# Help with cracked walls



## LCangler (Jul 19, 2007)

The house we bought (mid 70's brick home) apparently had paneling in just about every room.  I have to admit, they were very creative in covering it up.  Wallpaper in one room and painted in another with a chair railing below.  But in the master bedroom, it seems they put a coat of some sort of plaster and then painted.  I thought at first we had sheet rock, but it's plaster.  Well, the plaster cracked in a line from ceiling to floor along every paneling seam.  When we first moved in we just spackled the cracks, sanded and painted.  It lasted for a while, but they have all recracked.  It seems a more permanent fix is needed.  Since we want to change colors anyway, I am ready to do something, but don't know what that is.  Any ideas?  Simple is better, but will do whatever it takes.


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## Daryl in Nanoose (Jul 20, 2007)

Wallpaper over it or drywall it up. You could even tape the joints and mud it up and then repaint but paneling is not a stable substance and it could crack again.


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## LCangler (Jul 20, 2007)

Thanks Daryl in Nanoose Bay.  I actually know where that is.  Been there about 4 times.  My best friend lives there and I have traveled from Louisiana to there and will be there in August again.  As to my walls probably the least time intensive fix would be wall paper that I can paint over.  I was afraid though that the cracks could cause the wallpaper to rip eventually.  Do you think that could happen?


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## Daryl in Nanoose (Jul 20, 2007)

This is a possibility but your cracks are probably being caused by the incorrect procedure. You could tape out these cracks and put 2 coats of mud over it and then wallpaper.
 Its a small world eh, Nanoose is nice place to live and I,ve been here 40 years now so have a nice trip up and stay.


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## LCangler (Jul 20, 2007)

One more question, which shows my ignorance a bit about mudding.  If you tape and then put 2 coats of mud, how to you get things flush with the surrounding wall without a huge bulge down each seam?  Are you saying to mud the whole wall or just down the seams where I put the tape?


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## Daryl in Nanoose (Jul 21, 2007)

I forgot to ask you how wide these cracks are and are they surface even or does one side protrude slighty out from the other.Can you take a pic of this.
 Also give a little push on the walls beside and on the cracks to see if there is any movement. Let me know your findings and we will go from there.


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## LCangler (Jul 21, 2007)

Most of the pics didn't show it very well.  This is the worst one.  Most are just straight hairline cracks with no bulging of the underlying plaster.  Some are a little jagged as this one is.  But they travel from floor to ceiling on most every seam.  I could detect no visible movement when I pushed on either side of a crack.  Thanks again for your help.


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## marie38 (Jul 21, 2007)

Hi I have had the same problem in the past, and every time I patched it up and repainted the cracks would come back. You soon realise that you are just throwing your money away.

Its always best to sort the problem, so I learnt to plaster. I reckon iam as good as anyone at mudding over the walls but I am not to confident about ceilings.

It&#8217;s a lot of fun and ihave done the kitchen walls for a male friend and two bedrooms for my sister.
I learnt from a video that I downloaded from a website http://www.grahamvideos.co.uk 

Re-mudding isent for everyone but I am sure glad I learnt.

Hope this helps
Marie38


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## LCangler (Jul 21, 2007)

Thanks Marie.  I really don't want to mud the whole room, but I am sure I could if I had to.  I don't know if I hate wallpapering worse though.   I don't mind fixing my own mess-ups, but I hate fixing what some other idiot did.


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## Deacon (Jul 21, 2007)

Do not forget to use some sheetrock nails (every 8") into the wall studs before you start your new tape and bed job.


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## Daryl in Nanoose (Jul 22, 2007)

LCangler said:


> One more question, which shows my ignorance a bit about mudding.  If you tape and then put 2 coats of mud, how to you get things flush with the surrounding wall without a huge bulge down each seam?  Are you saying to mud the whole wall or just down the seams where I put the tape?


 I was talking about just the seams. Taping and mudding is a fine art but since your going to wallpaper over it, it will be a little forgiving.  A book or video is a good place to start so take Marie's advise here and re nail as Deacon has mentioned.
 It would not cost that much to have a taper come in and do that part for you if your uncomfortable with doing this. I have also found trying to explain how to do this on paper without at least pictures is rather difficult to understand if doing this for the first time so a good book or video is a great idea. The whole idea here is to create a joint by appling at least 2 coats over the tape each one  a couple of inches wider on each side This creates a suddle curve not a abrupt one that becomes less noticeable on each coat.
 Check this site out http://www.mikebelldrywall.com/howtodrywall.htm


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## LCangler (Jul 23, 2007)

Thanks everyone for your help.  I just may hire someone to remud the entire room and tape the cracks, etc.


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