Filling wall cracks before painting - please help!

[doglover]

Any suggestions for what product to use to fill cracks prior to emulsioning walls? There are several vertical cracks - thicker than hairline but not too scary! - which need attention. A decorator friend suggested digging them out and then filling but I don't know what to use. Previous attempts at repairing damaged walls have been rather disastrous and I want to do a good job this time. Another person said just to use caulk but I find this really tricky.

Please help .............. I need to start decorating on Monday!

TIA

I've always used polyfilla before, but not the ready made stuff, buy the powder that you have to mix up with water. Then you can get it to just the right consistency.
Sand down the walls before hand, apply pollyfilla with filling tool (that thing that looks like a bendy/pointy trowel) and voila!! Filled in cracks. Sand off any excess afterwards.
I love filling cracks in walls, so satisfying!

Many thanks, LS. I'll have a go!

Many thanks, LS. I'll have a go!

We have recently taken advice on this and was told not to use poly fills as it will shrink and re crack. Which it has done in the past! We're were advised to use a silicone one. Even a decorators caulk would do it apparently.

We have filled the cracks in the kitchen and they are still ok a week or two on, so fingers crossed this is the solution!

Pollyfilla, not polly fills!

Thanks, DITJ. Decorators caulk sounds like it could be worth a try.

Decorators caulk is not sand able so make sure you smooth it well (damp sponge can work) it also can shrink back a bit as it sets if the hole/crack is deep so might need two layers - allow the first to shrink then top it up.

I have used Jointing Compound - big (huge!) tubs from trade merchant (I used Selco with my BIL Trade Account number to allow me to purchase).

Jointing compound is messy but amazing. Its very very fine ready mixed plaster - I OK my DH went all over every room we have done in our '30's house filling all the dips and scuffs and scrapes etc then once dry, sand it all off smooth with the purple 3m flexible sanding block sponge. The sanding is unbelievably messy - if you do this, wear a mask and old clothes and consider taping a plastic cheap dust sheet over the door. By comparison, Polyfilla is positively gritty/sandy compared to Jointing Compound.

We now have a perfect painted finish in every room (had to strip off huge amounts of wallpaper and reinstate the picture rails someone had ripped off first so the walls were in quite a state before the jointing compound treatment). This was on a backdrop of the original plaster which is Lime/horsehair and stuff (not gypsum).

And use a sander for a perfect finish

We've been using a filler with added PVA, which gives a nice, smooth finish and hasn't cracked, even on our terrible old walls. The brand I used when I re-vamped the boys' room was everbuild - i think DH got it from toolstation or somewhere similar. It has a nice fine finish, too.

Exactly what adagio said. We are in the process of doing the exact same thing as her, except dp uses easyfill which is a powder that mixes up into a plaster type substance. We did our hall 18 months ago and have maybe 3 very fine hairline cracks appearing, but not in the spots where he filled last time!!

Sorry to be a pain but I've just looked at the B and Q website and there are LOADS of Easyfill products. Which would you recommend?

I would use B&Q ready mix fine surface filler. It sands down easily and leaves as it suggests, a fine finish. I have gone through tubs and tubs of the stuff. Walls have gone from war zone to perfection. If you have a lot to fill I would recommend a palm sander ( I paid about £30 in B&Q) it has been a godsend. And don't forget to wear a dust mask .

Errrrm a bag? He fills, I paint!

Sorry that's not much help is it... He mixes it in a bucket if that helps