Hairline cracks in interior walls

Chloe_Hudson

Hi,
My partner and I bought our first home back in October last year. It's a 1950's semi detached. We have decorated the property and have carried out some extensive work by installing a drive, knocking down the existing porch and building a new one, as well as new windows and doors. Over the past couple of months or so, I have noticed hairline cracks appearing. We have one along the skirting boards on the stairs but I think that's because of the traffic compared to when the previous old man lived here with a stairlift.
I have filled in some cracks and they aren't thick at all and they haven't come back. I just keep noticing what seems like more and more and I'm driving myself bonkers. Is this expected with older homes and has our renovation caused it?
The cracks are making around door and window frames and one in the hallway near the new porch. Could the plaster have blown because when I knock it, it sounds hollow. It's driving me crazy!

Thanks

Grenage

If it sounds hollow, it's blown; not to say that you necessarily need to rip it out.

Hairline cracks are common, you just need to rake them out and fill them in. The more work you have done on the house, they more likely they are to appear.

I would just deal with them as they appear. I say this as someone who moved into a new house in August - and the main decoration is hairline cracks.

EssexExile

We have a 1950 house & yes a lot of the plaster has blown. You get used to it, wallpaper covers a multitude of sins! It's that or strip it all back to brick & start again. Although new plaster is not immune from blowing too.

Chloe_Hudson

Aw brilliant, that reassures me no end. Thank you. I will try my hardest to stop panicking and eventually we will cover or sort it 😄 I'll just be armed with my filler 😉

Chloe_Hudson

Ah thank you so much, that puts my mind at rest. They are just so unsightly but I guess it happens. We will sort it eventually but I don't see any urgency 😊 Thanks for your help!

27cool

All the time the cracks are just hairline, you don't have anything to worry about.

Jimmy_Neutron

Use decorators caulk for the cracks and paint over. I did this and you would not be able to see the crack...not that they were bad in the first place

phil24_7

EssexExile wrote: »

Although new plaster is not immune from blowing too.

This is true. I have a few places blown in my cellar that was done a year and a half ago. It isn't an issue unless they start lifting...or you start hitting the affected area!