Cracked lime ceilings

[Adam]

Hello all

I have stripped polystyrine tiles from the ceilings of my 1837 semi to find the original ceilings in good condition but with some hairline cracks.

I can think of three solutions but was wondering what people thought of the merits and drawbacks of each:

-Fill the cracks with lime (would any filla do the job?)

-Limewash to fill the cracks (Ive heard this also strenghtens the ceiling)

-Re-skim with lime

Any thoughts would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Adam

 

[Gervase]

If you've just got hairline cracks and the old plaster is still firmly on the laths, then reskimming is going to be expensive and unnecessary. Limewash is the best way to deal with the cracks - but it does mean that you won't then be able to slap any old paint on top (which, in itself, is no bad thing!). However, given that limewash can be made in a huge variety of shades, ther shouldn't really be any problem.

 

[Adam]

Ok, sounds the easiest, and Im not bothered about having to use it in perpetuity, however, the chimney breat recesses are done in in gypsum and I rather would have like to have limewashed down to picture rail. I have heard that limewash wont copver the gypsum very well and that its likely I may have two darker patches where this is the case. Is this correct?

Ive heard that distemper gives a good period finish but, I presume, without the benefits of filing the cracks and strengthening the ceiling?

Also, I assume that, if I wont be able to use other paint over limewash on the ceilings that same is true of the old limewash on the walls? Rather hope not as limewashed walls just wont work in our house with 2 small kids and 3 large dogs who run round fields for an hour every morning (just the dogs that is).

 

[Carol]

We used Nigel Watts excellent advice some time ago and used distemper on our ceiling's hairline cracks. Using a thickish casein distemper filled them invisibly and completely and the cracks haven't (so far!) re-opened with the house movement. Compared to the two cracks I polyfillered as a trial run which lasted less than six months before bursting open again. Casein will also cover gypsum without too much colour/texture difference. But it has a short shelf life and can pong horribly beyond that (see another thread!)

 

[Lime]

Im not bothered about having to use it in perpetuity

However if you were interested in a lasting solution then raking out the hairline cracks back to the laths and then forcing a lime (or polyfilla) plaster in to fill the raking. Remember if you do this to wet the raking first to get a good key on the old ceiling plaster.

 

[Adam]

Hi Lime

Were you going on to say this is the best solution? Sorry you seems to stop mid-sentence.

Why rake back to lathes, can a filler not simply be applied to the crack? Is this because the base coat (float??) has cracked therefors needs to be repaired and that the crack is merely a syptom of this that will continue to re-occur?

Cheers for the replys

Adam

 

[Adam]

Hi Carol

Sounds great except for the pong part. Does this mean I have to keep applying to stop my house stinking?

Adam

 

[Lime]

Hi Lime

Were you going on to say this is the best solution? Sorry you seems to stop mid-sentence.

Why rake back to lathes, can a filler not simply be applied to the crack? Is this because the base coat (float??) has cracked therefors needs to be repaired and that the crack is merely a syptom of this that will continue to re-occur?

Cheers for the replys

Adam

You are quite right. My excuse is that I had the builders in again and they need nursemaiding all the time. (I can't believe what thay do sometimes!)

Yes, I was going to say it is a more permanent solution.
The trouble with covering the crack is that the covering material directly over the crack is very thin and has little strength. Raking out is a better way because the material in the crack has much more body to it.
Wetting the raked out area allows the plaster/filler to adhere well to the ceiling.
Pushing the filler into the laths allow it to give more stability to the crack and support the ceiling too.

 

[Carol]

re. the pong!

I foolishly used the remains of an old (more than a year!) opened tin to touch in a chimney breast after we had a jackdaw down the chimney The smell became increasingly awful as it dried and stayed for ages until I scrubbed and disinfected the wall and repainted with fresh paint. Very small print on can says use within twelve weeks! However, the fresh stuff doesn't smell at all once its dry and casein distemper is very easy to use and covers better than limewash.

 

[NT]

Sounds like a real mountain is getting made out of a molehill. Any type of lime based paint will cause hairline cracks to disappear. Distemper, limewash, they all work. Your ceiling doesnt need strngthening, theres no reason to rake out hte cracks etc. Paint it and move on.


NT