Walls are coated with plaster after painting to make them more durable, smooth and attractive. But the only problem with plaster is that it develops cracks as days pass. Cracks in plaster are developed mainly because of the moisture in the air, changing climate, wind forces, lumber shrinkage, etc. There are barely any methods to prevent the plaster from developing cracks, but you can repair or fix these with a little knowledge of how to fix plaster.
Plaster comes in many forms and with different brands. These are chemical compounds that prevent the walls from soaking the moisture present in the atmosphere. Durability of plaster depends on the quality of the plaster. Some plasters develop cracks earlier than the others. So, choose a good quality plaster so that it lasts longer.
Insulated plasters have thermal insulating properties that help in resisting heat. They can be fixed using direct bonding method. Foil backed plasters resists vapor or moisture and can be fixed using screws. It cannot be fixed using direct bond method. You will also get cement based products of plaster that are suitable for wet areas.
Before trying to fix the plaster you need to look for the following devices needed to fix a plaster.
Necessary equipment
- Plaster repairing compounds like plaster of Paris.
- Plasterers trowel
- Paintbrush or drill
- Scraper, plasterers float
- Sandpaper
- Primer
You will get all these equipment in building supply shops. When you are ready with these equipment you can start the process following few steps that are given below.
Steps to fix plaster
Step 1: Mix the plaster with some water or liquid compound given along with the plaster in a bowl using a paint brush. You will also get drills to mix plaster. These drills help in mixing plaster easily and properly. Prepare a semi solid compound or a paste that can be easily applied to the wall. Prepare appropriate amount of compound depending upon the size of the crack.
Step 2: When you are done with the mixing, start applying the compound using the plasterers trowel upon the crack. Apply carefully such that it is evenly toned with the wall and does not leave any bumps. Use a scrapper to pat the applied area so that it gets evenly toned. You can also use a plasterers float to tone the applied area
Step 3: Leave the applied area as it is until it dries completely. When it dries completely patch it slightly using a sand paper to examine whether the plaster is affixed properly.
Step 4: If you feel that the plaster is not applied properly for the first time you can repeat the above process once again such that the crack does not appear.
Step 5: At the end you can give a finishing touch to your work so that the wall is once again in its original form by applying primer and painting the wall.
If you are using plaster of Paris or any other compound you will find that its durability is less and cracks are developed in the plaster after a few months of repair. You need to try repairing these cracks every few months. However, it is a tedious job to fix the cracks every few months.
In this case you can try other compounds which are somewhat expensive than plaster but do not wear off easily. These compounds are fiberglass mesh tape and standard drywall paper tape. These compounds adhere firmly with the crack and tape at the same time and prevent it from cracks for a longer period. You can try these compounds for a more durable repair of cracks in the plaster.
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