Dear James: I have an old house with plaster walls and many cracks that need to be repaired. How can I fix these so they stay fixed and are invisible?—Julianne T.
Dear Julianne: Many older houses were built before drywall panels existed, so plaster was one of the few interior wall options. Since your house obviously is old, it has probably settled as much as it ever will, and the repaired cracks should not crack again.
Even with some cracks, plaster is still my preferred wall surface. It is a harder surface and resists water much better than drywall. This makes it more washable and easier to apply and remove wallpaper. It is also denser to minimize noise between rooms….