Plastering always seems to be hollow and cracking? 10 real reasons revealed, ignored by 90% of construction sites!

Created on 12.09

Here Are the 10 Real Causes Most Sites Ignore!

Why does your wall plaster keep hollowing, cracking, or detaching?

It’s not just the materials — hidden problems in each construction step can trigger major failures later. From oily release agents and masonry settlement to improper mesh installation, random mortar mixing, or over-thick plastering… Every small mistake becomes a big quality issue.

To help engineers quickly diagnose the root causes, we’ve reorganized the Top 10 Causes of Hollowing/Cracking with clear and practical improvement solutions—easy to understand and directly applicable on site.

Close-up of a hand plastering a wall with text about hollowing and cracking solutions.

✔ Top 10 Common Causes (Simplified)

Oily release agent residue→ Smooth surface, poor adhesion
Masonry settlement or improper bonding
No mesh at material junctions→ Thermal movement cracks
Electrical chases not fixed or sealed properly
No bonding slurry or weak bonding on concrete surfaces
Random mortar mixing & excessive sand content
Using banned additives (e.g., “mortar king”) → Weak strength
Over-thick single-layer plastering or too short intervals
No curing or moisture retention
Chasing pipes after plastering → Poor filling → cracks

Hand plastering a brick wall with cement; bags of construction materials below.

✔ Practical Improvement Measures

Use water-based release agents only
Ensure dense, proper masonry (45–60° staggering, V-shape jointing)
Apply toothed joints & tie bars for columns
Install galvanized mesh properly and flat at all junctions
Fix conduits + control chase depth + seal with anti-crack mortar or micro-expansion concrete
Ensure full, solid bonding slurry
Mix mortar strictly by formula + compressive strength testing
Ban all low-grade additives like “mortar king”
Keep each plaster layer ≤12mm, intervals ≥12 hours
Avoid post-plaster chasing; if required, reinforce and fill in two steps