# Forum Home Renovation Rendering  Repairing cracks in internal rendered walls

## Timber21

Hi  
I have a 35 year old full brick house which has a few cracks in the internal rendered walls. The cracks range from hairline to about 2 or 3mm wide.
I have been told to use 'No More Gaps' to repair them prior to painting but am wondering if this is the correct route. 
Is there any other ready to use 'render-type' product suitable for DIY these small issues prior to painting? 
Thanks for advice
Timber21

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## cyclic

You don't want to be showing the repairs after you paint, so if it is render (like sandpaper) then gap filler will not be all that good, however, if it is what used to be called whiteset (smooth) then no more gaps smoothed out with a scraper will be ok providing you get a smooth finish and it is covered with more than one coat of paint.

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## Timber21

Hi Cyclic 
the wall is definitely render with a 'gritty' texture. The render is 35 years old sand and cement type. I agree with you that 'No More Gaps' will probably be quite visibly different especially in the wider 3mm crack. It will look too smooth.
Have also been told I could use cornice adhesive/cement. I am presuming that this type of product (unlike the No More Gaps) would allow for some sanding back to achieve a neat finish.
Any other product suggestions?

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## droog

Cornice adhesive sets hard and is supposed to be scrapped back while still green, it does not lend itself to being sanded as it sets very hard.
I have used cornice adhesive to fill cracks in lathe and plaster walls it is scrapped back before it sets and a top coat is always applied to get the final finish.

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## rebuildr86

Id be cutting out the grack to a 5 mm wide v shape grove, then filling the void with selleys mortar works, and sponging it off.
this will keep the texture and will be flexible so the cracking will not be an issue for a longer time.  Selleys Mortar Works | Selleys Australia

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## cyclic

> Id be cutting out the grack to a 5 mm wide v shape grove, then filling the void with selleys mortar works, and sponging it off.
> this will keep the texture and will be flexible so the cracking will not be an issue for a longer time.  Selleys Mortar Works | Selleys Australia

  Sounds like it is worth a try.

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## phild01

> Id be cutting out the grack to a 5 mm wide v shape grove, then filling the void with selleys mortar works, and sponging it off.
> this will keep the texture and will be flexible so the cracking will not be an issue for a longer time.  Selleys Mortar Works | Selleys Australia

  Might work well, let us know.

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## DuckCommander

Just went through this mind you my cracks were hairline, not 2-3mm. My plasterer chased out the crack to about 5mm depth using a diamond blade, used a cross weave fibreglass tape and used jointing compound feathering out from the crack (he didn't like cornice cement for this, said it got too hard, I have used it before with success). He sanded that then top coated it. Looks fantastic. I've used the same technique through out the house and it has come up great.

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## FrodoOne

> Id be cutting out the grack to a 5 mm wide v shape grove, then filling the void with selleys mortar works, and sponging it off.

    

> this will keep the texture and will be flexible so the cracking will not be an issue for a longer time.  Selleys Mortar Works | Selleys Australia

  I have used that to fill the gaps around external window frames to match the colour of the mortar in the brickwork. It finishes up looking OK BUT I have found that even with a "new" tube it is difficult to get the second half out of the tube, as it seemed to have settled /hardened.  This happened with several tubes over the several weeks that it took to do the 12 windows concerned. 
Each time the tube was used until no more material could be extruded with a new one being purchased to continue the job - usually, the next day or next weekend. 
I may have accessed an old batch but, after the first problem tube, I did  purchase the next tube from a different (Bunnings) store, with much the same result. 
I suggest that it may be necessary to purchase the freshest batch of this product that you can.

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## phild01

Maybe massage the tube before opening!?

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## rebuildr86

jees thats a pretty damning review, personally i havent experienced that, but if you have experienced it twice, then that is likely a product issue which needs to be brought up.
If you open it, u have to use it all, maybe, perhaps u plugged it and used it second time after a while left open??
 It is particularly susceptible to premature curing in the tube as it is full of acrylic aggregate.

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## FrodoOne

As far as I can remember back the two years concerned, it was Summer or Autumn and, after the first experience I made sure to "massage the tube", after heating in hot water, before opening. 
As I said, it was a "weekend" job (over several weekends) and I just kept using each tube until it was taking too long to get anything out of the nozzel in a reasonable time.
I then cut the top of the tube itself and pushed out the material to apply with a putty knife and clean down with damp cloths before it dried where I did not want it. 
It was still usable this way and not too much was wasted but a bit messy! 
There were 4 or 5 tubes required to fill the gaps between the top and sides of the 12 windows and the surrounding brickwork - the object being to remove the nesting place for spiders and insects.

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