Cracked plaster finish coat - causes?

My home was built in 1950, with walls made of 24 inch plaster board, brown coat and finish coat. I have some finish coat cracking (delaminating) away from the brown coat, on an exterior wall on the first floor of a two story house. The area in question is not below a window or downspout, and there is no obvious damage in the exterior brick veneer. There is a window about 18 inches away from the cracked area. The damaged area is near the top of the wall, where the wall meets the ceiling. The ceiling plaster is not damaged. There is no HVAC ductwork in the area. There is no damage to the ceiling or wall in the bedroom above the damaged area. The damaged area is not damp.

I'm perplexed. Could normal seasonal temperature/humidity changes cause the plaster to delaminate in small sections after 50 years? Thanks for any replies.

chassis said:

I'm perplexed. Could normal seasonal temperature/humidity changes cause the plaster to delaminate in small sections after 50 years? Thanks for any replies.

Click to expand...

Yes.

Was the house ever empty for an extended period of time?

Mark,

Thanks for the reply. Yes. The house was semi-occupied for a couple years prior to our purchasing it. The previous owner was divorced, then remarried, and was in transition between two homes.

What would cause the plaster to crack from periods of sparse occupancy?

I believe the issues would be possible moisture infiltration, and freeze/thaw cycles.