At what temperature does plaster crack?

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On 11/12/2016 09:14 AM, Hayley wrote:
At what temperature does plaster crack?



It's not so much that plaster cracks because it got too cold as it is a
matter of settling and the contraction of lathe.

On 11/12/2016 10:14 AM, Hayley wrote:
At what temperature does plaster crack?



It is not really temperature dependent. Plaster cracks when walls move
enough to stress it and that depends on overall construction. It can
readily take below freezing temperatures with no harm in a well
constructed building. Proper application, thickness, stud spacing,
lath, are all factors.

On Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 10:56:39 AM UTC-5, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 11/12/2016 10:14 AM, Hayley wrote:
At what temperature does plaster crack?



It is not really temperature dependent. Plaster cracks when walls move
enough to stress it and that depends on overall construction. It can
readily take below freezing temperatures with no harm in a well
constructed building. Proper application, thickness, stud spacing,
lath, are all factors.

+1

Temp drop causes contraction, but I doubt there is any magic number.
Like you say, it would depend on the underlying structure. Same
thing with drywall. It's the shrinkage/expansion/movement of the whole
structure that causes it to crack at joints.

On 11/12/2016 11:07 AM, trader_4 wrote:
On Saturday, November 12, 2016 at 10:56:39 AM UTC-5, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On 11/12/2016 10:14 AM, Hayley wrote:
At what temperature does plaster crack?



It is not really temperature dependent. Plaster cracks when walls move
enough to stress it and that depends on overall construction. It can
readily take below freezing temperatures with no harm in a well
constructed building. Proper application, thickness, stud spacing,
lath, are all factors.

+1

Temp drop causes contraction, but I doubt there is any magic number.
Like you say, it would depend on the underlying structure. Same
thing with drywall. It's the shrinkage/expansion/movement of the whole
structure that causes it to crack at joints.

Might also mention that in the winter when humidity is down wood also
contracts leading to stress cracks.

On Sat, 12 Nov 2016 09:51:44 -0600, philo wrote:

On 11/12/2016 09:14 AM, Hayley wrote:
At what temperature does plaster crack?



It's not so much that plaster cracks because it got too cold as it is a
matter of settling and the contraction of lathe.


One thing I never understood was why we dont put expansion joints in
plaster. We do it with concrete, like sidewalks and roads, but not with
plaster. Yet, plaster is a type of "concrete" and its gonna expand and
contract similarly, particularly in a home that is not heated in winter
or cooled in summer.

In ,
typed:
On Sat, 12 Nov 2016 09:51:44 -0600, philo wrote:

On 11/12/2016 09:14 AM, Hayley wrote:
At what temperature does plaster crack?

It's not so much that plaster cracks because it got too cold as it
is a matter of settling and the contraction of lathe.

One thing I never understood was why we dont put expansion joints in
plaster. We do it with concrete, like sidewalks and roads, but not
with plaster. Yet, plaster is a type of "concrete" and its gonna
expand and contract similarly, particularly in a home that is not
heated in winter or cooled in summer.

That wouldn't work for plaster in the way that it works for concrete.

Plaster is tied in to the underlying wall structure -- wood or metal lath,
wall studs, the ceiling structures, etc. So, the only way the "expansion
joints" for plaster would work would be if the entire wall had expansion
joints. That would mean gaps in the entire way as it expands and contracts.

Concrete is not tied in to the base below it it. So, the concrete can
expand and contract on its own without the underlying structure needing to
expand and contract with it.