4 answers
★ Best answer
That's true it's not rocket science. Me I just add one thing - before you apply anything, you really gotta clean those cracks properly or it won't hold. You vacuum, or even just a dry brush sweep to get rid of the dust and little debris. If you wanna be really thorough, a rinse with an old toothbrush works too, but you gotta let it dry properly after. It's annoying but it really changes how long the repair lasts.
For the filler after, I usually use something flexible like acrylic instead of regular mortar - it's more forgiving if the wall shifts a bit. You apply it with a wide putty knife, really press it into the crack, and yeah a good sanding job makes all the difference. Personally I wait til it's completely dry before sanding, otherwise you just gunk it up and it's a nightmare. Once it's smooth you slap on a coat of paint and you're done.
The other thing I always forget to mention - if the cracks come back after, it's probably a deeper structural problem. Then it's worth calling someone to check it out before you put a band-aid on it for nothing.
It's not complicated. You take some finishing compound or flexible mortar made for cracks, you apply it with a putty knife working it well into the cracks, then you sand it once it's dry. I had to do that at my place last year before painting and honestly it took me two hours for the whole wall, you just had to not stress about it and really fill in the small gaps.
The thing nobody really mentions enough is that after you've cleaned and applied the product, you've gotta let it dry completely before sanding - otherwise you're just gonna push the stuff around everywhere instead of smoothing it! I learned that the hard way in my kitchen when I was fixing up my walls, haha. Seems obvious but I see way too many people rushing it and then it ends up uneven.
First off, make sure it's not moisture causing your cracks, otherwise you're just patching a symptom and it'll come back - I've seen too many guys struggle with that. For the rest, after cleaning and spackling, here's something I use a lot: apply a light joint tape directly into the fresh compound if the crack is really fine and hairline, it stabilizes things and creates better adhesion than just sanding right after.
Your answer
Log into answer.