Cracks on new skimmed walls

[macs323]

Hi

I've had the kitchen and back room skimmed. The kitchen was skimmed about 6 months ago and has been painted, the back room was done 2 months ago and not yet painted.

I've noticed cracks appearing on the walls. How can I rectify this - filler or lining paper.

I was thinking of filling the crack with filler and painting, would this be the best method?

Many thanks

 

[Richard C]

I know many professional decorators use lining paper but I hate the stuff & using it after you’ve paid for a re-skim sort of defeats the object. To advise you the best way forward needs a bit more info;

Is it the same wall or 2 different walls?
If the same wall, are their cracks on both sides in the same place?
How bad/wide are the cracks? Photos would be good.
Were there any cracks in the same place before the re-skim?
Did the plasterer attempt any repairs or tape over any existing cracks?
Is there a chimney breast in the walls or other high heat source close by?

 

[roughcaster]

Also,, are the walls plasterboard, brick/block, lath and plaster etc?

On the rest, i'm the same as Rich,,, i wouldn't go for using lining paper after getting walls skimmed.

Roughcaster.

 

[macs323]

Thanks for the reply

The main cracks are on the arch wall. This wall was replastered and then skimmed after a week. The cracks run across the wall, there were no cracks before skimming. Some of the cracks look deep, I'll take some photos tomorrow.

How can I post photos here?[/img]

 

[Kez10]

You can also get a crack filling paint from B&Q which fills in hairline cracks.

Not a long term solution, but does for the short term...done it myself and still fine 12 months later

 

[Richard C]

You can also get a crack filling paint from B&Q which fills in hairline cracks.

Ohhhhh pleeaase no, go & was your mouth out; that's almost as bad as sticking lining paper over it . They may do things like that over in Decorators but this is the Plastering Forum.

Was the arch alredy there macs3232 or have you just knocked it through? Really need more info, have you worked out how to past those photos yet

 

[macs323]

The arch was there before, just got it plastered and skimmed.

The horizonal one runs along the right hand side of the arch. The other two runs where the arch starts to curve.

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[roughcaster]

Give us a long shot pic of the whole arch Macs,,,, and is the arch made of plasterboard?

Roughcaster.

 

[Richard C]

Give us a long shot pic of the whole arch Macs,,,, and is the arch made of plasterboard?
Roughcaster.

Beat me to it

Were there any cracks in the same place before the re-skim?
Did the plasterer attempt any repairs or tape over any existing cracks?

Are the walls plasterboard, brick/block, lath and plaster etc?

You still haven’t answered these questions, they are important.

 

[dextrous]

Don't know about you boys, but I'm guessing that the original plaster has been skimmed but was beginning to blow anyway. Can't see that the cracks are straight enough for plasterboard.

 

[macs323]

Thanks for your help so far

There were no cracks before the re-skim so the plasterer didn't use anything to patch walls, just applied pva prior to skimming. The arch was already there. The walls were taken back to bare brick and then plastered, but the arch form was left intack, this was scored with a knife, pva and skimmed on top.

Hope I'e answered all the questions

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[Alastairreid]

i would be more bothered about the heat loss through the conny than the hairline cracks.

 

[roughcaster]

Thanks for the extra info Macs. We know the wall/s part is brick,, but what is the arch itself made of. Could it be made of plasterboard, and it has cracked where the plasterboard met the brick? If that's the case, it has probably not been taped and that's where the two vertical cracks come from. The horizontal crack could be from a fault in the brick/blockwork. I also think the shape of the arch itself, could have been formed much, much better, if the plasterer had used a flexible plastic radius bead, rather than snipping the beading he used, every foot or so, to try to form the shape. It cranks around like a fifty pence piece. Sorry,, but i'm just saying it as it is.

Roughcaster.

 

[NickB_99]

The arch was there before, just got it plastered and skimmed.

The other two runs where the arch starts to curve.

The middle pic shows the crack meeting right in the corner of the arch. From looking at the latest pic of the 'long distance shot', any stresses are definitely going to like those sharp corners.
I can't make it out from the pic, but I think you're saying there is a similar one on the other side too.

I'm not a builder, so not sure if those cracks would be typical of expected settlement following the wall cut/lintel fitting?

Did you have the building work done or was it done before you moved in?
I'm assuming building control signed off the structural work?

I would be with Alistair on the heat loss front.
In my last place we had a conservatory put on the side and a cut through from the lounge, going back about 8 yrs ago. The doors onto it were only single glazed. It was noticeably cooler in the lounge after that. I would imagine with none at all it will get cold (even with your rad in there) and be quite wasteful.

I would imagine the rules have been tightened up since with energy efficiency, so probably by now Building Control would want to see double glazed doors between the two to minimise heat loss, before signing any completion certificate.

 

[dextrous]

I also think the shape of the arch itself, could have been formed much, much better, if the plasterer had used a flexible plastic radius bead, rather than snipping the beading he used, every foot or so, to try to form the shape. It cranks around like a fifty pence piece. Sorry,, but i'm just saying it as it is.

Roughcaster.

Bit mean of you to comment on that, if you don't mind me saying.