Patching Plaster Ceiling Cracks

Apply mesh tape over the crack.

Patching plaster ceiling cracks.

Drive screws into both sides of the stud the nail is in. For larger cracks you may need two coats of spackle because of its tendency to shrink as it dries in large gaps so double check before priming and painting. Following the crack create a v notch by removing the plaster along both sides of the crack cutting at an angle until you see the substrate. Ask this old house general contractor tom silva helps a homeowner repair a cracked plaster ceiling in an older home.

For finishing you ll need primer and paint. Use trowel to spread joint compound onto ceiling covering the repaired area. To repair small cracks in plaster you ll need patching compound medium and fine grit sandpaper a sanding block a putty knife a masonry chisel a paintbrush a rag and a screwdriver. Follow these easy tips along with the video to make quick work of repairing your ceiling from cracks nail pops or large holes.

Spread joint compound over the tape and smooth it out. No matter what the cause you can repair the plaster cracks by using drywall tape and joint compound. The plaster keys holding it to the underlying lath can also crack and break over time causing the plaster to partially separate from the wall. If the crack is discolored you could have moisture problems.

Typically plaster ceiling cracks have two causes. Screw plaster washers to ceiling along and around cracked area. If there s an issue with the trusses that could create a crack between the ceiling and the interior wall. Sand away any loose paint and drywall.

In this video this old house general contractor tom silva explains how to repair a plaster ceiling. Subscribe to this old house. Plaster repair is much. Plaster applied to wood lath is held in place by the keys that form when it squishes through the lath.

Expert advice and detailed instructions on repairing the most common plaster wall and ceiling problems including cracks holes and sagging. Repairing small cracks in plaster is easy compared to plastering a whole room. House settling and temperature or moisture fluctuations in an attic which result in the expansion or contraction of framing members. You want to open up the v notch so that it is approximately 1 4 to 1 2 wide at the opening and as narrow as possible next to the substrate material.