Roughcaster, Can you help?!

[Kempydiy17]

Hey Rouhcaster,

It appears to me that you may be the person to help me out!

Over the past couple of years, I've pretty much had my whole house re-plastered. This has involved two unassociated "professionals" on seperate occasions and myself. (due to costs and time I've had to do alot of the work!)

I think I have the same problem as Rocky62, Chicken wire cracking, or as you call it, spider web cracking. It was first noticed in the dining room, which is the only room that was dot-and-dabbed, and we initially thought the boards hadn't been scrimmed over the joints. But now I've noticed that these hairline cracks are appearing everywhere!!

From what I remember, there weren't any cracks in the old plaster at all, so I guess that counts out pre existin cracks opening up again? The plaster doesn't seem hollow at all, apart from the odd small patch here and there!

Is there any reason why I can't just painstakingly fill these cracks and redecorate, or has it got to be removed end re-skimmed? If removal and skimming is necessary, how would it be best to prep the walls to ensure this problem is not repeated?

Thanks in advance!

 

[littleleaks]

Strange for that to happen on new work, it can happen if you skim over old work and not unibond it, but for it to happen on new plasterboard is a new one for me. I would unibond and go over it with easy fill then sand that back.

 

[Kempydiy17]

Thanks for the reply,
I kinda figured that would be the solution but wanted to hear it from someone else!
This weekend I'll mostly be buying bulk filler and sandpaper!!

 

[roughcaster]

A picture of the cracks would be handy if possible... You said there was only one room dot and dabbed with new boards, but what about the walls in the other rooms,, plasterboard or solid? Were they older painted walls that were skimmed over? Are the cracks on these walls irregular,,spidery, radiating outwards? Could be as Littleleaks said, bad prep. Rub the backs of your fingernails over the walls and you'll hear if it's hollow. On the new dot/dab walls, are the cracks vertical? If they are, it's probably the joints as you say. If you start removing bits of plaster here, and bits there, you'll probably loosen the lot, in which case, remove it all. It will be more work trying to make things good, than it would be to start again.... Try it on one wall and see how it goes...... For the future,, good prep is the key. Clean the old wall/ceiling, remove old paste, loose flaky paint etc, seal them if necessary,,, PVAing properly is vital, as is plastering onto the pva while it is still wet/tacky.

Roughcaster.