Cracks in plaster

[philipb82]

Hello, i've noticed quite a few horizontal and a couple of vertical cracks in a bedroom. The plaster is old, the house is 1950s so i would think that the plaster has been there for quite a few years. The cracks are on both internal and external walls. The area doesn't sound hollow though which i would have thought suggested it was blowing? The area sounds solid. There are no cracks in the external brickwork. We are wanting the room skimmed eventually but i want to know what could be causing these cracks. I have posted these pics:

Phil

 

[jrplastering]

have they always been there or are they a new development, could be a number of things mabey movement?? tell me more (intreaged)

 

[philipb82]

I didn't notice them when i painted the room about 3 years ago. I would therefore say they are new cracks. Hope our house isn't falling down! I don't know if it has anything to do with having french doors fitted in the kitchen below. We had a small window knocked out and doors fitted. It was a good job tbh and obviously they put in a new lintel. Phil

 

[joe-90]

All old houses crack. Never seen an oldie that hasn't. It's NORMAL.

 

[jrplastering]

proberly minor movement from when they did the work below itll be fine mate itll just be the house settling onto the new lintel after a large chuck of it was removed

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

What is the reason for having the rooms reskimmed? Small cracks are pits etc are easily filled.

I'm having a few walls skimmed, but only because the holes in the plaster at about 1m across which is probably beyond my patching skills with Easi-fill. Unless I can find a trowel that big. ( A colleague has a giant trowel, not that big though.)

 

[jrplastering]

all round better finish, plus hes giveing a tradesman a job to do keeps everyone happy

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

all round better finish, plus hes giveing a tradesman a job to do keeps everyone happy

Hee hee, well if it employs an honest worker and helps the economy, who am I to argue?

By the way, if you skim a wall, would you remove the coving or leave it in place? I'm curious as to what is usual.

 

[philipb82]

I'm having the room skimmed because the walls are quite rough, bumps etc. I intend to re-decorate so i want some smoother walls, it'll look nicer! Also its good that we know a decent plasterer. He had to re-do our front room that 2 previous plasters made a mess of. He did a good crack free job! Phil

 

[WalksWithTurkeys]

I'm having the room skimmed because the walls are quite rough, bumps etc. I intend to re-decorate so i want some smoother walls, it'll look nicer! Also its good that we know a decent plasterer. He had to re-do our front room that 2 previous plasters made a mess of. He did a good crack free job! Phil

That sounds good. My house has a couple of reskimmed walls, done before I bought it, and the plasterer did a so so job. No doubt like all trades, standards can vary.

 

[Richard C]

If the cracks are only in the skim, reinforcing tape is usually enough to stop it showing through a re-skim. If, however, the base render/plaster or even the block work below is cracked, far more remedial work will be required or the cracks will reappear almost immediately; you should remove the plaster on each crack to see to see how far it goes.

How was the window “opened up” for the new French doors below? The vibration from an SDS breaker or crashing around with hammers can do an awful lot of damage to the plaster in any house cracking the mortar between the brick courses & in some cases even the block/brickwork.

 

[jrplastering]

with regards to the coveing mate its swings and roundabouts, you can skim up to the cove or take it down but then you have to buy new coveing and have it fitted and painted, all extra expenses that are not needed is the exsisting coveing is in good nick

 

[Richard C]

Coving is only marginally more fashionable than Artex these days & Artex is about as fashionable as farting at your mother in laws dinner party; rip it down & go for the square ceiling look.

 

[jrplastering]

im almost finished a 4 bed reskim round my way all the angles and corners are absolutaly spot on ron, what did they start doin today...........only flipping coveing it all haha gits

 

[Richard C]

im almost finished a 4 bed reskim round my way all the angles and corners are absolutaly spot on ron, what did they start doin today...........only flipping coveing it all haha gits

Shame, no style