Premier Plastering | Common Reasons Plaster Walls Crack
 

Common Reasons Plaster Walls Crack

Common Reasons Plaster Walls Crack

If you’ve noticed that one or more cracks has formed in a plaster wall it’s natural to feel a bit frustrated.

Some cracks are due to poor workmanship, but others are completely natural. Below are some of the more common reasons plaster may crack, along with a description of what each one looks like.

Your house may be settling

When a house starts to settle into the ground, weak spots in the plaster (ie: spots around doors and windows, studs and joists and the space stairwells that’s between floors) are prone to cracking. Since plaster is rigid and it’s not especially flexible, it doesn’t adjust when a home settles; it cracks. This type of crack will often start at one point in the wall and will move diagonally up to the ceiling. Cracks from settling are often cosmetic as opposed to structural, although most people prefer to have the problem addressed sooner than later.

Shrinkage

If your plaster installer uses plaster that’s of poor quality (or has a high cement content), it may be prone to cracking after it hardens.  Shrinkage cracks occur at random spots and they don’t have a defined pattern; instead, they often run in different directions and they’re not continuous.

Crazing

If your plaster has developed a network of fine, small cracks (that may appear as if they’re part of a hexagon), this is referred to as called crazing. This type of crack typically forms several hours after the plaster was applied and they’re a result of over troweling plaster that has a high cement content.  (When plaster is troweled too long, too much moisture may have been removed from the surface.) These types of cracks are very shallow and are therefore not serious.  A good coat of paint should solve the problem.

Repairing cracks

If you’re not a professional plaster installer you likely have little to no understanding as to how to best to remedy this type of problem. The good news is that the experts at Premier Plastering of SW Florida know exactly what to do.

If you’re concerned as to whether your cracks are structural as opposed to cosmetic, we’ll be happy to come to your home to perform a free evaluation. We can explain why you’re having the problems you’re having and how to best fix them. For more information or to schedule a free no-cost estimate, call our office today at 239-348-9299.