Plaster rescue??

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Hi, My builders have long since ridden of into the sunset leaving me with plastering that's developed lots of cracking, hairline and bigger. Worse still areas of plaster, some big like 3x4ft, are coming away from the plasterboard beneath (it's only the internal walls, not the brick ones).

The plasterer I had in to redo a particularly bad wall (a large/heavy section of landing wall almost falling down) said that the problem must be because no PVA was applied before plastering.

Not really wanting to replaster the whole flippin house again, and reading about the idea of making repairs to ceilings and shot plaster using PVA, I was thinking of repair. This would be something like drilling some holes, and injecting some PVA behind the coming away bits, and bracing it down somehow, sticking the plaster back. The cracks can then be repaired in the usual way. It might be a bit of experiment but it can't make it worse though.

Is this crackers? If not, should the PVA be diluted? Any tips on getting an even PVA cover underneath? Any way to help bits that haven't peeled off the plasterboard yet? Any general tips for sorting this out? Do you think it better to bite the bullet and get a replastering?

Cheers and thanks Ad

[Phil L]

I've never known plaster to come away from plasterboards under normal conditions, only ever on ceilings where there have been persistent leaks above and *eventually* the plaster blows.

Yes it can, forget it, plaster isn't flexible, so the first time you try to brace it, it will become a large, (wet and sticky) jigsaw puzzle.

Is the whole house dry lined / studding? How old is the house if this is the case? - if it's less than 10 - 12 years old it may be covered by NHBC, this is certainly not normal and it sounds like you need the whole thing plastered, attempting to patch it up when it's so bad is just making matters worse.

[Chris Bacon]

Oh dear.

It doesn't actually need PVA. Plasterboard was being skimmed before PVA was invented!

If you *do* try this, dilute the PVA with about five parts water, 'else it won't run in. However, it sounds as if you really ought to remove the loose material (which may turn out to be the lot) and get someone to skim it. A wallpaper stripping knife with the edge sharpened on wet'n'dry might ne a good tool, possibly with a steamer.

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

What! all the boards?

Contaminated plasterboards?

Sometimes cracks can be put down to... Foundation movement. Bad batch of plaster. Put on too thin and drying out too fast. Plastering over an existing wall where the old plaster is crumbly/dusty which will need bonding.

Start again. Sorry