How to Fix Cracks in Plaster

A crack in plaster needs to be repaired before it becomes worse. It is possible to do by hand, if you have the right tools.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Spackle Trowel
• Fiberglass Wallboard tape
• Spackle or Wallboard Compound

1. First, using the trowel, scrape off any debris, texture or loose plaster that is around the crack. You want to get this as flat as possible. Be careful not to dig deep into the plaster itself and cause extra marks.

2. Tape over the crack and along the sides using the fiberglass wallboard tape. This will help to keep the crack from spreading once you have covered it.

3. 
    
   Apply spackle carefully

   Clean off the trowel that you used to scrape the plaster. Now use it to apply the spackle over the tape. Use just enough to hide the tape. If you put it on too thick, it will crack again.

4. If you need to, apply a second coat of the spackle to cover up the edges of the tape.

5. 
    

   Once dry, sand the area by hand carefully with sand paper. If the plaster you are repairing was textured and you need to re-texture the surface, do so now.

[mizzshady]

on 9/25/2009 okay maybe its time I get a man. lol Hard work here 5*