crack that opens and closes with temperature General decorating topics, questions and answers. find help, tips and advice on completing your decorating projects

[Kevindrich]

Hi all

I have a Problem with a crack that opens and closes with temperature change.
The crack is internal on an external wall, as the day heats up the crack opens and when the sun goes down the crack closes again. I have opened up the crack and filled it with joint filler and easy fill during the day when the crack is open, but when the temperature drops the crack closes up and the filler is not strong enough and then cracks to pieces creating a ridge. I don’t know what to do and it has put a stop to my decorating until I can solve this problem, if I use stronger filler I think it might just create cracks in other places or blow the plaster in that area as it closes up. Has anyone else had this problem and solved it. When I plastered the wall I put scrim tape over the original crack but this has not stopped it opening up again.

[stoneyboy]

Kevindrich,
You don't say what the walls are made of but I suspect aerated concrete.
You will need to hack off the plaster and fit a wide piece of expandmesh over the crack, replaster bonding to the wall and you might have success.
end

[Kevindrich]

Thanks for reply stoneyboy

It’s the side of my house and its a double skin wall not a cavity wall, the crack runs horizontally on and off for about a meter, there is also one running along the ceiling porch which is made of metal mesh that’s been plastered and this keeps opening and closing as well.