After many years discovered ceiling hairline cracks along plasterboard joints!

MM

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Mar 8, 2012, 11:39:51 AM3/8/12

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In recent days I have been installing walk boards in the loft and had
to pull back the insulation to uncover the joists. Then it struck me
that the hairline cracks in the ceilings almost all follow the line of
where two plasterboards meet. You can see this easily from the loft
side of the ceiling.

I assume this is normal? House was built in 2004.

MM

The Natural Philosopher

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Mar 8, 2012, 11:52:25 AM3/8/12

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yep. no scrim tape probably

> MM

--
To people who know nothing, anything is possible.
To people who know too much, it is a sad fact
that they know how little is really possible -
and how hard it is to achieve it.

Tim Watts

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Mar 8, 2012, 1:23:21 PM3/8/12

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The Natural Philosopher wrote:

> MM wrote:
>> In recent days I have been installing walk boards in the loft and had
>> to pull back the insulation to uncover the joists. Then it struck me
>> that the hairline cracks in the ceilings almost all follow the line of
>> where two plasterboards meet. You can see this easily from the loft
>> side of the ceiling.
>>
>> I assume this is normal? House was built in 2004.
>>
>
> yep. no scrim tape probably
>
>> MM
>
>

Wot he said...

I have hairline cracks too. Wipe some decorators caulk in on the next
repaint. Then stop worrying as it is highly likely they'll come back -
perhaps a little reduced...

I don't really notice mine anymore.

Cheers,

Tim
--
Tim Watts

NT

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Mar 8, 2012, 1:08:29 PM3/8/12

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Yes.
http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?title=Fill

MM

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Mar 9, 2012, 4:31:32 AM3/9/12

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On Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:52:25 +0000, The Natural Philosopher
<t...@invalid.invalid> wrote:

>MM wrote:
>> In recent days I have been installing walk boards in the loft and had
>> to pull back the insulation to uncover the joists. Then it struck me
>> that the hairline cracks in the ceilings almost all follow the line of
>> where two plasterboards meet. You can see this easily from the loft
>> side of the ceiling.
>>
>> I assume this is normal? House was built in 2004.
>>
>
>yep. no scrim tape probably

What's the best way of repairing the hairlines for a *long lasting*
fix?

MM

MM

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Mar 9, 2012, 4:39:26 AM3/9/12

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On Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:23:21 +0000, Tim Watts <tw+u...@dionic.net>
wrote:

Just after I moved in the next door neighbour said the builder had
deliberately left the boiler running flat out 24/7 to dry out the
house. It was the last house on the estate and he had to sell it
before being permitted to relinquish control to the management company
and get Lincolnshire Highways Dept to assume responsibility for the
road and infrastructure. Had I known this beforehand I probably could
have shaved several thousands off the asking price.

Hints for buyers:

1. If you're moving completely out of your area,rent first, then
spend a few months surveying properties.

2. Do not buy a property with oil-fired central/hot water heating.

3. DO NOT buy a property that is not on mains drainage and shares a
communal private sewage treatment plant.

4. Don't believe a word the builder tells you. Mine told me the oil
tank would still have a massive quantity left in it. Day after I moved
in he called to remind me to buy oil urgently, as there was only about
a cupful left. At least this was when oil was "only" 27p a litre.

MM

Dave Liquorice

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Mar 9, 2012, 5:04:35 AM3/9/12

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On Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:39:26 +0000, MM wrote:

> Hints for buyers:
>
> 1. If you're moving completely out of your area,rent first, then
> spend a few months surveying properties.

Wise, if you can afford it.

> 2. Do not buy a property with oil-fired central/hot water heating.

Not a lot of option in many places. Oil is probably still preferable
to LPG or electric for space heating.

> 3. DO NOT buy a property that is not on mains drainage and shares a
> communal private sewage treatment plant.

Not a lot of option again for many places. The shared private
treatment plant does require a fair bit of investigation into who
owns it, who maintains it, who pays, is it up to EA spec etc etc.
Late fathers house was on shared private treatment the housing
association had been told by the EA that it needs to be improved,
bill of anything from £2k to £5k for each of the dozen or so
properties involved.

> 4. Don't believe a word the builder tells you. Mine told me the oil
> tank would still have a massive quantity left in it. Day after I moved
> in he called to remind me to buy oil urgently, as there was only about
> a cupful left. At least this was when oil was "only" 27p a litre.

Verbal contract... get the oil deduct the cost from the purchase
price.

Oil price, 17p/l when we moved in here 12 years ago. Low 60's p/l
now. B-(
--
Cheers
Dave.

Tim Watts

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Mar 9, 2012, 5:46:25 AM3/9/12

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Scrim tape the crack and reskim the ceiling.

Seriously - these hairlines are nearly impossible to totally fix - you can
hope to lessen it at best. It really is a case of "fix yourself" being
easier than "fix it".

Other options:

I tried paining PVA in the crack prior to painting - maybe helped a little -
about 1/2 the original hairline is back though.

"Flexible" ceiling paint advertised for hairline cracks - so idea if it
works - however, I did notice that some Dulux Bathroom grade emulsion did
something interesting: I have no architrave around the bathroom door yet and
painted up to the edge of the frame. A small lump (1x1") bit of plaster came
disloged next to the frame and has lifted about 2mm. The paint film over it
is however 100% intact like a plastic sheet. so I guess some paints may be
able to form a tough film. Whether it will stand a hairline crack in teh
celining is anyones guess...

--
Tim Watts

The Natural Philosopher

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Mar 9, 2012, 5:46:46 AM3/9/12

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These two are very important as they mean that you wont be buying any
properties in our village.

And we don't want swine like you here anyway.:-)

> 4. Don't believe a word the builder tells you. Mine told me the oil
> tank would still have a massive quantity left in it. Day after I moved
> in he called to remind me to buy oil urgently, as there was only about
> a cupful left. At least this was when oil was "only" 27p a litre.
>

Builder?

Jim K

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Mar 9, 2012, 4:52:12 PM3/9/12

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ISTR you glibly claiming there was no-one within miles of your multi chimneyed hovel? no wonder! what is this "village" you now speak of?

Jim K

NT

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Mar 9, 2012, 5:18:13 PM3/9/12

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I dont remember ever trying drilling holes and injecting plenty of
plaster behind the boards to stabilise it, then fill. If it did, lot
easier than skimming.

NT

NT

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Mar 9, 2012, 5:19:49 PM3/9/12

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PS similar things are established practice with lime ceilings.

NT

The Natural Philosopher

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Mar 9, 2012, 7:05:19 PM3/9/12

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A very strange place, with small clusters of houses that essentially are
developments of 19th century small holdings..

MINE was a cowshed and a dairy apparently. No one for 250 yards along
the road, no one for 2 miles across the fields.

> Jim K