Plasterboard wall damage - 2 questions

Long post for simple questions. Sorry.

Q1.

Amongst the many little faults that we're noticing around our new (old) house is that the plaster is falling off some of the stud wall nails. The house is over 30 years old so I have no idea if it's suddenly just happening or it's an old problem that has been patched and is happening again.

If I push on the boards where I can see the plaster coming loose the board will give a little and the plaster will come off. Is this usually a case of the nails not being covered over properly in the first place or have the boards not been put up correctly?

I presume just patching it wont help as anyone hitting the wall will just cause the plaster to come off again. Will it be worth it to hammer some new nails into the parts of the wall that give? Or just knock the existing nails a bit further in?

Q2.

The plasterboard on the staircase had a whopping great hairline crack running along it when we moved in. I can't say if it was there when we viewed as it seems in hindsight we must've viewed the house with our eyes closed. However I think something (possibly a heavy mattress) has bashed the wall hard enough to cause cracking but no dents. The crack is both horizontal and vertical and seems to follow the staggered pattern of plasterboards.

Anyhoo, I think it might be a little bit of a bugger to fill but from things I've read about plasterboard walls one thing that pops up is taping the joints etc. If you don't tape them you'll get cracking in years to come etc. I presume that the boards weren't taped. Maybe they weren't supposed to be taped. However, if it's filled will there be a chance of the crack reapearring in a few years time. It's a canny size (comparable to the full length of the big boards you can get and then a foot or so up and down from it) to have to patch up every so often.

I say it's hairline but my other half is insisting it's getting bigger.

Cheers

Anth

Reply to
AnthB
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Replace the nails with screws. Screws are much better at holding the board to the wood to prevent movement. The nails can loosen over time, letting the boards move meaning the plaster caps ping off.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

happening

caused by either:

  1. using PB nails rather than screws
  2. using thin wood framing plus a plaster skim

probably 1 in your case

no, PB nails are junk, use screws. Be sure to sure plasterboard screws, not other types. Pick the black phosphated ones, as they wont rust and break the plaster, bright metal coloured ones sometimes do. Screwfix sell them.

wont help. the nails arent holding the board.

normal movement crack. to be expected if they were nailed, or if thin framework was used and they were skimmed.

I wouldnt presume that

of course.

bigger.

I'd fill it and see what happens, and it might be fine.

If it turns out later it keeps cracking up, you can either leave it be, paper over it, or replace all the plasterboard.

NT

Reply to
bigcat

Yes - but their PBscrews are junk as well. So are B&Q's. Wicke's ones are far better at holding the board in place and don't leave little metal splinters in your hand.

Reply to
Mike

Screwfix

Hmm, Ive found them fine. What are you screwing them into, and what problem are you getting? And what size you using?

NT

Reply to
bigcat

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