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Hairline crack on ceiling

Hi, need advice for hairline ceiling crack repairs. Had two plasterers coming yesterday to repair the hairline ceiling crack lines. Two lines were not long at all. The guy went up the roof and he said put timber in and screw the ceiling crack area then patching. He didn’t put on mesh tape or paper tape on hairline crack lines during coating. I asked him why didn’t. He said no needs. Today I can see the line there on ceiling after patching. Any advice pls?

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StevieB

Thanks for your question, @micheleBB

Let me mention our resident D.I.Y. expert @MitchellMc who will be happy to offer advice and help with any questions when he's back on the site on Friday.

The Bunnings D.I.Y. advice about How to repair cracks in plaster might also be of assistance. I have attached the video below.

Look forward to hearing about any plans you have for around the house and garden.

Stevie

redracer01

Hello @micheleBB

Welcome to Bunnings workshop. It sounds like he did not put in enough plaster to cover the hairline crack. Does he plan to return today and finish the job or did he say it was all good and there was no need for him to come back? In any case you can repair this yourself if you have the proper tools. On a side note if you are not happy with the repairman's job call him back to do it again.

- A ladder to reach the ceiling

- Plastic plaster joint knife ( to spread the plaster )

- Polyfilla for easy fix of cracks

- Sanding block to finish or sanding pole

- Ceiling paint

Unless you are not able to tolerate heights then perhaps a family member with more tolerance to high vertical positions is needed.

Set ladder and make sure it is stable

Go up with Polyfilla and joint knife and start filling the crack

Wait for drying time

Sand to finish. You may use a sanding pole for easier use.

Touch up with ceiling paint.

Cheers,

Red

Screenshot_2021-03-31 Polyfilla 340g Quick Dry.png

micheleBB

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/12805#Comment_12805

Thanks for quick responses. Yap, I tried to ring the tradies yesterday and the guy rang me back at later night. He will come tomorrow as he said. He said due to ceiling structure movement, the hairline cracks needs to put timber on roof to make sure no cracks would occur in future. And he did that way this Tuesday. But on ceiling itself, he didn’t put tapes on the crack line side. (The hairline crack line was not long). I am still confused: whether tapes are necessary or not, he said not. They also did patching after the plumber removed old gas wall heater wall site and put a new plasterboard in. No tapes on the edge as well. There was a new hairline crack at patching after they patched the edge the day after.

micheleBB

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/12803#Comment_12803

Thank you. I saw this video on Bunnings before and did follow the steps as per instructed. But I found it so hard for me to even up when patching. Even after sanding, there was not even on the patching wall. I don’t have much skills for DIY work. Will go to Bunnings workshops whenever available at my local store.

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/68880#Comment_68880

Hi @micheleBB,

If cracks appear after the plaster has dried, they need another coat, as @redracer01 mentioned. If you continue to see cracks, then the area needs tape or additional support. I'd encourage you to keep following up with the tradesperson until they complete the work to your satisfaction, as you shouldn't expect to see cracks or notice the repairs after they are finished.

Mitchell

micheleBB

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/97413#Comment_97413

Thanks for quick response and advice. The hairline crack lines have been filled but the line still there. Is that normal like that? Thanks

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/115369#Comment_115369

Hi @micheleBB,

You shouldn't expect to see any lines, cracks or distortions once the plaster repair has been completed and the area painted. Have you painted over the plaster repair yet? You might like to show us some images of the area so we can advise if the finish would be considered normal.

Mitchell

micheleBB

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/125544#Comment_125544

micheleBB

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/125544#Comment_125544

Thanks for advice; the Tradie did patching and repair this Tuesday (as in the photo); we will do painting part as Tradie didn’t mention painting part and we will do painting part.

TedBear

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/132392#Comment_132392

I have found that hairline cracks aren't possible to fill because not enough filler can get in, so you end up with a super thin coating over the top that falls off like dust when dry. The best way I have found is to run the sharp corner of a scraper along the crack to make it a V shaped crack. Then it has depth and enough surface area for the filler to properly adhere to. Then fill that crack and sand it flat when dry.

micheleBB

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/136549#Comment_136549

Thanks for the tips, the plasterer did that. He also put a timber on another end of ceiling under roof as he claimed it caused by structure movement, I have no ideas and the hairline crack was not long anyway. I only found a bit strange why he didn’t put tapes on that line and patching it. He told me no needs to do it.

TedBear

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/139430#Comment_139430

I would imagine that putting tape over the crack would then introduce 2 more fine lines at each side of the tape that would need to be covered. Then he would have to add a coating over the tape to hide those tape edges, which would result in a mound on your flat ceiling. This could be blended in by making it wider, but it seems like it would add more problems than it solves. The thing with ceilings is that bright light often shines across them, so any variations in thickness looks worse than it does on a wall, where the light usually arrives from many angles. (Try shining a torch along a plaster wall to see how (un)flat they are.) If the 2 edges of adjoining plaster sheets are attached closely where there is timber above the join, the tape shouldn't be needed. It may be a case of redoing the fine cracks once more now the plaster sheets have settled.

micheleBB

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/141361#Comment_141361

Thank you for advices!

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