How to Repair Cracks in Plaster Walls | Ask This Old House

Amateur

I would fire this guy ASAP if he used joint compound on plaster. He's a painter, so why ask him how to fix plaster? This old house used to be about how trade does things. Now you have an ex banker showing what I think you really shouldn't do. Fail. Badly.

i hate to say it but its amateur hour on this episode

From my experience with wall/ceiling cracks , someting is moving. I try ro fasten dryall screw on eith side of the cracks into the joists or studs. Then apply the patching material/tape. JMO

This is the biggest horse load dung video This Old House ever made

Mesh tape requires hot mud.

No primer on the new repair before painting ?

Plasterer here. SMH.

Don’t care how little joint compound or spackle you use should wait at least 12-24 hours to paint.

Highly disappointed he didn't prime before he painted.

Everytime I sand it seems to expose the mesh tape. If I sand less to not expose it you can see the bump where the tape is, even if I go wide with the spackled area. Any advice?

Bad, tackle a real job. Thrown plaster, hundred year old cracks botched by previous caretakers. Cracks in plaster seldom run in straight vertical lines.

Shouldn't you spray some water on the plaster crack before you fill?

NOT a good video by any means. I quickly noticed two huge mistakes being performed that any painter or person with patching experience should have known immediately. Both repairs will fail within 1 year of completion.

This guy cant be doing this for a living. That first coat he did was horrible and ge left it on way to heavy especially on the edges. That would take malot of sanding plus extra work to fix that first skim. They never mentioned he added a second coat of mud on the bigger patch. You dont sand with hand paper like that either you put it in a block or use a sponge block.

Thank you for the tips and steps repairing plaster walls and painting
I will do this week a bedroom thx again Mauro

A "pro" fixed my plaster wall cracks using meshtape and hot mud, then skim coat the walls, cracks were back 2 months later and tape is bubbling out.

"may I?" As his hand is already touching the spot, why bother asking permission then? Lmfao

These are cracks in drywall not plaster. Two different things.

To match texture, wad up a plastic grocery bags and dab the area. Keep dabbing lightly until you get the right texture.

What about cracks in plaster where there isnt a space to fill? The dent of the crack is outside

As a painting contractor for 18 years, i don't agree that air drying joint compound with mesh tape is ideal. Mesh tape is designed to be used with quick setting joint compounds AKA hot mud. Also for an area that has cracked and been moving, paper tape is much better. In this situation Id recommend using standard air setting joint compound with a paper tape, your repair will last longer.

What type of finsher even is he, it looks like a home owner put it on!! Where do they get these people!

The link above does not go to a flexible patch material.

Glad to see Omar Navarro from Ozark has a side hustle.

No information is better than the wrong information. This video should be sent in for professional review as all of it is just wrong. Not feathered out enough, not sanded enough and only one coat of paint on a fresh repair is not professional.

This Old House, would you be able to do a video on matching common types of texturing on drywall. I can do patches where they are smooth but not sure on how to match.

A professional once told me to grind cracks like the first one when using joint compound. Just wondered what y’all thoughts were on that.

Would love to see a light shined on that

You guys should do a video on Plaster Magic, my wife researched and researched for the best way to repair century old plaster and discovered that Plaster Magic is THE product to use, he has some videos available that explains what it does and how it works and why he marketed it. The person who produces the product does restoration specializing in significantly important historical buildings.

All crack has to be fixed with durabon no compound

This is great info but what about heavily textured plaster walls?

When sanding your work, lightly run fingertips over the sanded work, if sanded correctly, it should feel completely smooth without any bumps or crevasses. If imperfections are felt, more sanding is needed. When satisfied, then paint. Good luck.

The ginger 🤣

Plaster!! Finally!!!! I have a Craftsman style home from 1913 that’s grown several times over the years. It’s a combination of plaster and drywall with many generations of “patches” in different areas. Thank goodness for your advice and please pray for my success! 😂
Thank you as always!
-CY Castor

Why are they using the term plaster and drywall interchangeably? Second, you CANNOT use mesh tape with ready mix compound.

Should prime before painting !

Plaster Paris is best

Take it every time

Tape ot all doesn't re crack even for smaller cracks they always cone bk

What kind of stuff they are using it they should show on the video

This is not the best way. I suggest watching a drywaller channel, such as Vancouver Carpenter, for better methods to repair drywall.

Mix your joint compound in a mud pan first, it will apply much smoother. Like others said, use fast setting type like Easy Sand 20 or 45 for the first coat with mesh tape, then all purpose for second coat.

It doesn’t matter you you put on joint compound; it matters how you take it off. In other words don’t apply it little by little; apply a lot and then smooth it down in long, continuous motions. Feather the edges of the mud you apply by pressing harder on one dude of the knife as you smooth the mud.

Use a wider knife (10, 12 inch) on the second coat. Because of the tape, the repaired area by nature has to be higher than the surrounding wall. You need to extend the mud by a wide margin and feather it so the change in height is not noticeable. If done properly, very little sanding is needed.

The link for the flexible patching compound is incorrect. It should be to a product like demonstrated, the DAP ElastoPatch (the container is turned away from camera likely due to licensing, advertising, etc). An elastomeric spackling compound is ideal for small, thin cracks and no sanding, with benefit of expansion and no further cracking. Latex paint works well.

The best job by the best craftsman !

What about fixing external Cracks for different types of materials ?

I've been watching This old house since it was child, we didn't have cable and PBS was always the go to for my parents, I'm now 20 years old and living on my own. I want to buy a house soon and one of my biggest obstacles was my personal lack of knowledge about maintenance and repair of common household items. These guys give have always shown me how I can fix things on my own and they have given me hope for myself and I'll be sure to look to them whenever I need to fix or improve something. Its also good to see a familiar face from my past.

I've been doing drywall for 35 yrs not saying he is wrong but 5 or 20 min is a better solution and you don't have to fill the crack first, it doesn't matter that's what mesh tape is for.
But everyone has their own technique

looks like drywall, not plaster.

I'd like to see some videos about repairing those 'hit and misses' from former home renovators. I have two big seams in the walls of my dining room, left by a seam patching that was too thick. It looks like speed bumps on the walls. I'd like to know how to repair this without ruining the walls.

I like Mario 😍