Crack at the side of staircase

[andyfeeny]

Hi all

Im hoping someone might be able to help me...

After decorating last year we have always had a hairline (deeper in some sections) crack at the side of our staircase. I have tried filling this with decorators caulk and it has reappeared and finally dug out all the loose plaster and refilled it all last Oct. Again the crack has appeared.

Does anyone know of anything that is flexible enough to fill, be painted and then not crach again? We have had the stairs checked and they are as rigid as could be expected apparently.

Thanks for any suggestions...

 

[misterhelpful]

This is a very common problem in both old and new properties. The most common reason, if NOT movement in the staircase, is down to the wood expanding and contracting due to temperature and moisture levels inside the house. There is not much that can be done about these factors so you will probably find yourself having to caulk the crack fairly regularly. The problem shouldn't occur to such an extent if your staircase is made from MDF though, as it is a more stable material. A trick that is often successfully used, is to cover the crack with a narrow quadrant beading and paint it to match. Unfortunately, this is not always a viable option due to variations in stringer shapes and mouldings. If you do have to refill, always use a good quality caulk/paintable frame sealant such as Ceresit FT101. Hope this helps.