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Filled cracks in plaster reappearing in warm temperature
- Thread starter Sabina77
- Start date
I am a decorator...
I have worked in a number of victorian properties where the original plaster has a series of cracks on the exterior solid walls. I rake the cracks out, brush in some PVA, wipe away the excess, let it dry and then use Toupret Flex and Fill. It is similar to caulk but has tiny fibres in it to reinforce it. It shrinks back slightly overnight. The next day I face fill it with a powder based filler.
It works very well.
In 2019, I used it to fill the cracks in the exterior render on my own home. It is still crack free.
I have worked in a number of victorian properties where the original plaster has a series of cracks on the exterior solid walls. I rake the cracks out, brush in some PVA, wipe away the excess, let it dry and then use Toupret Flex and Fill. It is similar to caulk but has tiny fibres in it to reinforce it. It shrinks back slightly overnight. The next day I face fill it with a powder based filler.
It works very well.
In 2019, I used it to fill the cracks in the exterior render on my own home. It is still crack free.
Thank you. So my situation is now that I have a freshly painted wall with the same cracks reappearing. Should the decorator really have known how to properly treat them? And do I get him back to treat them properly and repaint that wall?!
I am not willing to malign your decorator- I am in my 50's. I have been around many blocks. In the old days I might done the same as him.
Ok, wasn’t looking for you to malign anyone, just for advice! My decorator is in his 60’s, incidentally, so has also been doing this work for a long time.
If the crack were there, whilst he was painting, then he should have taken steps to repair them.
He did, as I said in my original post. He filled them then repainted the wall. But they cracked again as soon as the room heated up on a warm day, literally hours after he left on his last day of work. So I’d really like to know, if I get him back, how they should be filled properly this time so that they don’t just reappear again. Because he couldn’t have used the right method or filler.
In that case, reasonable to invite him back to make a better repair. He should open the crack out, into a V, then use a flexible filler. Others might be able to suggest the best filler to use.
Thank you.
Not sure why you used an exclamation mark... that said, yes I am aware that it is all too easy to misinterpret posts.
Some decorators are more knowledgeable than others. Some are able to provide a higher quality of finish than others, however not all customers are able to tell the difference. And why would you pay £250 per day when it is simply a case of rolling walls that can be rolled to a similar finish as someone charging you £150?
I have, in good faith, told you how I believe you can rectify the issue. Should your decorator have known to use the products and techniques that I have recommended- perhaps. If I see a crack, I automatically assume that it exists for a reason and don't simply fill over it. However, I increase the cost of the quote to cover my additional labour and materials.
In your case, it might be reasonable to pay for the materials and ask the decorator to provide the labour for free. The labour costs will be higher than the material costs.