How to Caulk a Ceiling Crack

Ceiling cracks are unsightly, and repairing such cracks are a necessary step prior to painting. Caulk is a superior patching material for fixing such cracks when compared to spackling paste, mostly because caulk remains flexible while spackle is brittle, so caulk won't crack if the ceiling expands and it contracts with changes in temperature and humidity. Working on a crack in the ceiling slightly complicates the repair job, but otherwise the procedure is similar to mending a crack in a wall.

Stepladder
Soft bristle brush
Rags
Caulking gun
Tube of painter's caulk
Knife or box cutter
Putty knife

Instructions

- 1
  Place a stepladder underneath the ceiling crack. Step up and brush the crack with a soft-bristle brush to knock off any crumbling bits of plaster or drywall. Wipe down the area around the crack to remove any dust or dirt (dust clings even to ceilings) with a damp rag. Allow the area around the crack to dry before applying any caulk.
- 2
  Insert a tube of painter's caulk into your caulking gun, push the plunger down to the base of the caulking tube, and release the trigger spring. Cut off the tip of the tube nozzle at a 45-degree angle and at a point where the width of the nozzle will match the average width of the crack.
- 3
  Step back up onto the ladder. Fill the crack with caulk using steady, even pressure from the trigger and slowly drawing the nozzle of the tube down the crack.
- 4
  Draw a putty knife gently across the crack to smooth the caulk out and remove excess caulk. Allow the caulk to harden.

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