larger cracks in 1960's house

[faster1]

Hi,
I've just got my second decorating job - 4 bed rental property. I'm doing it cheap, as I'm not a timeserved dec, or decades experience. My main worry is the cracks - it is a sixties house, 64 I beleive - the type with horizontal wooden tongue and groove cladding.
1 the construction is probably breeze block and brick skin, is it likely to be just ordinary plaster on the walls?
2 Most of the cracks are vertical and from skirting to ceiling. I don't mind the ones in the corners, as I have had some success in the past by knocking away at the loose plaster to give say a 1/2" to 3/4" gap in the corner and filling with expanding foam, then caulk over the top. I was quite happy with that approach in room corners - surely the expanding foam with caulk over will not crack?. Anyway what I want is some tips for dealing with full room height cracks in possibly original 1960's plaster. These cracks are upto about 4mm wide, mostly about 1 or 2 mm ( all showing as ugly black jagged lines going up the emulsion walls). Obviously there is some movement in the foundations over decades to cause them in the first place.
I'm looking for detailed procedures if you have time and product recs.
Can u chisel out full room height cracks to make them say 1/2" wide and just skim with something. I have had a go at plaster skimming in my own bathroom and could do a bit at this job, although when dealing with cracks, not really sure if cracks would just appear through the say 2mm plaster skim later. I don't really want to knock the whole lot off and replaster as I'm on a quote and trying to make a quick buck. I told the owner I couldn't guarantee anything with the cracks, as I didn't really have the experience - her reply was something like 'I wouldn't worry about it too much, as long as it looks better than it does' even so I'd like to do the best job I can. Sorry for lengthly post and lack of photo's, may photograph tomorrow to aid suggestions, or is problem clear enough.
thanks

 

[joe-90]

How much are you charging and how long will it take you?

 

[faster1]

How much are you charging and how long will it take you?

1500 interior + 200 exterior,
exterior is just some soffit and maybe 20m2 white masonry plus wash mould off upvc, interior complete redec. I don't know how long it will take, been given untill end oct, although I can't work 2 full months on it as I do gardening work too. I reckoned about 3 full weeks of 50 to 60 hours would be enough if I was only doing that, but I will be nipping off to do gardens and maybe to sleep too before now and end oct

 

[joe-90]

You'll find plasterboard adhesive the quickest and cheapest fix for cracks.

 

[Richard C]

With cracks that size, you need to check how far back they go; they will generally be through the base & often the blocks will be cracked as well. No amount of filler or caulk of whatever type will prmanently fix these, they will always reappear. For a permanent cure, far more radical remedial work is required which involves stripping back plaster at least 150mm either side of the crack, steel lath reinforcement, re-rendering & finally re-plastering. Ive posted detail about how to tackle such repairs several times in the past so a search should bring these up & there are also a few pics in my profile. I do these sort of repairs all the time & I’ts hardly a redecorating job, a lot of work is involved to do a proper repair with appropriate cost & even then there are no guarantees it wont crack again but, do it properly & the success rate is high; just shove filler/caulk in there & it wont last.

In order to avoid a seriously ****ed off customer in a few months time, you should be aware & maybe expain to them but, your call.

 

[roughcaster]

You'll need to be very careful when chiseling into breeze block,, they're soft and you can make things a lot worse if you're heavy handed. Another way of tying the crack/s together is to stich them across the way with bars. These are inserted into the horizontal joints in the blockwork. It's a similar method to what Richard suggested with the steel lath. Cosmetic surface treatment of major cracks for decoration purposes will never work.

 

[faster1]

In order to avoid a seriously p****d off customer in a few months time, you should be aware & maybe expain to them but, your call.

small claims court and all that! well hopefully not, as I mentioned, I already said to the customer I can't guarantee the cracks won't come back, and I know she's not going to be into another grand or two to get it near perfect, just wants it rentable. Thanks for that about the render. I didn't know how much gets knocked off in a repair like that. I don't mind putting in few extra hours to do something that is likely to last, but not sure I'm ready to stand there whacking away at a cold chisel until I reach the breeze blocks, sounds drastic.
I thought about the glass fiber tape used for cracks in a skimmed plaster board surface, but now you suggest steel reinforcing lathes, the idea of a bit of tape seems a bit silly. I will look for your posts on repairs involving render. How long would say just one full room height crack take you if you do the whole steel and render repair?

 

[joe-90]

Come on guys the owner wants a quick fix freshen up. The cracks returning are nothing at all to do with the painter. He's paid to patch and paint - nothing else. If the house falls down that's not his problem. Stitch bars etc would at least triple the price. Just wet the crack ( ) and fill with plasterboard adhesive. It'll last for years. If it doesn't so what? It is a cheap job. That's what the owner asked for.

 

[faster1]

Come on guys the owner wants a quick fix freshen up. The cracks returning are nothing at all to do with the painter. He's paid to patch and paint - nothing else. If the house falls down that's not his problem. Stitch bars etc would at least triple the price. Just wet the crack ( ) and fill with plasterboard adhesive. It'll last for years. If it doesn't so what? It is a cheap job. That's what the owner asked for.

Ah nice, I was getting a bit stressed over this. Bag of plasterboard adhesive it is. Probably go on to make a care free fortune now thanks 2 u - line of blow off the hookers arse and all that

 

[Richard C]

No need to get stressed, just telling you the way it is & what’s involved with a proper repair. If the customer wan’ts a quick fix then fine as long as they know exactly what they will be getting, which was my point; always good to have both sides of the story.

 

[faster1]

No need to get stressed, just telling you the way it is & what’s involved with a proper repair. If the customer wan’ts a quick fix then fine as long as they know exactly what they will be getting, which was my point; always good to have both sides of the story.

Much appreciated. If the job progresses well I may have a go at chipping right back on one or two cracks and re rendering with the steel in, just to get a feel for what is involved. Would be nice to get good enough that I could do a major crack repair like that in just a few hours. I appreciate it means letting render and plasters dry out in between, but I always dream of diversifying into a multitrade polymath. May even do a joiners mitre on a kitchen worktop one day!

 

[Nige F]

have both sides of the story.

but I always dream of diversifying into a multitrade polymath. May even do a joiners mitre on a kitchen worktop one day!

Flippin `eck I must be a polymath and not know it Trained Plumber - and semi pro dec. because I was working with my old Dad who was a dec , and so was his Dad before him. Best to remember the old building adage - If you can **** you can paint -

 

[joe-90]

Yeah but can you p**s without dribbling?