House Hairline Cracks

spluff · 22 May 2019 at 10:57

Hi all,

Just moving in to a house - it was built early 80s.

When viewing we didnt notice hairline cracks on ceiling and some walls but on closer inspection I can see them in most rooms on both floors.

Checked outside and there is no cracking. All doors and windows open and close fine.

I am just wondering what do you think and if there could be any serious issues with house. (a mate who is handy with DIY had a look and said its nothing to worry about and can be normal on old houses with plasterboard joins etc)

Thanks
SpLuFF

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PiKe · 22 May 2019 at 11:06

Did you not get a survey done?

koolpc · 22 May 2019 at 11:06

Not enough pics. You need to post more!

spluff · 22 May 2019 at 11:10

Got a house valuation survey with bank. The last one we got he was useless so didn’t bother this time.

Yeah I should have more photos

cheesyboy · 22 May 2019 at 11:25

Looks pretty normal to me. Plaster tends to crack a bit as it gets older, especially where it's shaken about a bit like on ceilings.

spluff said:
Got a house valuation survey with bank. The last one we got he was useless so didn’t bother this time.

Exactly the same for us. Total waste of money first time around.

Felix · 22 May 2019 at 12:16

Looks like the joints between plasterboard sheets.

chroniclard · 22 May 2019 at 12:26

Just fill them, paint them, move on.

Dis86 · 22 May 2019 at 12:29

I wouldn't be worried. Looks like standard old movement, shrinkage and joints.

GravyMonster · 22 May 2019 at 12:40

Seems like standard ground heave and/or drying plaster. I wouldn't about it - especially those above the door frames. I would monitor it though to make sure they aren't growing. If there's any cracks which are 2mm or more then there may be underlying movement.

spluff · 22 May 2019 at 13:11

cheers guys - feel a bit calmer.

The worst ones are in the large open hallway and landing upstairs..... upstairs landing has 3 cracks (in T shape originating from a light...…. one end going to attic hatch, other 2 to walls across top of ceiling about 1.8m length crack)

psd99 · 22 May 2019 at 13:12

that looks quite normal
most properties move so just prob needs a bit of filler and repaint it

Beerbaron · 22 May 2019 at 13:14

My house was built ~1906 and i didn't notice any cracks when i originally viewed it

I can see a fair few now but then it hadn't been decorated for a long time previously.

a1ex2001 · 22 May 2019 at 14:50

Beerbaron said:
My house was built ~1906 and i didn't notice any cracks when i originally viewed it I can see a fair few now but then it hadn't been decorated for a long time previously.

Modern decorating trends really don’t help in the good old days some nice thick embossed wall paper would have hidden the lot smooth modern plaster hides nothing!

Raymond Lin · 22 May 2019 at 15:01

If you see a crack OUTSIDE on the corner of the window and it goes vertically, then you should get it looked at.

That looks fine, looks like simply shrinking of plaster due to moisture.

spluff · 22 May 2019 at 15:35

There is no cracking outside - the bricks and mortar look in very good condition.

I was just worried because there is some kind of cracking in about 7 rooms, hallway and landing.

The one in the hallway is really noticeable - I can’t believe I would have missed it as I was looking at wall condition. That was 8 weeks ago

Dis86 · 22 May 2019 at 20:00

@spluff it may well have been replastered fairly recently hence them only showing now.

flea.rider · 22 May 2019 at 22:18

yeah looks like new plaster .. prob had it skimmed a few months ago .. takes a while to dry .. just fill and paint or just paper over it ..
now if the ceilings start to crack .. you have to look at why

Maccapacca · 22 May 2019 at 22:25

Looks like my old house 80s timber frame brick clad cracks all over the place.

Stuff like cracks over a door is because they use three pieces of plasterboard one each side and one over the top. Can't do that now whole piece with a door size hole in it.

spluff · 23 May 2019 at 05:54

flea.rider said:
yeah looks like new plaster .. prob had it skimmed a few months ago .. takes a while to dry .. just fill and paint or just paper over it ..
now if the ceilings start to crack .. you have to look at why

The cracks are mostly on ceilings

Matthew.M · 23 May 2019 at 06:08

As above comments, they just look like expansion and contraction around joins etc.

When I had a more detailed survey on a house the surveyor told me he would only worry about internal cracks you can fit a pound coin into. Anything else is normal shrinkage and can be decorated over.

House Hairline Cracks

Tea Drinker