We got our walls re-plastered last year about 3 weeks after we bought
the house (1900), now the house was empty for 2 years before that,
anyway last year about Feb05 we noticed a hariline crack going up the
whole wall top to bottom and the same on the other side of the joing
wall. (one side our licing room, the other study room) Now as we took
pics before anywork was done it can be seen that this is where the
electrian cut out the wires for the sockets and filled them back in.
The guy who done the plastering came back up and said if it starts
cracking the coving or any other part of the wall to call him back.

Ok skip on 11 months and it's not moved an inch but i want to fill it
back in, it's not massive at all 3mm if that maybe 5mm max. Now my
friend said i could by flexi filler to expand if it needs to to prevent
it re-cracking.

Is there such a thing and if so is this the best stuff to use.

Many thanks

On 2 Jan 2006 13:17:28 -0800, htmark98 wrote:

Ok skip on 11 months and it's not moved an inch but i want to fill
it back in, it's not massive at all 3mm if that maybe 5mm max.

Eh, Thought you said it was "hairline"? 3 to 5mm is a gaping chasm...

Now my friend said i could by flexi filler to expand if it needs to
to prevent it re-cracking.

Not a good move on a plastered wall. The flexi stuff tends to shrink
and you can't sand it to get a smooth finish. Flexi stuff is good
between walls and timbers such as skirtings and door frames as it
allows the timber to move without cracking.

For plaster cracks I'd use good 'ole polyfilla or similar, mixed
fairly stiff. If the crack really is a hairline open it up with a some
thing pointed, clear the dust, brush in some water and fill. When the
filler is almost set skim over it with a wet trowel to remove most of
that which is not in the crack. Leave to fully set, 24hrs or so then a
quick rub with a bit of medium sandpaper on a block will remove the
surface residue and feather in the actual filing nicely.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Ok thanks for the reply, ok i gussed the gap but i was way out it's 1mm
only 1 line on the my gage.

So is this the best for this as it's only 1mm?

In message . com,
htmark98 writes
Ok thanks for the reply, ok i gussed the gap but i was way out it's 1mm
only 1 line on the my gage.

So is this the best for this as it's only 1mm?

I would either just use standard filler as Dave suggests - , or , if
the crack is fine enough - as in a hair line crack then I would use
'fine surface filler' - basically a very fine polyfiller in a tube or
tub, I used this on some fine cracks in new plasterwork and it worked
fine, very quick and easy to use wipe it over the crack with a filling
knife., a light sand when dry and voila.
--
Chris French

Thanks everyone, will have a go tonight.

Would it be better sanding by hand or using my power sander?

On 2 Jan 2006 15:32:39 -0800, htmark98 wrote:

So is this the best for this as it's only 1mm?

IMHO yes, still rake it out though.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On 2 Jan 2006 13:17:28 -0800, "htmark98"
wrote:

We got our walls re-plastered last year about 3 weeks after we bought
the house (1900), now the house was empty for 2 years before that,
anyway last year about Feb05 we noticed a hariline crack going up the
whole wall top to bottom and the same on the other side of the joing
wall. (one side our licing room, the other study room) Now as we took
pics before anywork was done it can be seen that this is where the
electrian cut out the wires for the sockets and filled them back in.
The guy who done the plastering came back up and said if it starts
cracking the coving or any other part of the wall to call him back.

Ok skip on 11 months and it's not moved an inch but i want to fill it
back in, it's not massive at all 3mm if that maybe 5mm max. Now my
friend said i could by flexi filler to expand if it needs to to prevent
it re-cracking.

Is there such a thing and if so is this the best stuff to use.

Use decorators filler,the type that comes in a cartridge.

Before applying, rake the crack out to form a 'V' shape. If it were me
I'd also apply some PVA solution to the exposed plaster and let dry
before filling.

Apply the filler using a cartridge gun and leave for 15 minutes. Then
smooth carefully using a suitable wettened tool (I find an old credit
card ideal.

sponix

In article ,
sPoNiX wrote:
Use decorators filler,the type that comes in a cartridge.

Before applying, rake the crack out to form a 'V' shape. If it were me
I'd also apply some PVA solution to the exposed plaster and let dry
before filling.

Apply the filler using a cartridge gun and leave for 15 minutes. Then
smooth carefully using a suitable wettened tool (I find an old credit
card ideal.

Trouble is it always shrinks. Not a problem at a ceiling wall junction,
perhaps, but not much good on a flat surface.

--
*A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Trouble is it always shrinks. Not a problem at a ceiling wall junction,
perhaps, but not much good on a flat surface.
I always use a cement-based powder filler now (no shrinking).
I learnt the hard way. Filled loads of screw holes with pre-mixed, and
they all shrunk into
a hollow. What a pain !
Simon.

In message . com,
htmark98 writes

Would it be better sanding by hand or using my power sander?

Hand, if you do the job properly it will only need a light sand
--
Chris French

htmark98 wrote:
So is this the best for this as it's only 1mm?

Pollyfilla or similar, mix some up (on the runny side),
apply it using a filling knife, scraping off excess,
let it go off, apply more if necessary, give it a
light rub down when dry using fine glass-paper on a
wooden block.

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On 2 Jan 2006 15:32:39 -0800, htmark98 wrote:
So is this the best for this as it's only 1mm?

IMHO yes, still rake it out though.

IME/O raking out a crack is likely to make the filler
much more likely to come loose after a while (unless
you can undercut), and is anyway unnecessary.

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
sPoNiX wrote:

Use decorators filler,the type that comes in a cartridge.


Before applying, rake the crack out to form a 'V' shape. If it were me
I'd also apply some PVA solution to the exposed plaster and let dry
before filling.


Apply the filler using a cartridge gun and leave for 15 minutes. Then
smooth carefully using a suitable wettened tool (I find an old credit
card ideal.


Trouble is it always shrinks. Not a problem at a ceiling wall junction,
perhaps, but not much good on a flat surface.

It can also "shine" through paintwork, there's also the raking out
issue, and if you try and smooth the acrylic type filler after a
quarter of an hour, it'll drag the skin off and ruin the finish
(also some cartridge fillers are sods to rub down).

On Tue, 03 Jan 2006 11:16:54 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

In article ,
sPoNiX wrote:
Use decorators filler,the type that comes in a cartridge.

Before applying, rake the crack out to form a 'V' shape. If it were me
I'd also apply some PVA solution to the exposed plaster and let dry
before filling.

Apply the filler using a cartridge gun and leave for 15 minutes. Then
smooth carefully using a suitable wettened tool (I find an old credit
card ideal.

Trouble is it always shrinks. Not a problem at a ceiling wall junction,
perhaps, but not much good on a flat surface.

I haven't had any problems myself but then again I only use (expensive
stuff) on hairline cracks.

The prob with filling hairline cracks with a 'rigid' filler is that
they always seem to oven up again!

I suppose it's a case of suck it and see. Try one type of filler and
if that proves unsatisfactory then try the other.

sponix

In article ,
sPoNiX wrote:
Trouble is it always shrinks. Not a problem at a ceiling wall junction,
perhaps, but not much good on a flat surface.

I haven't had any problems myself but then again I only use (expensive
stuff) on hairline cracks.

What make? I've got Unibond, and that certainly shrinks.

The prob with filling hairline cracks with a 'rigid' filler is that
they always seem to oven up again!

They do indeed. Plasterboard on a wood framework is likely to crack at the
joins.

I suppose it's a case of suck it and see. Try one type of filler and
if that proves unsatisfactory then try the other.

--
*When the going gets tough, the tough take a coffee break *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

htmark98 wrote on 02/01/2006 :
Ok skip on 11 months and it's not moved an inch but i want to fill it
back in, it's not massive at all 3mm if that maybe 5mm max. Now my
friend said i could by flexi filler to expand if it needs to to prevent
it re-cracking.

3 to 5mm is not an hairline crack. If the movement has stopped, you
should be able to fill it with ordinary finish plaster or the likes of
Pollifilla. If the movement has not stopped then you should be
concerned as to the possible cause.

--

Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

In article ,
Harry Bloomfield wrote:
Ok skip on 11 months and it's not moved an inch but i want to fill it
back in, it's not massive at all 3mm if that maybe 5mm max. Now my
friend said i could by flexi filler to expand if it needs to to prevent
it re-cracking.

3 to 5mm is not an hairline crack. If the movement has stopped, you
should be able to fill it with ordinary finish plaster or the likes of
Pollifilla. If the movement has not stopped then you should be
concerned as to the possible cause.

Joists in an insulated roof void will move according to the season. Same
as outside doors.

--
*Could it be that "I do " is the longest sentence? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Thanks everyone, it's only 1mm. So i'll go for a cement based one and
see how that goes.

On 4 Jan 2006 02:20:49 -0800, "htmark98" wrote:

Thanks everyone, it's only 1mm. So i'll go for a cement based one and
see how that goes.

I've yet to find anything that beats coving adhesive for filling fine
cracks.
--
On-line canal route planner: http://www.canalplan.org.uk

(Waterways World site of the month, April 2001)

On Tue, 03 Jan 2006 10:27:34 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On 2 Jan 2006 15:32:39 -0800, htmark98 wrote:

So is this the best for this as it's only 1mm?

IMHO yes, still rake it out though.

I know raking out, or Vee-ing, is always recommended, but why,
exactly? In my case the drying out cracks are less than a millimetre,
mostly. Why can't I just force filler (e.g. Polyfilla) into the crack,
e.g. with a cake decorating pump (not the bag sort, but the plunger).
That way, the edges of the crack should permit a completely invisible
repair even if a little sanding should be necessary.

MM

MM wrote:
I know raking out, or Vee-ing, is always recommended, but why,
exactly?

Perhaps it uses more filler. IMO raking out is not a good thing to do.


In my case the drying out cracks are less than a millimetre,
mostly. Why can't I just force filler (e.g. Polyfilla) into the crack,
e.g. with a cake decorating pump (not the bag sort, but the plunger).

You can, but I'd use a filling knife to apply the filler.

On Wed, 04 Jan 2006 22:22:33 +0000, Chris Bacon
wrote:

MM wrote:
I know raking out, or Vee-ing, is always recommended, but why,
exactly?

Perhaps it uses more filler. IMO raking out is not a good thing to do.


In my case the drying out cracks are less than a millimetre,
mostly. Why can't I just force filler (e.g. Polyfilla) into the crack,
e.g. with a cake decorating pump (not the bag sort, but the plunger).

You can, but I'd use a filling knife to apply the filler.

That's what I normally use, and I believe one can squeeze the filler
quite a way into the crack. But with something like a cake pump a much
deeper fill might be achieved, somewhat akin to pumping the stuff in
from a hypodermic syringe. (Perhaps someone knows whether the latter
is available from vets, say for injecting horses, as the needles my
practice nurse uses for taking a blood sample is far too fine for
Polyfilla.)

As the crack no doubt extends right through the plaster to the
brickwork behind, if only one could find a way of pushing the filler
right back to the brickwork, that would in my view be a very
successful result. This is not possible with a filling knife. With the
knife I would expect the filler to reach a depth into the crack of no
more than two or three millimetres at best, instead of the full depth
of the plaster.

MM

On Tue, 03 Jan 2006 13:17:43 +0000, Chris Bacon wrote:

IME/O raking out a crack is likely to make the filler much more
likely to come loose after a while (unless you can undercut), and is
anyway unnecessary.

I've never had filler come loose. With a real hairline crack you have
to rake it out to get any appreciable (aka useful) amount of filler
into it. A crack 1mm wide is not "hairline" it's a real crack. I might
just run the tip of a trowel along it to make sure there are no loose
edges but I wouldn't open it up any more.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Dave Liquorice wrote:
With a real hairline crack you have
to rake it out to get any appreciable (aka useful) amount of filler
into it.

I don't think it's worth filling them - if they're moving, it's
a pointless exercise, anyway. I have, with ceilings, injected
dilute PVA into hairline cracks, as mentioned before. It might
be a good technique for walls, too.