Q:I have a 1940s-'50s-era plaster house with many cracks around the ceilings. I really don't think I have enough space in the cracks to shove in Sheetrock tape. Can I just apply drywall joint compound ...

A crack or a hole in a wall can be the result of numerous forms of abuse: a doorknob banging the back of the wall; a misguided hammer; a water leak in the ceiling or wall. While it’s fairly easy to ...