Home Improvement experts, need advice

[Crusher]

I had a crack in my ceiling. I started to peel away the 1/16" layer of plaster around the crack. Now I want to fill it in. What do you recommend? I'm thinking either Drywall Compound or Spackle. Any recommendations or pros/cons on either?

[Crusher]

Here's a pic. of the ceiling. Kinda hard to see, but I have to fill it in and sand it smooth...

[BNC]

Joint compound?

[Waltari1]

Is the ceiling drywall or lathe and plaster? Also, do you know what caused the crack in the first place (house settling, water leak, etc)?

[Crusher]

I ended up using spackle to seal the hole. It looks like it's plaster. Not sure what caused the crack, I think it was the house settling because there are other cracks in other rooms too

[Waltari1]

If your walls are lathe and plaster, you can use button washers link shown in the link below. They help stabilize old plaster walls

http://www.modernwaylumber.com/plaster/

[Guest]

If you want something stronger than drywall compound if the crack is fairly deep. Use Durabond 90. Make sure it is smooth as sanding it is next to impossible. But it is STRONG. used it everywhere in my Century home built 1840. Restored it all myself.
Have fun!!

Derek

[GXRKLR]

Depending on how big the crack is you may need to dig it out some to actualy get some material down into it. If you just covered it up with the spackling it will show back with in 6 months. I learned this the hard way.

[LiononaLeash]

Al, fill it in during the winter during a cold spell. If you fill it in the summer... it will probably crack when it gets cold out again.

[Crusher]

Too late, already filled in and primed. Ready for paint