Why does plaster crack?
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Plaster is common in Australian homes, and so are plaster cracks. But why are there cracks and are they serious?
- Lumbar shrinkage - wood is like a sponge and expands and contracts, whereas plaster is stable and will wear and crack over time.
- Seasonal moisture related changes exacerbate the lumbar shrinkage.
- Wind, especially wind from a specific direction on a regular basis, although rare this can create additional strain.
- Foundation movement or soil movement under stumps
- Excessive loading (internally, from cupboards or heavy wall furnishings, or externally from addition weight from an extension, heavy roof etc)
- Rotten stumps or sinkage
Restumping is a also major cause and solution for plaster cracks. Initially there will be cracks in the plaster caused by soil movement, rotting stumps etc. Restumping your house moves the house back to the structure it was originally - so although you'd imagine that the cracks would mainly disappear, sometimes the movement and resettling that the house does can be even more damaging.
Most cracks in plaster aren't serious, but if you're worried about fixing the cracks for the rest of your life or that the cracks indicate that your house is actually unstable, get a builder to check it out for you.
Plastering Quotes
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