Shrinkage cracks are a natural part of the settling in process. Building materials are exposed to a lot of moisture during the construction of your home. As they dry out, they expand and contract, which often results in fine cracks in ceilings and walls.
Only cracks that are more than 3mm wide (the width of a pound coin) are covered by your warranty. Minor cracks are normal in a new home, and easy to fill and make good. Just follow these simple instructions.
Before you get going, make sure you have the following tools to hand:
- Dust sheet
- Filling knife
- Filler (powdered or ready to use)
- Sandpaper (80-grit)
- Sanding block
- Paint and brushes
- Cover the floor underneath the crack with a dust sheet
- Rake out the crack with your filling knife to make it wide enough to fill
- Brush out any loose dust with a dry paintbrush
- Mix your filler following the instructions on the pack
- Dampen the crack with a wet cloth
- Push the filler firmly into the cavity and smooth the surface with the filling knife
- Leave to set until the filler is completely dry
- Lightly sand the filler until it is level with the rest of the surface
- Remove any dust with a damp cloth
- Touch up the paintwork to match the rest of the surface
Ceilings and walls are painted with Dulux Trade FastMatt/SuperMatt white emulsion.