eHow:How to Fix a Reappearing Crack in a Ceiling Read more: How to Fix a Reappearing Crack in a Ceiling

You can repair some ceiling cracks on your own.

Cracks in manufactured drywall or plasterboard panels are caused by movement in the wood framing, according to TV celebrity contractor Danny Lipford. This movement is caused by improperly dried lumber material or shifts in ambient weather. Filling in a ceiling crack with caulking or joint compound, then painting over it, won’t guarantee the crack won’t reappear with the next change in temperature. You’ll have to fix that crack more carefully for the repairs to last.

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Ladder
• Sandpaper
• Utility knife
• Damp rag or sponge
• Drywall screws
• Drywall joint compound
• 2 drywall knives (one 4 to 5 inches wide, another 10 to 12 inches wide)
• Drywall paper tape
• Drywall primer
• Wall paint
• Paintbrush or paint roller

1. • 1
     Use the ladder to reach the ceiling crack. With a utility knife, remove any loose material that might be inside or around the crack. Abrade the painted surface around the crack a bit with sandpaper. Wipe the whole spot with a damp rag to remove any dust or debris.
   • 2
     Check the area around the crack to determine whether or not that part of the drywall ceiling is firmly attached. If it's not, secure it further by driving drywall screws into the framing on each side of the crack.
   • 3
     With a drywall knife, apply a coat of drywall joint compound to the crack. Place a strip of paper drywall tape across the crack, embedding part of the tape into the wet joint compound. Let the patch dry.
   • 4
     Apply additional coats of the joint compound to the taped crack using the larger drywall knife. Spread this top compound layer flat across the whole crack and its immediate surrounding spots, to the same level as the rest of the ceiling. Let the compound dry.
   • 5
     When the top compound layer is dry, lightly sand down the whole spot where the crack was until it’s smooth. Use the damp rag to clean its surface of fine dust.
   • 6
     Apply drywall primer to the whole repaired spot and adjacent portions. Let the primer dry, then repaint the area with wall paint of your choice, preferably of the same hue as the rest of your ceiling.

Tips & Warnings

• This procedure assumes you have a plain drywall ceiling. If you have a textured ceiling, it will be tricky to match the original texture over the repaired area, but it’s worth a try. "This Old House" magazine recommends using an aerosol spray texture repair kit. After applying the joint compound, tape and primer, you can spray the colored texture on.
• Do not simply repair cracks in the ceiling if you see evidence of water seeping through it. This means your roof or your upstairs plumbing is leaking, and you need to call in professionals to repair it, along with your ceiling.

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