# Drywall unsquare ceiling



## wrender (Feb 1, 2018)

It seems like the ceiling in this room is quite off. It's not square at all. 

If you look at the pictures, you will see down this end of the room/corner of the wall, it is about a 3/4" gap. Especially noticeable from the second photo. The framing really bows outward in this corner so that is the reason for the large gap.

When we started this ceiling we left about a 1/4" gap for acoustic sealant. 

Does anyone know what the best way to fix this would be? Or is it not really an issue? I guess with the 1/2" wall panels then the gap would only be about 1/4" in the ceiling to wall joint.


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## Marson (Jan 26, 2018)

Take it all down! Just kidding... ideally the wall panels will support the ceiling drywall, but in your case that ain't gonna happen. You will want to fill the gap with hot mud before you tape the corner.


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## wrender (Feb 1, 2018)

Marson said:


> Take it all down! Just kidding... ideally the wall panels will support the ceiling drywall, but in your case that ain't gonna happen. You will want to fill the gap with hot mud before you tape the corner.


Thanks!


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Very few houses are built with all the rooms perfectly square. If there is room to insert a ripper - you do that, otherwise prefilling is the norm. It doesn't have to be completely filled, just enough so the tape mud has something to cling to and won't be so thick it pulls the tape down.


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## wrender (Feb 1, 2018)

mark sr said:


> Very few houses are built with all the rooms perfectly square. If there is room to insert a ripper - you do that, otherwise prefilling is the norm. It doesn't have to be completely filled, just enough so the tape mud has something to cling to and won't be so thick it pulls the tape down.


Is a ripper a thin piece of drywall? For example could I do a 3/4 inch piece?


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Yes, 3/4" is kind of narrow but a bit wide for prefill - either way will work.


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

It's meeting a wall.
You should cut at least 3 inches off of that piece so a full thickness abuts to the wall.
Then set the piece like what you have in the picture.
Using something similar to this










Scribe your piece then cut it and clean the edge using one of these










Then install it.


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## wrender (Feb 1, 2018)

ron45 said:


> It's meeting a wall.
> You should cut at least 3 inches off of that piece so a full thickness abuts to the wall.
> Then set the piece like what you have in the picture.


Thanks! So just to clarify then the patch would end up being about 3 to 4 inches wide?


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Correct, you'd need to flat tape the new patch piece along with taping the corner. Finishing will be the same although were the patch piece is you'd float it out a little further.

In the future when you see a wall is off square you'd cut an angle on that piece of drywall to make it fit better ..... but drywall work is pretty forgiving.


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## wrender (Feb 1, 2018)

So something like this? Sorry, my first drywall job so just not sure how forgiving it is, and don't want to mess it up too bad


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## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Correct, drywall work is pretty forgiving - mistakes just mean a little more work to make it look right.


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## ron45 (Feb 25, 2014)

wrender said:


> Thanks! So just to clarify then the patch would end up being about 3 to 4 inches wide?


No.
Three inches is cut off because that portion is for a seam where to pieces abut together. If you notice that portion is not a full half inch thick but is tapered.

Once the three inches is cut off you place the full sheet against the wall and scribe it, so the full piece fits square in place to be installed. All the rest of the full sheets will then be squared to this sheet. There is no tiny piece unless it's the last piece going up and you don't use the tapered end.



Same goes with the bottom wall sheet. the bottom three inches ( tapered for seam ) is cut off so the full thickness of the sheet is present. If not you will have to mud that area or your trim will be place at an angle or maybe crack when nailed because the back of the trim will not be flush with the face of the sheet.


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## wrender (Feb 1, 2018)

mark sr said:


> Correct, drywall work is pretty forgiving - mistakes just mean a little more work to make it look right.


Thanks. I think since its only 1" and Will only be just about 1/2" once drywall wall sheet is up I'll just pre fill it. Unless someone can give me a good reason not to do this.


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