How to Fix Chipped, Broken Plaster in 5 Steps

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Plaster can be a great material to use in construction because of its flexibility, but it also has some downsides. One downside? It can easily become chipped or cracked, which is why the do-it-yourselfer in your home will want to make sure to understand some quick, easy ways to fix and smoothen out that plaster. If that's what you want to learn today, you've come to the right place: let's explore some quick steps to restoring a plaster finish.

1. First, get your tools ready.

   What will you need when you're fixing up some plaster? A good utility knife, a plaster compound (such as plaster of paris), brushes, a scraper, a wood block, sandpaper, primer, and paint are some general items you'll either find in your tool shed or at the local hardware store. Once you have these items ready, you're ready to take a better look at the chip in your plaster.

2. Treat the chip first.

   This usually includes cutting away loose chunks of plaster with your knife while making sure that you don't do anything to cause further damage to the surrounding plaster. Once you've cleared the debris, shake off smaller particles with a towel and use your vacuum cleaner to get the hard-to-reach dust and plaster bits.

3. Next, get out your plaster compound.

   Mix it up into a hearty paste - try to make it less flexible rather than erring on the side of making it too thin. Before you apply the plaster, moisten the area by using your brush - this will help when applying the plaster of paris. Next, apply your plaster compound, making sure that it is well-set into the chip. Smoothen out the surface with your scraper and then take 24 hours off while your plaster compound hardens.

4. Sand down the area after 24 hours.

   Once your 24 hours have passed, it's time to take another look at your chip repair. Chances are that it doesn't look that good yet - but that's why you're going to want to sand down the area and smoothen it out. You can also re-plaster any areas that haven't been fixed yet, but remember that you'll want to give it 24 hours to dry.

5. After sanding, apply primer and then your paint.

   After you've sanded out the area smooth, it's time to apply your primer. Your primer is crucial for creating a smooth, durable coat of paint. Once your primer has dried (this might take a considerable amount of time), you can then apply your paint and let it try. Voila!

Photo Credits: amarette.

Originally posted 2009-07-23 08:00:37.

This post involves:

brushes, chip repair, chunks, hardware store, plaster of paris, sandpaper, tool shed, utility knife, vacuum, wallpaper

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Handyman, How to Fix

Posted by Fix Handyman on March 9, 2010 in Handyman, How to Fix

How to Fix a Chip In Your Windshield

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If you've been driving behind a truck carrying stones, looking for a way to drive through traffic and get out of harm's way, you're definitely irritated when one of the rocks slips out and comes down on your windshield, chipping it slightly. Even if you know a lot about cars, this inconvenience seems like a waste of time and money to get fixed, especially since it feels like it never should have happened. But thinking about the problem won't fix the chip. Here's how a chip in your windshield can be fixed.

First, remember that fixing chips in your windshield is usually best left to professionals. Unless you've fixed chips before, this article will only serve as a demonstration of how chips are fixed by technicians who know how to work with glass. Even though glass is all around us in our daily lives, it is still a highly fragile and brittle material that can easily form into sharp edges that can do a lot of damage to someone who's not being cautious.

Glass professionals will be able to drill into your glass windshield and apply some sort of vacuum pressure to prepare the area. The professional will then inject resin into the windshield, which will work to fill the affected area as if the glass was always there. Once this has been injected, it is cured by ultraviolet light and then scraped smooth.

This is ideally what happens, but not always how it goes down. A chip present in a windshield means that there's a strong possibility the glass can crack, causing further damage to the windshield and making a total replacement necessary. That's why your chip repair costs can be higher than you expected - not because anyone is ripping you off, but because of the fragile nature of glass. If you could work with glass, you would probably understand the complications that often arise in glass repair. It's often best to simply replace glass instead of repairing it.

Now that you know a little more about the chip in your windshield, you should try to strive for better prevention. Stay clear of debris-stirring or carrying trucks that might drop a stone on your windshield. If you're careful about how you drive, you should be able to avoid a chip in your windshield.

Once you do notice a chip in your windshield, be sure to have it taken care of as quickly as you can. Be sure to ask professionals for advice about what to do before you take the car in for treatment.

Photo Credits: Lee Bennett

This post involves:

brittle material, cars, chip repair, chips, demonstration, fragile nature, glass professionals, glass repair, glass windshield, inconvenience, prevention, resin, rocks, sharp edges, time and money, traffic, ultraviolet light, vacuum pressure

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Car, How to Fix, Mechanic

Posted by Fix Handyman on August 3, 2009 in Car, How to Fix, Mechanic