Finishing a new wall or room with plaster or joint compound takes practice. If you have no experience with plaster or its near relative, joint compound, don’t learn in your living room. Experiment ...

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 ...

Repairing a plaster ceiling with plaster is the best way to maintain an older home’s integrity. Step 1: Plastering is a messy job. Prepare the work space by removing furniture and covering everything ...

Most DIYers should not attempt plastering but they can patch plaster, even over large areas. Plaster repair comes ready-mixed in a tub and is easier to apply and smooth out than normal plaster. If the ...

You say you’ve stopped napping on the sofa because of that ominous-looking crack in the ceiling? You can’t take down that 20-year-old paint-by-number sunset in the dining room because of the gaping ...

You’re proudly hanging your first picture on your new home’s antique plaster walls. A few minutes later, it’s no longer ...

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 ...

Before you do any plaster patching, rid the rooms of any residual lead. If you try to vacuum up chips or dust, you must use a special HEPA filter-equipped vacuum cleaner. Some tool rental stores rent ...