How to Restore Cracked Walls

Cracks in your home's walls are unsightly, and can diminish the look and feel of the room. Some cracks may be the result of accidents, while others may simply appear over time as the paint or finish of the wall hardens and splits. Walls constructed of drywall material can usually be repaired in a single afternoon. If you notice cracks in a concrete or cinder block wall, you need to call a engineer or building inspector to ensure there are no structural issues with your home.

Utility knife
Masking tape
Crack filler
Paper tape
Joint compound
Taping blade
Sandpaper
Paint
Paintbrush

Instructions

- 1
  Cover any woodworking near the crack with masking tape. This will prevent any damage in case you cut too far along the wall.
- 2
  Cut a V-shaped notch along the entire length of the crack with a utility knife. Cut the notch from 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch deep. Scrape out any wall material with the edge of the knife blade.
- 3
  Fill in the crack with crack filler if any part of it is more than 1/4 inch deep. Apply enough crack filler until it is level with the surface of the wall. Allow the crack filler to dry.
- 4
  Apply drywall tape to the cracked area on the wall. Use the edge of a taping blade to coat the paper tape. Press down and across the edge of the tape to squeeze out any excess joint compound underneath.
- 5
  Apply a layer of joint compound over the top of the tape. Smooth and even out the area with your taping blade. Allow to dry.
- 6
  Apply two more coats of joint compound over the area. Smooth it out with the taping blade so that the compound overlaps the cracked area by 6 or 7 inches. Allow to dry.
- 7
  Sand the compound until it is smooth. When sanding, don't sand down to the tape layer.
- 8
  Paint the area with paint that matches the rest of the wall.

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