How to Hide Plaster Cracks

The movement caused by the natural settling in houses often causes cracks in various places in the plaster walls. This is a relatively common problem, especially in older homes, and while it's unsightly and annoying, it is one that you can fix even if you have only minimal drywall skills. With joint compound, you can easily hide cracks in the laster to create an attractive, like-new appearance on any wall inside your home.

Stiff bristle brush
Flexible drywall taping knife
Drywall mud pan
Joint compound
Fiberglass tape
Drywall sanding block

Instructions

- 1
  Remove all loose particles of plaster around the crack. Rub your hand or a stiff bristle brush over the crack and the particles will fall off.
- 2
  Mix up joint compound and fill in the crack completely using a flexible drywall taping knife.
- 3
  Tape over the crack using the fiberglass tape. This will create a slightly flexible covering for the crack and protect the joint compound applied in the above step.
- 4
  Apply a 1/16-inch thick layer of joint compound over the tape. Use the flexible drywall taping knife to create a smooth finish on the coating. Allow joint compound to dry half way, and apply a second coating.
- 5
  Sand the surface to a smooth finish once the joint compound is completely dry. Apply an additional layer if necessary and sand to a smooth finish once dried. Paint the repaired area using a paint color that matches the wall.

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