I am an IT guy and have ignored the plaster problems in my old
townhouse-style home. The previous owners white-washed everything
prior to the sale. 6 years later I need to repair the plaster.
Essentially there are cracks where the ceiling and walls meet in about
50% of the corners in

wait for it

my entire house. So easily 20 cracks if not more.

I also have a major 4 foot crack with some folding/bulging in an
upstairs hallway and a large 2 ft bulge/crack in my basement.

3 years ago I repaired drywall (not plaster) after electrical work and
overall the repairs worked and still look good.

I have no experience with plaster and my parents had recurring problems
with plaster, plaster repairs and leaks, so I'm hesitant to start.

Would Crown Molding be a reliable way to cover up these corner cracks
or should I be concerned that in a house like this, with known
shifting, crown molding could become an issue. I have never seen
problems with crown molding in my neighborhood, fyi.

But what about the other cracks? can I repair a 1x4 ft patch with
reasonable success or the 2 ft square patch? I also don't believe
these cracks were caused by water. I believe it was shifting between
my house and the ones attached on either side.

I found instructions like:
http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/hi_wal...685862,00.html

Do those make sense or are they leaving out critical details?

Thanks for any advice and other info.

Don