Walls and ceilings

Hairline cracks in new plaster are usually shrinkage and fill easily. In older houses, cracks where wall meets ceiling often reopen with seasonal movement, so they are filled with a flexible filler or caulk rather than a rigid one. Hollow plaster is found by tapping and repaired before decorating. Cracks that are wide, stepped, tapered or growing may point to structural movement; we will show you and suggest a surveyor or structural engineer looks at them first.

On sound but tired plaster — crazed, patched or slightly uneven — lining paper gives paint a more consistent surface. For a painted finish it is usually hung vertically, with joins butted and filled; under wallpaper it is cross-lined horizontally so its joins never coincide with those of the paper. Lining is not a cure for loose or damp plaster, which must be repaired first.

Decades of repainting fill the detail of old plasterwork. Where soft distemper is present — powdery, and coming away on a damp cloth — it can often be washed off with warm water and patience, restoring the definition of the moulding; new paint will not hold reliably over it. Cornices are cut in by hand, and the line where wall meets cornice is kept straight even where the plaster is not. Repairs to damaged sections are covered under surface restoration.

Ceilings are usually flat matt. For walls, the data sheet often gives a wet scrub class under BS EN 13300 — Class 1 is the most resistant — which is a more reliable guide than the word “washable” on a tin. Our note on how to clean painted walls covers looking after the result.