Get matched with top plaster repair specialists in Bernie, MO

Your walls are likely cracking due to fluctuations in the temperature outside. Drywall tends to expand and contract when temperatures and humidity levels change, and this repeated movement can lead to cracks in your walls, particularly around door frames. If you have multiple diagonal cracks, you may want to have your foundation inspected, as cracks can also be a sign of a bigger issue.

If your home was built before the 1940s and was not remodeled in the past 50 or so years, you probably have plaster walls. Aside from assuming, there are some practical ways to tell if you have plaster walls, including the following: If you knock on the wall and it feels solid, not hollow, if you can’t insert a thumbtack easily, if there are cracks that look like spiderwebs, or if your home has curved, arched, or swirled walls, doorways, or window openings.

If you have an unfinished basement or attic, you could examine the backs of any finished walls to check, too.

Heat can help plaster dry faster, but it's very easy to get too much of a good thing. When exposed to high heat during the curing process, plaster can dry out too quickly, leading to cracks and affecting the material's integrity. The recommended drying temperature should be listed on the plaster's packaging. If possible, set the thermostat in the room to that temperature, but not any higher.

It’s not a good idea to plaster over broken plaster (unless by broken you’re referring to cracked, in which case that’s perfectly fine). However, broken plaster can be a sign of a larger underlying issue like foundation damage or severe damage to the lath holding up the plaster, so it’s worth investigating before you simply plaster on top of the damage.