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tara_neufeld

hairline cracks on newly painted coffee ceiling

6 years ago
We had coffee ceilings repainted a few months ago with BM Advance. Looked great. Now we are
Starting to see hairline cracks and the beam joints. Husband has figured out its from the joists on upper level slightly moving during regular walking etc. All cracks are in the middle of the room. We had a latex paint on there before and never had this problem. I guess BM Advance is a more brittle paint.

Can’t fix easily as it is on the flat joints. Dont want to fill and respray as it will likely happen again once paint cures. Any other ideas?

Anyone seen this before? Should painter be somewhat liable? He picked the BM Advance.

Comments (5)

  • 6 years ago

    It makes sense. Oil based paint is more brittle than latex and Advance does have an oil component. I guess technically you could blame the painter but the movement isn't his fault certainly and he's just trying to use a good paint and that is what Advance is. You could try a very small bead of caulk that is close in color to the paint, push it into the crack and wipe all the excess away with a clean, wet rag. The caulk will allow for some movement.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    Wood expands and contracts over the seasons due to normal fluctuations in humidity. It is perfectly normal to see telegraphing of the joins in wood caused by that normal wood movement. Maintaining the home’s humidity at the 30-50% that cabinet and flooring manufacturers require for their warranties also helps to minimize the appearance of the issue.


    This issue comes up enough that most cabinet manufacturers have an “acknowledgment sheet” that must be signed so that the customer understands that it is not a defect.

  • 6 years ago

    Um, they're coffered.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    Normal not considered a defect.

  • 6 years ago

    This is not something unusual, or something that can be easily fixed. I'm picky, but, if your picture is representative, that's not something I would lose sleep over. I wouldn't blame it on the painter...it's really not his fault. Besides, what would you ask from him since there is no point in re-spraying? Try to stop looking at the ceiling every time you walk through the room, and it will be unnoticed in a few weeks. Trust me: I've felt the same way with my own little house flaws, and learned over time that there is no perfect house and life is too short to worry over things that are not truly affecting my quality of life.