cracks

[tania]

hi, I've just taken some artex off around my french doors in dining room from around the recess off the doors which comes out about 200mm,I've discovered a 2mm wide crack that goes all the way through which is a about 800mm long with other fine cracks on the side off the recess, the french doors had replace some wooden frame windows about 14 years ago before i brought the house.,the house was built in the late 60's basically what can i do about this problem please bear in mind when you answer my question that I'm just Miss Joe just having a go! LOL Thank you in advance

[Brian Reay]

I assume you mean cracks / gaps around the door frame, between it and wall?

First I'd check that the frame is securely held to the wall- does in move more that a tiny bit of you push it? If so, use some "frame fixings" to secure (any of the DIY sheds will have these and they have instructions on the packet).

Once you are sure the frame is secure, for a 2mm crack I'd use frame sealant (DIY shed - eg B&Q) again. This also comes with instructions. If you can't get a neat finish with this (it takes a knack, and I don't have it), use the sealant to seal around the frame and buy some of the frame sealant on a roll to give a neat finish.

HTH

--

73 Brian

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

These french doors are they leading out to the garden/yard?

Or are they seperating the dining room from the living room?

On both cases if the crack can be seen on both sides of the wall this could amount to a structural problem ie the lintel above the french doors,possibly why it was artexed in the first placed to hide the damage?

[noelogara]

fill the crack with a decorators caulk and you can paint over it if you smooth it correctly. If not you can paper or artex over the flaw just as the previous owner did. Its not serious and nothing to be alarmed about.

[Roger Mills]

This sounds like the gap which you often get with replacement doors and windows, where the new frame doesn't go right up to the original plaster.

If this is the case, you could probably fill it with decorators' caulk, applied with a sealant gun. However, you'd get a better job by chopping out a bit more of the plaster - making a gap of about 1/4" wide - and filling it with Pollyfilla or similar.

[millie]

firstly thank you for your advice so quickly.the french doors do lead to the back garden.there are no cracks on the external wall the crack is directly in the middle of the external and inner wall,so as i understand from your kind advice i use decorators caulk to pollyfilla. thank you again

[millie]

i use decorators caulk or pollyfilla.and its nothing to worry about thank you again

[The Medway Handyman]

I'd prefer the Pollyfiller option, caulk can be a bugger to sand down.

[noelogara]

The Medway Handyman wrote: > I'd prefer the Pollyfiller option, caulk can be a bugger to sand down.

I agree with that but there are some brands that are lovely to work with. I have used some terrible ones also so I know what you mean. shop around with other brands.

[The Medway Handyman]

Could you name a lovely one?

[noelogara]

The Medway Handyman wrote: >

sorry I just cant remember the name and I have none left. Its a green label and is quite a bit bigger than the standard size with a bigger screwtop and its cheaper also. I'll tell you later when I pick up a few tubes in a day or so.

[somebody]

I'd "sort of" agree. Caulk *can* be like rubber and impossible to work with the final, cured product.

OTOH it is far less likely to crack.

I found out the hard way, but now I only use Unibond products (yes for everything, tiling, grouting, caulking, "no more nails" type stuff etc etc).

It does cost a bit more, and doing a single little job with it I can't say you'd ever even think about the difference. But when you use the branded versus unbranded back to back, well yes, there is no contest[1].

Hth

Someone

[1]I'm sure this doesn't apply to all products, some "noname/rebranded" are actually original product. In my limited experience though, many aren't.

[millie]

thanks again for all your advice,i,ll shall try somekind off pollyfilla i cant tell you how worried i was about this crack but thanks to your advice it has settled my worries thanks again mills

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

This one?