A repair in a plaster ceiling
or wall should be invisible.
No one should be
able to notice the repair
after the final finish of
paint, texture, or wallpaper
is applied. And this
should hold true for 20 or
30 years afterwards. That's
the goal.
All too often, however,
a splendid renovation is
spoiled shortly after completion
when hairline
cracks return, or a fissure
opens up where new work
joins the old.
Hairline cracks in old
plaster require more than
the painter forcing in some
spackling paste and sanding
until smooth. And
joining new drywall to
existing plaster requires
more than taping with
gypsum-based joint compounds.
In this article I'll
describe the basic techniques
I use to repair old plaster
and patch in new work. I won't
treat ornamental plaster,