How to fix cracks in ceilings and walls - Catansus Painters
If you’ve lived in your house for a while, you’ve probably noticed small cracks along ceilings or walls. It’s one of the most common things I see in homes around Dublin, and most of the time, it’s nothing dramatic. Houses move. Between the Irish weather, damp winters, and changes in temperature, plaster expands and contracts. Add in a bit of settling from when the house was built, or even a rushed plastering job years ago, and cracks are bound to appear. Clients often worry that they mean something serious, but usually they’re just cosmetic. Still, nobody likes to look at them, and if you want the walls and ceilings to feel fresh again, they need to be repaired properly, not just covered over.
The mistake I see all the time is people grabbing some cheap filler, wiping it over the crack, painting on top, and calling it done. It looks fine for a few weeks, but by the time Christmas comes around, the crack is back. What really matters is the prep. I always start by scraping back loose paint or plaster, opening the crack slightly so the filler can grip, and brushing out all the dust. It takes a few minutes, but it’s what makes the repair last. On a recent job in Rathmines, the client had already painted over a ceiling crack three times; when I opened it up properly, I found the plaster underneath had never been sealed. After sanding, cleaning, and priming, we refilled it and it’s holding perfectly now.
As for what to use, there are fillers, and then there are fillers. The brands I trust are Toupret TX110 and Gyproc EasyFill – both work well and are easy to sand smooth. For very fine hairline cracks that tend to move with the house, I’ll often use a flexible caulk instead, because it has a bit of give. The cheap tubs from the DIY store? They might save a few euro, but they’ll only frustrate you when the crack reappears.
Once the filler goes in, patience is key. I press it firmly with a filling knife, leave it to dry completely, then sand it lightly before adding a second thin coat if needed. Skipping this step is where most people go wrong. If you paint straight over filler that hasn’t dried or hasn’t been primed, the repair will show through. I always prime the area before painting and then apply two full coats of emulsion, cutting in carefully so the patch blends with the rest of the wall. By the time the job is finished, you shouldn’t be able to tell there was ever a crack there.
Cracks along skirting boards, corners, or around windows can be a bit trickier, especially if the surfaces shift slightly with temperature changes. That’s when a flexible filler or caulk really makes a difference. I remember one house in Clonskeagh where the skirting had opened up along the entire hallway. The client thought the boards were faulty, but really it just needed a proper flexible seal, repainted with a good quality finish, and the line has stayed tight ever since.
In the end, fixing cracks isn’t about magic products – it’s about taking the time to prepare surfaces and use the right materials. It’s slow, careful work, but that’s what gives you a result that lasts. Small cracks are nothing to panic about, but they can make a home feel tired and neglected. When they’re dealt with properly, the difference is huge.
So if you’re trying it yourself, take your time with prep and invest in the right filler. And if you’d rather not climb ladders or mess around with sanding dust, call in a tradesman who does this every day. Sometimes having someone who knows the process saves you the stress.
P.S
Painting isn’t just about colour – it’s about patience and the little details. Get those right, and your walls will look fresh for years, not weeks.
And if you ever feel it’s more than you’d like to take on yourself, there’s no shame in calling a professional. The peace of mind of knowing the job’s done properly is worth more than another tin of paint.
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