The new paint on our walls and skirting boards is cracking

[Khalinda]

This is about 6 months after the builder finished our house renovation so I suppose it is called snagging?

We're trying to get in touch with him just now but I'd really like advice from someone who knows. What do they fill the cracks with?

They are all the way up the skirting board on the staircase too. It sounds like some of the material behind the paint is different to the rest (tapping on wall test).

do you mean at the joint where the skirting meets the wall? This is caused by differential expansion, commonly where a house dries out and the wood shrinks. You should never use a rigid material like filler in the gap.

The gap can be filled with decorators caulk, but (especially if the skirting is painted white) silicone is better as it is more flexible so accommodates the movement better.

If that's not what you mean, please attach photos. Put a 50p piece on the surface to show scale.

PigletJohn - thanks for replying.

The cracks do all seem to be near edges. The builder is coming back to redo the cracks but I'd like to know what they should be using (not much faith in them...long story) incase this happens again.

You say a filler should never be used. What is a filler?

I think they will have to use decorators caulk as the walls aren't all white and I don't think silicone can be painted over, can it?

Thank you again

A filler like polyfilla can be used on plaster, but not on a gap that changes with the weather, such as the gap between skirting and wall.

Piglet John, you are a star and the reason I joined Mumsnet.

/back to lurking