"How to fix drywall" may be a popular search question because it seems like the repair is super simple. For a professional drywaller or plasterer, yes, it's very simple. But one of the things customers tend to forget about is the mess involved with any simple repair, especially plaster or drywall repair.
Drywall does not normally crack across the board itself, instead, it usually cracks along the seams or close to the seams between the each board. How simple it is to really repair drywall? It can become simple with practice. However, for starters, simply applying spackle (or "mud" as commonly called), does not do any good. One needs to locate where the strappings or studs are and screw the boards along the cracks and in an appropriate manner. Then, a mesh tape needs to be applied, we prefer the pink heavy duty mesh tape, which is not cheap, but helps prevent cracks even further. Then, apply 2-3 coats of mud properly, with an 8-10 inch drywall putty knife and at least 16 inches wide, to prevent bumps and to blend in with the surrounding surfaces. It needs to be as smooth as possible because you will need to wait for it to dry to then be able to sand it into a fully smooth finish. If the existing surrounding finish is textured, then you would apply a textured finish to match with the old finish on your wall or ceiling. In summary:
As a reminder, drywall repair can be very messy, especially when sanding. So, make sure you cover and protect the work area before doing anything else. If you don't want to deal with the mess, contact a professional plasterer to take care of the problem for you. Contact Boston Plastering to assist you. Boston - MetroWest - Worcester - South Shore - North Shore Why You Should Not Plaster Your Ceilings With a Textured Finish
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One would expect a new house to not have cracked walls or ceilings. However, a newly constructed house is prone to have cracks on walls and ceilings show up relatively early on. One of the reason why cracks show up is because with time, the house is settling in place. As the windy weather blows at the house, it makes the structure slightly move. Also, the cold and hot temperatures can cause the wood and other materials to dilate or contract.
The cracks are not necessarily a sign of structural damage. However, structural damage is one of the major causes for ceiling cracks. If there are foundation problems, ceiling cracks may appear because of foundation settlement which puts stress on the building’s frame. Thin, spider web cracks in the plaster or painting are usually nothing to worry about. However, to be on the safe side, if you suspect the cracks may have a deeper issue than just a cosmetic one, you should contact an experienced foundation repair professional to take a look at the cracks on your walls and ceilings. Then, when you are ready, reach out to us to go in to take a look and price out for the plaster repair. Cracks can eventually come back at the same spot or at different spots. Reasons for wall and ceilings cracks include (and are not limited to): the house aging, the foundation settling, construction being done nearby with heavy machinery, heavy trucks constantly driving by and causing vibration to the house, heavy wind loads hitting against the house slightly moving it… So many things can happen to cause cracks. When this occurs and you are ready and in need of a good plasterer to fix the cracks and do touch-ups in your Massachusetts house, or any other interior plaster service, give Boston Plastering a call! |