What products to repair a reocurring drywall crack
#1
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A few years ago we had a really rough winter with over 84 inches of snow (WV). The heavy snow on my roof caused a large (about 3 feet) lateral crack in the drywall in my great room. The crack is not near any drywall seam or door/window. This crack opens each winter and closes tight during the summer. I placed a foundation jack under the wall the has the crack and jacked it up a bit. However, the crack never closed back up. So, I want to repair this crack but I am worried that without the correct products the crack will reappear. All suggestions very much appreciated.
#2
You had a heavy snow load and a crack appeared and then mention temporary jacking underneath your house. I would not be concerned with a superficial/cosmetic crack I would first be concerned with a structural issue. It is possible that your house simply expands and contracts with the varying temperature and humidity from summer to winter but I would want to rule out possible structural damage before addressing the crack.
#4
Post a pic of the crack along with some perspective of the room and maybe a picture of the outside.
http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...your-post.html
Keep in mind that pictures need to be resized to web quality and are uploaded one at a time.
http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...your-post.html
Keep in mind that pictures need to be resized to web quality and are uploaded one at a time.
#6
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You may be right but until the snow that year I never had a movement problem. Again I placed a jack across the three floor joists directly below the wall. I would think this would stop any movement.
#7
Stress cracks in California are common and irritating. Here's a few tips on getting the patch to hold either permanently or longer:
Cut the crack out wider in a V shape using a sharp utility knife for a clean cut.
Vacuum any dust and apply shellac or a shellac based primer to the raw drywall edges.
Fill the V with hot mud and let set.
Apply fiberglass tape over the filled crack and finish with regular drywall compound.
Cut the crack out wider in a V shape using a sharp utility knife for a clean cut.
Vacuum any dust and apply shellac or a shellac based primer to the raw drywall edges.
Fill the V with hot mud and let set.
Apply fiberglass tape over the filled crack and finish with regular drywall compound.
#8
The only thing I would say differently to what Brian proposed is that paper tape is actually stronger than the mesh stuff so I would be opting for paper. That said, this is more in Brian's wheelhouse than mine so I'd like to give him a chance to explain, as his suggestion could easily be better than mine for some reason of which I am not currently aware.
#9
I would say try the paper first versus the mesh tape because that makes sense to me.
The frustrating thing with these cracks is they tend to reoccur. I've had success fixing them with no tape, only filling the V with hot mud and finishing.
In my own home, only about 3 small cracks tend to reappear after all efforts. That's not bad compared to about 10 problem areas.
The frustrating thing with these cracks is they tend to reoccur. I've had success fixing them with no tape, only filling the V with hot mud and finishing.
In my own home, only about 3 small cracks tend to reappear after all efforts. That's not bad compared to about 10 problem areas.
#11
Hot mud is a slang term for setting compound. Regular joint compound dries by evaporation while a setting compound dries chemically, it also produces a little heat as it dries. Durabond 90, 45, 20 are versions of hot mud with the number indicating the drying time [90 minutes, etc] EasySand is another brand and again the number indicates the time it takes to set.
#12
It's drywall joint compound that dries much faster than normal compound. You can do multiple coats in hours instead of days and it dries harder. True name is Setting Type Joint Compound.
I would recommend the 20 minute. This is 20 minutes working time and 45 minutes or more to cure. Be sure to clean the pan and tools promptly.
*Mark and I typed at the same time, I'll leave this in.
I would recommend the 20 minute. This is 20 minutes working time and 45 minutes or more to cure. Be sure to clean the pan and tools promptly.
*Mark and I typed at the same time, I'll leave this in.