How to eliminate cracks in walls : instructions for best repairing cracks in the wall of your home and in the plaster. From the deepest cracks on interior walls to recommended materials.
Repairing cracks in the wall or plaster is not an easy job but do not panic, on this page we will see how to fill the deepest cracks that sometimes form on the internal or external wall of the house.
Why do cracks form? Even if we don’t perceive it, the walls of our homes are constantly subjected to mechanical stress and imperceptible movements; it is no coincidence that those who live in a highly seismic area can often encounter the problem of cracks on the walls .
Cracks in the interior walls of the house can be caused by problems with humidity in the walls caused by water infiltration or poor insulation. In this case, in addition to repairing the crack in the wall , it will be necessary to resolve the problem of water infiltration so as to avoid the reappearance of further cracks and stop the progression of degradation.
Cracks in the walls can be a sign of wear: time wears away everything, including walls! In this context, you could consider repainting with special paints or, in more serious cases, redoing the entire plaster and perhaps taking the opportunity to add heat-insulating panels.
Repairing cracks on interior walls and partitions
To understand how to fill small cracks in walls we offer you a video guide from Leroy Merlin that you will find at the end of the page. The large French chain periodically offers free courses dedicated to home repair interventions . Among the various topics covered, that of cracks on the internal and external walls of the house was not missed.
Before proceeding with the actual repair , you will need to prepare the crack and the work area as best as possible. What should you do?
- Scrape the crack
With a triangular scraper widen the crack, it may seem strange but this is used to remove the most fragile parts of the wall, therefore the outer areas of the crack. If you skip this procedure the filler may not adhere well to the surface. Use a triangular scraper because the resulting crack will have to have a typical V shape, which is easier to fill . - Brush the crack
Using a stiff-bristled brush, remove every speck of dust from the crack. This preliminary step is always essential to allow the filler to completely fill the crack. - Moisten the crack
With a soaked sponge, moisten the crack. This will also increase the adhesion of the filler. - Consolidating primer
If, despite using the V-scraper and cleaning with brushes, the wall still tends to crumbly (lose dust), spread a coat of consolidating primer. This is a “ Primer” fixative for walls.
The instructions for repairing cracks in the wall of the house are shown in the video at the end of the page; the materials needed to repair cracks in the walls are the following, the description does not lack suggestions on how to use them.
- Wall filler
Better if quick drying. It will be used to “ fill the crack ”, or rather, to fill the space of the crack in the wall. It should be applied with a spatula perpendicular to the crack (it should not be applied from the top down, but from left to right and then from right to left to ensure that the entire crack is filled with the filler). When applying, make sure the filler penetrates well into the crack. - Reinforcing tape
It is used to prevent the crack from reforming and must be applied after the filler. - Second coat of filler
Apply a second, very light coat of filler to cover the reinforcing tape.
After waiting the necessary times indicated on the stucco package, sand the surface to remove any imperfections. From this point you can proceed with the finish by painting with a suitable paint.
Tapes, stucco and paints are useless if the problem is structural
Tapes, stucco and paint are only aesthetic solutions, but often the problem of cracks in walls is structural and the crack is only an alarm bell. If the origin of the crack comes from the ground and from subsidence of the foundation to solve the problem you have to act at the root before it can get worse.
It is therefore important to have a definitive and rapid solution: First of all, it is necessary to have a study of the ground under the house and a survey of the cracks in the walls on the walls. Once the causes that have generated the cracks on the walls have been understood, it will be necessary to intervene to eliminate them.
