# Drywall Issues



## Kader516 (Nov 5, 2011)

You have to actually use a drywall finisher that is good and will fix I the first time around Maybe the 5th will be a charm. Check with a drywall distributed to see who they would recommend or let someone on here know where you live and you might get a recommendation.


----------



## steelgoddess (Nov 21, 2011)

Never thought of a distributor...
I am not doing the hiring here..I have a GC....

Last one really did seem like he knew what he was doing... well rated etc.. Spent 3 days doing it... I was so hopeful.

In fact I should post the drywall version of that wall....
The last one didnt do the very heavy patches...


----------



## steelgoddess (Nov 21, 2011)

*continuing*

I did call the distributor, and they did recommend someone. He was one of two people who came out, both seemed very knowledgable-- reinforcing to me what a bad job it is.

I am probably looking at a good week of work, needing to vacate while its done. Both mentioned loose boards-- so I started thinking back to the hanging--as the issues most likely started there. Luckily or not, as they are not the best of pics, I found some during the hanging/finishing phase. I was actually shooting other things, and happened to catch the drywall.

Its 1/2" drywall, and I see where they used 1-1/4" screws, although I believe they used a combo of nails and screws--and no adhesive. It's my understanding that for framing 16" oc that screws would have to be 16" center to center.. If someone has a correction please let me know--as I have tried to interpret the codes as best as I can. I am posting some of the pics-as to me, it doesn't seem to have that amount of fasteners..again I could be looking at it wrong. Also in the living room wall pic, the center cut out, was where the issues with that wall seemed to have began. I am not sure why they would have spliced like that on a long wall--but it appears they did.

So if anyone more knowledgable has any wisdom they can impart on the pics..i would appreciate it.

Thanks! and Happy 2012!


----------



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Hard to see with just pictures and not being a ble to be there. The one big thing I see is that bathroom. That's got to be all done over, the sheetrock was suppost to be installed over that lip and be about 1/4 from the part sticking out where caulking would end up going once it's primed and painted.


----------



## steelgoddess (Nov 21, 2011)

Thank you very much for the response.
I was wondering about that as I went through the pics..
Unfortunately, I am left to backwards trouble shoot--as that blue board bath now looks like the attached pic. So I am guessing they filled it with mud or something. I have another bath--see attached, a really bad pic-- but it looks like it would be the same. Now why one is green board and one is blue board, I am not quite sure.
Thanks again...


----------



## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

joecaption said:


> Hard to see with just pictures and not being a ble to be there. The one big thing I see is that bathroom. That's got to be all done over, the sheetrock was suppost to be installed over that lip and be about 1/4 from the part sticking out where caulking would end up going once it's primed and painted.


Joe,
In our area the way pictured is a common practice. Gap is filled with dry mix compound and taped. If done properly, nothing wrong with it. In order to overlap the flange, wall studs would have to be furred out the thickness of the flange. I don't usually see it done that way on new houses, only on remodels.
Mike Hawkins


----------



## steelgoddess (Nov 21, 2011)

Hi Mike,
What is the difference then in one properly done vs not properly done..
Is there something to look for?

This was a hybrid new construction/remodel as home was gutted due to natural disaster...

After it was mentioned, I did check the sterling install instructions and it calls for over the flange..

I've been trying to find something in the code that dictates, but have yet to find anything applicable....

Thanks..


----------



## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

steelgoddess said:


> Hi Mike,
> What is the difference then in one properly done vs not properly done..
> Is there something to look for?
> Thanks..


 Steelie,
As long as moisture resistant drywall was used along with the dry mix joint compound and tape, there shouldn't be an issue. The joint where the drywall meets the tub should be caulked. If somebody used premix joint compound like you see in the plastic tubs, you would probably know it by now. It isn't made to bridge big gaps and would shrink and crack and crumble in short order. 
Mike Hawkins


----------



## steelgoddess (Nov 21, 2011)

Thanks Mike,
The boards they used were blue and green..so should be moisture resistant..

Based on what I see and feel, no caulk was used around either...There is a slight mud bulge...

One gets daily use, one really hasn't been used..

Hopefully, it won't be another issue.... as there are so many already...
so I can go back to counting fasteners


----------



## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

"I've been trying to find something in the code that dictates, but have yet to find anything applicable...." -------- http://gypsum.org/pdf/GA-216-2010.html

http://publicecodes.citation.com/icod/irc/2009/icod_irc_2009_7_sec002_par013.htm

http://publicecodes.citation.com/icod/irc/2009/icod_irc_2009_7_sec002_par014.htm

http://publicecodes.citation.com/icod/irc/2009/icod_irc_2009_7_sec002_par010.htm

Have any questions, just ask!
Gary


----------



## steelgoddess (Nov 21, 2011)

Thank you Gary for the links..

I have been through those trying to apply the standard to the pics.

Am I understanding it correctly that every 16" if using screws or a nail/screw combo, there should be some type of fastener? On the gypsum site they had it for 12" but if I extrapolate to 16" my pics don't look anything like I would imagine they should. The gypsum pictures were nice and uniform and lots of fasteners.

The codes don't seem to address the space between the flange and board, and looking through other forums it seems to be a well debated topic--two schools of thought.

Not enough fasteners may also explain another phenomena of the job, it seems every place they trimmed, or brought a hammer to, saw the area between the wall and the ceiling start to separate, crease etc. Logically if the boards were loose, that may account for the shifting... I am just thinking aloud here...

Thanks again!


----------



## luckyrabbit (Jan 4, 2012)

Looks like there probably isn't enough screws in the wall and this skim didn't go on thick enough or at least feather out the existing screws better. Also doesn't look like there is enough screws in most of the pics. but hard to tell since i'm not there. 

As for your kitchen ceiling looks like they just didn't feather out the butts very good on the skim. As Joe knows tapers only pass one coat with the boxes when it's getting a textured ceiling. You need to basically recoat the ceiling like it's never been done or had just tape and one coat on it.

LR


----------



## scamp01036 (Jan 5, 2012)

Steel Goddess--your first photo of the wall with the waves and bumps--what was the resolution. I have a hall that pretty much looks the same and have just recently had a "professional" skim coat and paint. The wall still looks like your photo. The paint is Sherwin Williams Duration matte finish and does have a slight sheen when looking at the wall on an angle. The wall was originally papered and the stripper indicated the walls were not sized. I think there were bits of paper and glue left and the first time the wall was painted after the stripping, all of the remaining residue was painted over. Since I was traveling for business when this was going on, I did not pay much attention but now I want that wall fixed. I suggested the the painter that maybe another round of skim coat would help. He said I was too much of a perfectionist and walked out! My husband wants to rip all of the drywall in the hall out which would also include removing all of the trip, door jambs, etc. (the baseboard was removed before the painting because we are upgrading it). The wall looks worse from the floor to about 4 feet up. Could a huge section of wallboard just be cut out and replaced or is there anyone else out there that could give me some advice? I spent $1200 on a 17 foot hall that doesn't look any better now than it did before. Thanks!


----------



## steelgoddess (Nov 21, 2011)

Scamp, there has not been a resolution yet... we are heading into that.. see next post..

Floating, redoing, using a surfacer, really flat paint...all can come into play with walls like that...

What did you decide to do? Did it work, or are you still working with it?


----------



## steelgoddess (Nov 21, 2011)

*The story continues*

Well its been alot of back and forth with the GC.. but he finally has come around to the fact that there are drywall issues.... I have attached a few more pictures... 99 percent of the wall surfaces have varying degrees of these issues. Of course we have the ceilings too. Of course, now to have the right person with the right method fix it. He has been interviewing drywallers this week, and I will be meeting with each of the finalists as well.

We both need to agree on person and method. Of course result will be the tricky part, and everything needs to be stipulated. That is where its getting tricky for me. The second contract noted to fix all imperfections and roller skim affected areas. 

He's decided he doesn't like the fix all imperfections as that means perfect and you can't get perfect--even though he didn't even get to workmanship standards. I have no issue with it. While I see the standards for new drywall, I really haven't found any readily available standards for this type of situation- a problematic install and finish that has lasted a year and a half. 

Is there such a thing? Is there standard language/standards that can set forth a quality job once and for all? I equate fix all imperfections and skim coat to a level 5--however the base for level 5 wasn't performed.

Also, will all bad spots be visible after priming? That is when he wants me to approve what's been done. Kind of like the point of no return. If it isn't caught then, then pretty much too bad.

So any ideas or suggestions? Any and all are appreciated.

Thanks!


----------



## scamp01036 (Jan 5, 2012)

I've tried to reply 2x now--but my response just disappears so I don't know if it was sent. I was not happy with the outcome from a seasoned painter who skimcoated and painted. I then hired a guy that does nothing but drywall installation--he used a large floater and applied 2 coats of thin skin coat--but the paint oozed thru in places and now that has to be addressed. He says to let it really dry (weeks) and he will fix on 3rd coat of skimcoat. It does look much better and feels like ice it's so smooth except in the places where the paint caused the bubbling. I am hoping he's right and this will be the fix. His explanation is the wider the float the more chance of "filling" in and it would appear he's right. He said he would replace the drywall if I wanted him to but really thought I would be happy with the multi layers of thin skimcoat. I'll let you know how it turns out once it's finally painted.


----------



## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

Steely,
After the walls and ceilings are primed, take a quartz halogen worklight and shine it down the walls at an angle. Imperfections should stick out like a sore thumb. Especially if you do it at night time when it's dark outside. Take a pencil and circle the bad spots if you do check it at night and the gc isn't around. 
Mike Hawkins


----------



## steelgoddess (Nov 21, 2011)

Thank you Mike.
Good to know they will be visible at prime. I am so used to trouble shooting a painted surface, I have never done it at the prime stage. Yes, night time is the best. Its amazing what you can see with a light, running it down the wall.

Hopefully we can arrive at a clear cut standard, so everyone is on the same page beginning to end. Never in a million years did I think walls would be the source of so many issues... Hopefully 8th person is the charm :thumbup:


----------



## steelgoddess (Nov 21, 2011)

Good luck scamp..
It sounds like you are on the right track to a good wall. :thumbsup:

What paint finish are you going with?


----------

