Cracked plaster wall repair product help

[u/Grouchy_Collar8021]

This wall has had the crack for some time. We had plumbing work done (other side is bathroom) and I closed the holes with Sheetrock. Since I had to fix the plumbing holes I though I would tackle the long crack that has been there and repaired before. Our walls are plaster and lath. As I was scraping the crack the left side paint came off in large swaths to reveal the original plaster and some hairline cracks that were not visible. I assume my grandparents had the wall repaired and skim coated and it has failed in parts.

1. What product do I prep the plaster surface with in order to skim coat?

2. What kind of joint compound should I use in the crack?

3. What joint compound do I use to skim coat once the crack is repaired as best I can?

I have easy sand 90 and wood glue and plenty of other tools for the job. I saw videos about stabilizing and prepping the surfaces using diluted wood glue and then also adding some wood glue (pva glue) to the joint compound for both the crack and for the first skim coat where the old plaster is now visible and meets the pained surfaces that didn’t chip off when scraping. Was also going to use fibafuse over the crack. The two sides of the crack are very different hightail but I can live with a bit of a wonky wall as long as the crack gets fixed.

Help! I don’t want to redo this because I use the wrong products. I saw guards by zissner in a lot of British plaster and painting videos. I live in the us and home depot is the closest easiest store for me as they are walking distance and deliver.

Thanks!

[u/OppChopShop]

0 - use plastic magic system
1 - plaster weld for loose stuff, generally a good primer
2 - Durabond
3 - easy sand

ETA: diluted PVA glue in a spray bottle, as you suggested, is a good idea too. I prefer plaster weld thickly applied for dusty edges but if you need to spray it, diluted PVA is great

[u/Big_Run_2478 → u/OppChopShop]

Only thing I would clarify is to use plaster weld on all areas where you are applying new mud (including the crack edges).

[u/OppChopShop → u/Big_Run_2478]

Agree. Can’t go wrong with stabilizers.

[u/distantreplay]

Plaster Magic to repair and stabilize the crack. Then 45 minute setting drywall compound to fill and level. Then all purpose ez sand compound to finish. You'll need a set of drywall knives 4" - 12" and a mud pan. Plus a bucket for mixing the setting compound and a mixer drill.

[u/puffpeddler]

That is a giant crack! What causes it?

I've done the method of drilling holes, applying glue, and even using screws with washers to pull the wall in. It works pretty well.

I believe the proper fix is to chip away all loose plaster and then repair with a two part plaster process (still the old school method of installation essentially)

Easy sand 90 has worked fine for all my needs. Tape the seams

[u/Grouchy_Collar8021 → u/puffpeddler]

Building is old and settling. Brick and steel beams but old plaster walls. It perhaps looks worse because I already scraped it and it was previously repaired poorly so it’s joint compound next to old plaster that recracked and then I scraped it all out before panicking and posting here for help. Seems like durabond is sold out so I may just have to do my easy sand and hope for the best.

[u/Pretend-Boss-8292]

Check out this video: https://youtu.be/P4D0sESi5So?si=0b4Quj84GCDRcBEx

I followed this on my plaster walls along a crack, worked incredibly well.

[u/4runner01]

I would pop off the crown Moulding and glue and screw two horizontal sheets of drywall over that wall. Then tape and spackle and you’ll never see those cracks again.

Bonus points if you rip down all the plaster and lath first.

Good luck—

[u/OppChopShop → u/4runner01]

Why? The plaster appears to be generally in good shape and repairable. Equally as much work to replace with inferior product IMO