Repairing Plaster Ceiling Cracks

House settling and temperature or moisture fluctuations in an attic which result in the expansion or contraction of framing members.

Repairing plaster ceiling cracks.

A ceiling crack is not an uncommon sight in older homes. Old houses have wonderful plaster ceilings and walls but foundations shift over time and this leads to large cracks in the plaster. Expert advice and detailed instructions on repairing the most common plaster wall and ceiling problems including cracks holes and sagging. Use trowel to spread joint compound onto ceiling covering the repaired area.

To repair small cracks in plaster you ll need patching compound medium and fine grit sandpaper a sanding block a putty knife a masonry chisel a paintbrush a rag and a screwdriver. For more about how plaster walls are built see plaster wall construction over time these. Plaster ceiling repairs are probably a fact of life if you have an older house. Plaster applied to wood lath is held in place by the keys that form when it squishes through the lath.

In this video this old house general contractor tom silva explains how to repair a plaster ceiling. The cause of your ceiling crack depends on various factors such as the ceiling material and the home s age. Screw plaster washers to ceiling along and around cracked area. Be sure to drive screws into wood lath above.

Subscribe to this old house. If there s an issue with the trusses that could create a crack between the ceiling and the interior wall. Following the crack create a v notch by removing the plaster along both sides of the crack cutting at an angle until you see the substrate. No matter what the cause you can repair the plaster cracks by using drywall tape and joint compound.

You want to open up the v notch so that it is approximately 1 4 to 1 2 wide at the opening and as narrow as possible next to the substrate material. If it s a small hairline crack you won t have to worry about this but larger deeper cracks will have debris in them. Typically plaster ceiling cracks have two causes. Step 1 remove any loose plaster that s embedded in the crack.

If the plaster ceiling feels firmly attached to the lath then you can do the same repair as for the small cracks above. If the crack is discolored you could have moisture problems. Ask this old house general contractor tom silva helps a homeowner repair a cracked plaster ceiling in an older home. For finishing you ll need primer and paint.

Repairing these cracks can be a problem.