vaguely woodworking - wallboard repair

Part of the mission assigned to me by SWMBO is to repair a crack in some wallboard in my living room. This crack happens to be on the ceiling and appears to be at the joint between sheets of drywall.

My house was built in 1941 and it appears that it happened at the change from plaster/lathe to wallboard. There's a good 3/8 to 1/2 inch coat of coarse plaster on top of drywall.

But to my question - I'm going to use fiberglass tape over the crack. But it's the plaster I'll use. Patching plaster seems coarse, would using plaster of paris be a better idea? Plaster of paris is very smooth, it seems like a good thing for a repair like this.

What say you?

John

You're right to use the fiberglass tape. I've used joint compound in instances like this in the past.

But then I was introduced to an autobody repair compound call HalfTime. I found it at a store that sold materials to the local auto repair/finishing shops -- I don't know if the AutoZone type stores will carry it.

I made some tall cabinets that used MDF for the sides (they were 12' tall in some instances) where I had to but the MDF together. A local professional cabinet maker suggested this stuff to hid the seams where I had to butt the panels together.

It worked great, it kicked in about 10 min and was hard to sand in 30min.) A year and a half later (and three hurricanes beating up the house) and none of the joints have opened up.

Jay

Plaster of paris produces a fine fininsh buttttttt, plane old taping compound is very easy to to work with both wet and dry.

taping compound - is this the same stuff I see others call drywall compound? Also, is it sold in small quantities? I don't want to have to buy a 5 gallon bucket for one little crack. Well, it's probably about 10 feet long, but still, that'd be a lot of compound.

Same stuff. Also called joint compound, mud, and "I hate this stuff".

And it's what I'd use here. Will stick to anything whereas plaster (paris or otherwise) won't.

Suggest you gouge out the crack a bit wider to expose fresh surfaces and them schlop the stuff in there. Plan on mutliple coatings/layers/schloppings.

john, go to you`re local drywall supplier (not the box stores) and ask for a product called durabond, it comes in 15-30-90 min. formulas that can be accelerated with warm water. this stuff won`t shrink or come loose without pulling down the surrounding surfaces......02 tod

The big box stores in my area carry durabond. John if you have a Menard's close by they carry it. I'll warn you better clean all your tools really good when your done because it dosn't come off easily. But it's the best way to fix recuring cracks.

Got it - durabond is the preferred product. Otherwise drywall compound.

Good note that plaster doesn't adhere to somethings. That'd be a big disappointment to have to do this over. I don't like doing things over, and SWMBO won't like messing the living room anymore than necessary.