Hairline cracks in new plaster, Victorian terrace Ask your questions and find answers on many subjects relating to plastering and dry lining

[tiredandrew]

Hi,

We recently purchased a 1840's Victorian terrace, and are having all walls and ceilings replastered.

The plasterers haven't finished the whole job yet, but the first walls they did have hairline cracks already. These walls are a mixture of original lathe and plaster and original plaster on brick walls. The walls they replaced with plasterboard and then skimmed are OK.

They tell me that this is due to the original plaster not being sound, and the only way to fix this is to remove the lathe and plaster/original plaster and either re-bond/skim or redo with plasterboard.

Is this right/normal? Should I ask them to replaster?

Cheers,
Andrew

[Aidan]

When you say you have "had all the walls and ceilings replastered" what do you mean?

Is it a skim over the old plaster or have you removed the old plaser and floated and skimmed the walls, if its an overskim then you can get hairline cracks appearing and what they have told you about putting it right is correct, but if its a full new float and skim then it shouldn't be cracking

[Snidger]

the walls that have had new plasterboard on will be fine, the one that haven't have suffered suction and dried to quickly, they should have wet the walls before plastering to help to stop the "suction" obviously the walls and ceiling are very dry and draw the water out of the plaster quickly. another solution is to apply pva, if you ask you local large builders merchants for "the green stuff with grit in it" they will point you in the right direction (I cant remember the name of the it but its brand name is thisle)

[tiredandrew]

>> When you say you have "had all the walls and ceilings replastered" what do you mean?

Skim over old plaster, as well as new bonding in some areas where required.

>> the walls that have had new plasterboard on will be fine, the one that haven't have suffered suction and dried to quickly, they should have wet the walls before plastering to help to stop the "suction" obviously the walls and ceiling are very dry and draw the water out of the plaster quickly.

Since the original post I have seen cracking on areas where they had bonded to the brick and then skimmed over that, so it does sound like waht youa re talking about. They are back now filling in cracks!

Thanks for the responses!