# Drywall seam cracks - how to repair



## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

This recent thread may give you a place to start.
http://www.diychatroom.com/f4/repairing-ceiling-crack-keeps-coming-back-188347/


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Sounds ok but skip the quick dry anything.


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## Mills314 (Mar 21, 2011)

Joe hit the nail on the head. Look at the old thread and I cannot tell you how important it is to clean out that crack so that the setting compound can will it in I had to do the same thing about 2 years ago. I cut out the entire crack with a box knife and put a few coats in there and floated out the last one. Worked out great.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

shumax12 said:


> I finished a portion of a basement for a kids playroom about two years ago. Recently, horizontal cracks have started to develop where the seams meet. It's not on every wall, just a couple. I used paper tape and a quick set/dry product for the mudding. There is baseboard heat and heat provided by a central HVAC system. I'm not sure how to go about repairing these so that it doesn't happen again. My first thought was to rip out the old tape and clean the joint out. At the same time, put a screw into the drywall on both sides of the crack, on the stud. Then, refinish using paper tape and a durabond mud for the first coat to set the tape and then a quick dry product for the final finish. Any thoughts? Are there any "special" products out there that I could use to help avoid this again? Thanks!
> View attachment 76722


Something here has failed and letting something move along the seam. Go along the seam and push on both sides of the crack and see if any thing moves. When you hung the drywall did you skip any studs and are you sure you didn't put the screws in too far? Are you sure you hit the studs when putting in the screws? It doesn't take a lot of movement to start a crack and then something as small as opening a door if the area is well sealed can cause the crack to expand and the mud along the seam is usually the weak spot. Another question "what mud did you use and how many coats" bright green lid, dark blue lid, light blue lid? How many coats 2 or 3. The point I'm trying to make is the best thing for avoidance in the future is to find out why this happened and fix it.


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## shumax (Oct 12, 2013)

I used low dust mud-- three coats. I did my best to hit every stud, but may have missed one. Can't be totally sure, you know? 16" on center, too. I feel like the wood shrunk and may have caused it too. I ran my hand over it and the crack protrudes OUTward ever so slightly. Almost like a very slight bubble. I was thinking about cleaning the crack and covering with durabond and then feathering it out with low dust mud to see what happens in an area. If that holds for a few months, finish the rest the same way. If not, do what I outlined above. The issue is that it's not in a 2' area. It runs the entire length of a 16' wall on one side - yikes! I have a feeling the best bet is to cut it out and run new screws in and mud with dura bond first and then normal mud. Additional thoughts?


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

I think your approach will will work but even with the hot mud I think I would apply another layer of paper tape.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

What is on other side of wall-- another room? Unfinished room with HVAC? Basement concrete wall, with moisture coming through drywall board joints because only tape/mud is not thick enough as rest of area, and no foam board? Appears moisture problem to me....

Gary


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## 747 (Feb 11, 2005)

I had the same problem on my wall in living room. When i re did another room. The pro drywall guy dug it out then taped and mud. It hasn't return.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Use multipurpose (green lid) to set the paper---it contains glue and will be the best choice for the tape---switch to a topping compound--light weight (blue lid) for the final coat---it is easier to sand----


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## shumax (Oct 12, 2013)

Gary in WA said:


> What is on other side of wall-- another room? Unfinished room with HVAC? Basement concrete wall, with moisture coming through drywall board joints because only tape/mud is not thick enough as rest of area, and no foam board? Appears moisture problem to me.... Gary


Two walls are outside walls, which were covered in foam board and then rolled insulation. The inside walls have rolled insulation for sound deadening. The inside walls have drywall on the back, too, as they are exposed to the rest of the unfinished basement, which does have active HVAC.


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## shumax (Oct 12, 2013)

What is the best way to cut out the tape and old mud?


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

On the double sided drywall (interior) walls, is the other side cracking also? Could be a humidity problem.... wood stove? Were the framing studs/plates wet or high moisture content when assembled? Any floor joist flex to cause pressure on drywall from above, were the walls installed "tight"? Was strips of fb under bottom plate to cushion (loads from above)/air seal/capillary/thermal break? 
Most secure tape would be cut a "V" in the joint, patch with setting compound/paper tape and finish with setting type til last one- your choice. The joint would be as strong as the gypsum then. IMO.

Gary


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## shumax (Oct 12, 2013)

Gary in WA said:


> On the double sided drywall (interior) walls, is the other side cracking also? Could be a humidity problem.... wood stove? Were the framing studs/plates wet or high moisture content when assembled? Any floor joist flex to cause pressure on drywall from above, were the walls installed "tight"? Was strips of fb under bottom plate to cushion (loads from above)/air seal/capillary/thermal break? Most secure tape would be cut a "V" in the joint, patch with setting compound/paper tape and finish with setting type til last one- your choice. The joint would be as strong as the gypsum then. IMO. Gary


No, the other side is NOT cracking. No wood stove, but a dehumidifier is run on the outside of the room in the unfinished section. The wood may have been wet as it came from Lowes and three says later I started the project. I'm not sure about floor joist flex - perhaps? We did built the one wall right off of the main beam that runs in the basement. Then again, the other side that is also cracking is not built off of the beam. The walls were built on the ground and tilted up on the other side and then connected to the joists and top plate. Drywall was installed "tight," yes. Yes, a thermal break was installed b/t the bottom plate and the cement floor. 

I have decided to "V" out an area and do as you have suggested in one area and see how it holds over the next few months. If it does well, I will finish the rest the same way. Otherwise, I will have to dig it all out and start over.

Thanks again!


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

First I thought about studs shrinking but remembered; minimal; http://www.buildingscience.com/documents/insights/bsi-023-wood-is-good-but-strange/

The rim joist (if solid wood) could at the season changing; http://www.paintsource.net/pages/solutions/new construction/wood_shrink.htm

Page 51; http://books.google.com/books?id=iw...um=3#v=onepage&q=cutting floor joists&f=false

Glad we could help you as I have not had the trouble you are experiencing before.... hence the deductions by me, lol.

Gary


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