Restore the beauty of your
rooms by patching large
cracks in plaster walls.

About this Project

If your home has plaster walls, you can resign yourself to patching before every paint job. Harmless cracks will return with regularity no matter how often you fill them. Watch, though, for loose or crumbly cracks, holes, and bulges; these may mean you have a leak. If you have a leak, fix it before doing any work on the walls.

Too much or too little water in the original mix also weakens plaster. It's easier to use premixed materials for small repairs.

Drywall joint compound works easily into all but the finest cracks, smooths bumpy surfaces, and fills fairly deep holes in a couple of applications. Surfacing compound, available in powder, paste, or aerosol form, fills hairline cracks, holes left by picture hooks, and other small blemishes.

Patching plaster must be mixed with water, but it is stronger than surfacing or joint compound. Use it for broad cracks or big holes.