Banish annoying cracks

Have you got annoying cracks in your walls or ceiling that keep coming back no matter how many times you fill them? Here’s my method to repair them — so you can hopefully say goodbye to those pesky lines for good!

Step-by-step: How I Fill Cracks That Stay Filled

1. Open It Up

   Start by raking out any loose plaster from the crack. You actually want to widen it a little – this gives your filler something solid to grab onto rather than just sitting on the surface.

   
   

2. Seal the Base

   Apply a good-quality sealer like Peel Stop. This soaks into crumbly plaster and gives the filler a stable base to adhere to.

   
   

3. Use a Flexible Filler

   Opt for a flexible filler – it’s got tiny fibres in it, which makes it more forgiving than traditional filler and better able to handle future movement in your walls.

   

4. Let It Dry

   Give it 24–48 hours to dry thoroughly. Patience here really pays off!

   
   

5. Tape It Up

   Apply a thin strip of glass fibre tape directly over the crack using Peel Stop as your adhesive. This reinforces the area and helps prevent the crack from reappearing.

   

6. Dry Again

   Let the tape dry fully before moving on to the next layer.

   
   

7. Top with Standard Filler

   Now go over the tape with a layer of standard filler. Smooth it out as evenly as possible.

   

8. Wait for it…

   Yes, more drying time. Make sure it’s completely dry before you move on.

   
   

9. Sand Smooth

   Sand the area gently. The goal is a flawless finish – just be careful not to sand so much that you expose the tape underneath.

   
   

10. Prime

    Priming helps your topcoat stick evenly and avoids patchiness.

11. Paint as Usual

    Now it’s time to paint! Once your colour’s on, you’ll never know the crack was ever there.

And that’s it — job done! 😄