Cracking paint can be caused by many issues, such as damp, new plaster and cheap paints. If you have recently painted your walls and ceiling and noticed cracks appearing in the corners and across your walls then there is an underlying issue.
Cracking paint will likely point to new plaster or old plaster sucking the moisture from your paint making it crack.
Using a good emulsion paint that is flexible will help with cracks due to movement, new houses move more than old ones.
What Causes Paint Cracks?
To repair the cracks in your painting you must first discover why your paint has started to crack. Here are some common causes of paint cracks:
- New/old plaster
- Rising damp issues
- Cheap/inferior paints
How To Repair Paint Cracks?
If you have not primed your wall ready for emulsion then the chances are you will see cracks.
These cracks will eventually turn to paint peeling away and you will have re-paint your walls to make them look presentable.
- Scrape any cracked paint away
- Sand the area to make it flush
- Apply a primer 1/2 PVA and 1/2 water
- Apply this solution to the affected areas
- Leave it to dry and re-paint
Priming your walls before painting is a must for crack-free walls.
This cheap but very effective primer seals your plaster so it does not prematurely absorb the moisture from your paint making it brittle and crack.
Issues With Rising Damp
If you have issues with rising damp then this will also make the paint fail. You must rectify the rising damp before painting.
Once your wall has dried out and you are ready to re-paint then apply the primer mentioned earlier.
Once the PVA primer has dried apply your paint and you will not see any cracks once you apply your primer and stopped the rising damp.
Inferior Emulsion Paints
There are hundreds of different brands of emulsions some are great but many are so watered down you end up applying 5/6 coats of paint to make it presentable.
It pays to use a premium emulsion paint that’s flexible, lasts the test of time and is nice and thick.
We recommend you to check out the best emulsion paints we use on every job.
Conclusion – Cracking Paints
Cracking paint is a common occurrence because most DIY enthusiasts do not prime their walls before painting.
The 1/2 PVA and water is the best, but also the cheapest option when it comes to priming your walls.
It seals old and new plastered walls which creates a barrier to avoid your emulsion paint failing.
Happy Painting 😉