How To Fix a Crack In a Wall

By Jannie Barwise

Plaster does crack, that means plaster repair advice please! And when plaster does crack, it usually happens around the ceiling area. The reason is quite simple: change in temperature. It's from going from humidity in the summer to a dry shrinking winter.

Cracks in walls are such a common thing and people usually freak out about them. Relax your home wont collapse. It's perfectly normal to patch up your walls every few years or so. The good news about re-patching cracks periodically is that it's more sound- absorbing. So hey, noisy neighbours? A crack in your wall is what you want.

To fix a crack in the wall is really simple. First of all you need to open up the crack or cracks so that the new plaster can do a proper job, completely fill the area. A grout remover tool is just the tool you need for that.

Then you need to make some filling. 2/3 plaster of paris mix with 1/3 joint compound. The reason why you would use plaster of paris mix together with joint compound and not just joint compound on its own is because plaster of paris expands as it sets where as joint compound shrinks when it dries which causes tension in the joint.

So I'm sure you can figure it out for yourself: The crack is more likely to open up again when you use joint compound on its own. You can on the other hand use plaster of paris mix on its own but you'll have to move very quickly as you'll only have a few minutes to get the job done before it sets.

To mix joint compound with plaster of paris, it's easiest to first mix the water for the plaster of paris with the joint compound. Then over about a minute, while mixing like mad, add the plaster of paris powder to the mix. Then wait a minute or two, until it is solid enough to work with.
Now plaster quickly. After plastering wash out the bucket before the plaster in there sets so that the bucket can be reused the same day. If the plaster sets in the bucket, wait until it turns white then hammer the bucket to knock it out in big chunks. Don't just add water, it's not going to make any difference.

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