Cracked Walls and Lining Paper

[JohnE]

My 3 bed semi's walls have quite a few cracks (half to one millimetre from ceiling to floor). A year ago I redecorated, cut back the cracks, refilled with normal polyfilla, then lining paper and 2 coats of paint. A year on and the cracks have started to reappear, splitting the lining paper. I am about to redecorate two more "cracked" bedrooms. My questions are:

1. Should I cut/dig out the cracks even more and fill with flexible pollyfilla or is there a better way, or a better method of filling.

2. Is there any method I can use to somehow repair the split wallpaper ie gently rub over with sandpaper then repaint or am I going have to repaper again (I think I already know the answer to this one)!

 

[crj]

Not really a solution but might be a good idea to find out the cause of the cracking before you redecorate, otherwise you could end up with your new rooms ruined in another years time. I can't see that any other kind of filler (flexible or otherwise) is going to help the situation as if the paper is tearing that will be the pieces of wall moving apart rather than anything to do with the actual gap.

As for the paper that is already torn, you could try refilling and then using a primer to give an even base for the new emulsion. Although this could be a waste of time if the walls are going to continue moving.