Q. How important is it to repair plaster before repainting? Our ceilings have peeling paint that we’re pretty sure was caused by past water damage. Since the water problem is no longer an issue, can ...

A crack in a plaster wall can look intimidating, and even be a cause for concern. While the sudden appearance of a crack in a previously pristine wall should always be approached with caution, they ...

Q Our plaster ceilings are cracked in a couple of places in different rooms of our house. What does that mean, and how do we fix it? AWell, it probably doesn’t mean much. Plaster is brittle, and what ...

Dear James: I have an old house with plaster walls and many cracks that need to be repaired. How can I fix these so they stay fixed and are invisible? — Julianne T. Dear Julianne: Many older houses ...

Q. I have a problem with a crack in the ceiling that widens in the summer and closes up in the winter, although it is still visible. The crack is slightly larger than what I would call a hairline ...

Q. I live in a condo (built around 1952) with radiant heat in the ceilings. Unfortunately, the builders didn’t give much thought as to how high to place the pipes above the ceilings. Over the past ...

Q. We're buying a house that is probably close to 100 years old. It has been vacant for the past several years and needs a good amount of cleaning up and fixing up. One thing we're concerned about is ...

A: It depends on the type and size of the crack. Hairline cracks take only a little patching plaster. Larger cracks require reinforcement with mesh tape. Cracks larger still, where the plaster keys ...

Dear Angie: How important is it to repair plaster before repainting? Our ceilings have peeling paint that we’re pretty sure was caused by past water damage. Since the water problem is no longer an ...