Repairing Hairline Cracks in Plaster Walls

Introduction

If your home has plaster walls, you can resign yourself to patching before every paint job. Harmless cracks will return with regularity no matter how often you fill them. Watch, though, for loose or crumbly cracks, holes, and bulges; these may mean you have a leak. If you have a leak, fix it before doing any work on the walls.

1. Widen crack

Widen the crack to about 1/8 inch with a chisel and blow out any loose plaster.

2. Fill with compound

Wipe crack with a dab of surfacing compound, pressing it into the fissure.

3. Seal patches

Seal patches with primer before painting, or the patch may "bleed" through.

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Introduction If your home has plaster walls, you can resign yourself to patching before every paint job. Harmless cracks will return with regularity no matter how often you fill them. Watch, though, for loose or crumbly cracks, holes, and bulges; these may mean you have a leak. If you have a leak, fix it before doing any work on the walls.
1. Widen crack Widen the crack to about 1/8 inch with a chisel and blow out any loose plaster.
2. Fill with compound Wipe crack with a dab of surfacing compound, pressing it into the fissure.
3. Seal patches Seal patches with primer before painting, or the patch may "bleed" through.