How do I paint walls with cracks?

Elaine Spain
by Elaine Spain

Ideas on painting walls with cracks?

  10 answers
  • Oliva Oliva on Mar 29, 2019

    First, scrub the walls, then repair the cracks with spackling prior to painting. I'd prime, then paint, using a good quality paint in whatever sheen you prefer, but note that higher gloss surfaces show more imperfections. A matte or eggshell finish may be better choices.

  • Laura Cooper Laura Cooper on Mar 29, 2019

    I wouldn't scrub the walls unless they are greasy. In that case, use some TSP. If they aren't greasy, sand the areas around the cracks. Use drywall tape and compound to fill the cracks. You will need to apply two additional coats of compound with each coat wider than the previous coat. The final skim coat should be approximately 12" wide so that it feathers out to the original wall plane. Sand smooth, prime any compound and dark markings. Paint the entire wall. The crack will not be visible at all as long as you are careful with the sanding.

  • William William on Mar 29, 2019

    You need to repair the cracks. Paint is not made to fill/repair cracks.

  • DesertRose DesertRose on Mar 30, 2019

    You will need to fill the cracks and smooth it out so it does not show then repaint the wall. It is a lot of work, but worth it when it is done. HOpe this helps Elaine

  • If the cracks are small, you could fill them in with painters caulking. Be sure to smooth it out with a damp cloth so that it won't be obvious after it is painted. Some brands of painters caulking can be painted over in an hour.

  • Judith Judith on Mar 30, 2019

    Why not turn the whole wall into a wall of marble look?? I took my wall and painted it with whatever color you wanted, when

    dry....I diluted a container of painted and rolled it on my wall and immediately put my srrunched up plastic bags (must be white)

    and applied it to my wall so it had some wrinkles on the wall surface. I did this till the whole wall was done. Let the wall completely dry....then a I took a feather.....with acrylic black

    paint.....had a pic on the iPad of a marble tile.....and proceeded to paint squiggly lines sideways to mimic the veins of the marble.

    i did this on the whole wall. I did not coat over with any sort of glaze as I did not want this to be permanently take off later. I had so many people go into my powder room to touch it as they thought it was real marble. The cracks in my wall could not be seen as it was an added feature to the wall.

  • Joann Gonnella Cope Joann Gonnella Cope on Mar 30, 2019

    they make an expandable compound designed to give a bit, just for cracks, I have used it and it works pretty well, ask in the painting department at your local home improvement store. Apply it, sand after drying, coat with a primer and then paint.


  • Jan Jan on Mar 30, 2019

    I had some wonky walls. I took gift wrap tissue paper and balled it up then opened it up again. Paint an area on the wall at least the size of the tissue paper, then immediately put the tissue paper on the wet paint and paint over it. I used paint pads to pat on the paint as rollers and brushes might tear the paper ( but if it does just place it back and paint over again). The paper can be as wrinkled as you like. Keep repeating these steps until your wall is done. This covers a multiple of sins and I’ve had many compliments on it. Just be sure you can live with this treatment since it would be a pain to sand it off! I did 3 rooms in my home about 10 years ago and still love this treatment and it’s been painted over several times!!

  • Lynne Dolan Lynne Dolan on Mar 31, 2019

    Our (94-year old) house has wonky walls and and a few cracks. This weekend, before painting our music room, I used "Wallboard Joint Compound" -- which is about the consistency of peanut butter (Home Depot approx. $6) -- I filled the little cracks with a joint knife, and scraped off the excess. Paint when dry. Super easy.

  • Nora Schoonmaker Nora Schoonmaker on Apr 01, 2019

    You can hang wallpaper liner on cracked or uneven walls & paint over it for a smooth wall.