag lead offs are not.

So poor bonding/movement underneath/structural issues would be my worry.

(sorry for the guesswork on prior posters)

JustAnotherSaver

Sorry for lack of info there then. I was just throwing the thread up before heading to bed that night.

Yes it's a boarded up doorway.

Basically the doorway was boarded up a couple of years ago & all was A-ok (as far as boarding up the doorway went).

For anyone who may remember a bit of my posts, you may remember that the guys who did it, while ok enough at doing the doorway, were terrible when it came to damp proofing.

Story short, the plaster had to be knocked off to 1.5mtr & start again. The doorway was left as it was. I knocked the plaster off myself. At no point did i rip out any fibatape where the board met the woodwork.

Got some new guys in to do the damp proofing who plastered up the walls as you can see. They also obviously did the other side of the doorway (you're looking at the left) which is perfectly fine.

The plaster doesn't sound hollow at all.

Does this help?

Sorry again for not providing this info earlier.

Ruski

Are you saying that the plastering is directly onto the doorway frame ("where the board met the woodwork")

Russ

JustAnotherSaver

I can't say that, sorry. I wasn't watching them while they were doing it. <--- no sarcasm there, genuinely.

All i know is i chipped off the plaster & then when i came back it was tanked up & they went through the stages until it was plastered.

But from what you're saying i'm guessing you don't direct plaster on to wood & i'm then going to guess that it's likely that they did direct plaster on to wood.

Which then has me guessing that it'll be pointless filling it as it'll forever crack?

Leading me then on to it being a no-go as far as having painted walls goes & we'll have to go the wallpaper route which is what we were wanting to avoid (the plaster isn't getting knocked off unless absolutely necessary (i.e. the wall will fall down)).

JustAnotherSaver

After just chatting with my wife, i don't THINK that they will have plastered directly on to the stud framework.

This is because i'm 99.9% sure that when i was knocking the plaster off, i never actually exposed the framework, because i didn't want to end up knackering the plasterboard itself with the SDS drill. So i only went up to it & left a bit of 'overhang' if you will.

phil24_7

They should have used some metal lath or plasterboard over any of the frame or boarding.

JustAnotherSaver

What sort of filler should be used (as there's fine cracks elsewhere too that have nothing to do with this doorway)?

It's worth a shot since other areas could do with touching up, so i may as well give it a go & see how it works out. If it doesn't work then i'll just have the walls papered.

A link to suitable filler would be really appreciated. Thanks.

Mr.Generous

just use any cheap ready mixed filler - but damp down the wall with a spray first. Use a filling knife and work the filler in, it will be much easier than you think done damp. When its dry a very light sand to smooth any high spots. It may well have cracked if it dried out too quickly, or if it was uneven thickness. Deep filled plaster cracks badly. Once smooth pain over it. See this loads renovating houses, its nothing to worry about. If they tanked under it using a waterproof cement / plastering sand mix then movement is very unlikely, its hard as anything. If plaster always cracked over wood all the lathe and plaster ceilings we still come across would be cracked all over.