Remember, plaster is the canary in the coal mine and these are just some of the most common plaster problems. Use the steps in my post How To: Repair Plaster Walls to get things stabilized again. If you see bulges in your wall or ceiling and the plaster can be pushed back up against the wall, then it’s time to reattach that section of plaster. Just like delaminating cracks, bulging plaster looks exactly the same, except this time there aren’t cracks in the surface. I have seen a plaster wall come completely loose of the lath and bulge out about 4 inches from the wall without falling or even cracking! It’s not just cracks that mean plaster has come loose of its lath. Water and plaster are not a good combination, so find the source of the leak first and do everything you can to stop the water. If not repaired soon, the damage will just continue and you run the risk of developing mold in the affected area. Use the steps in my post How To: Patch Plaster to repair the damaged sections. You may reach this stage without any noticeable water stains, but when this happens, a portion of the plaster will have to be removed and patched. ![]() Once the water damage becomes severe, then the plaster will begin bubbling and bulging. You need to find the leak and seal it up before things get worse. The easy way to solve them is with a stain blocking primer, but that won’t do anything to resolve the water issue. Brown water stains will begin to show up soon after a leak begins. This is the early signs of water damage to plaster. If you see this kind of crack, call a professional, especially if they are new and growing.ĭiscolored Plaster Discolored Water Stained Plaster A group of cracks converging in one direction are often signs of settling. Yes, you’ll want to patch and fill these cracks, but address the bigger issue of foundation problems first. Photo Credit: //Settlement Cracks – If a part of the house is sagging, you may find converging cracks running across your plaster walls. You can use the video tutorial to learn how to reattach the plaster and prevent further damage. You may see multiple cracks or bulges running parallel on the ceiling like in the picture, which is a sure sign of plaster pulling away from the lath. The cracks often run parallel to the lath (horizontally on walls and lengthwise on ceilings). When plaster begins to pull away from the lath, there is a chance it may fall away from the wall or ceiling and come crashing down. These show up on both ceilings and walls, but can be the most dangerous on ceilings. It doesn’t matter which way they are running either, vertical, horizontal, or diagonal, these are the most benign of all the cracks, and unless they are growing or you really can’t stand the sight of them, there is no reason to mess with them.ĭelaminating Cracks – These cracks are a sign of plaster pulling away from the lath behind it. Hairline Cracks – These cracks are small enough that you can barely fit a fingernail in them.How do you know the difference? Hairline Cracks ![]() Sometimes they are a warning sign, but other times they’re just like wrinkles on our faces that appear with age. The good news is that cracks in your plaster don’t necessarily mean trouble. This is probably the most common problem people notice with their old plaster walls. So, knowing how to diagnose plaster problems will help you solve little problems before they become big ones. If there is a problem brewing, it will likely show up first in the plaster. Plaster is often like the canary in the coal mine. In this post, I’ll show you how to diagnose the most common plaster problems and what they mean. Your plaster can tell you a ton about issues that may be developing around your house if you know how to listen to what it is saying. After a century or so, plaster walls and ceilings can develop a variety of problems from neglect or abuse.
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