# code against caulking drywall inside corners?



## gunner666 (Jul 16, 2014)

Where could I find the code for this if there is one?
Saw a video they caulk where ceiling meets wall and inside wall corners. Saves so much time and sanding.

Googled it and read a bunch of threads. It's commonly done in commercial jobs no problem. Some do it simply to save time, or better expansion prevents cracks. or in a tiny corner where they can't fit taping knives, or when replacing drywall that meets a textured ceiling instead of scraping the texture off to bed paper and then retexture.

Others say never do it pretty much only because it will eventually crack or fall out but many have replied it's lasted 15+ years no problem and actually prevents cracking. I read many threads and the consensus seems to be that it's perfectly fine if done correctly (not on bare plaster where it won't adhere etc). But is there a code against this for whatever reason?

One thing is to make sure it's fire rated caulk because regular flammable caulk is no substitute for fireproof/resistant drywall mud. And not silicone since paint won't stick to it well. 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X0cM96e8vE


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

There is no code that I've ever seen for it.
Fire calking is red, really want to use that?


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

You could caulk over the fire caulk with a regular elastomeric. Idk if I've ever seen it done on new drywall, but I've caulked a thousand cracked out inside corners.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

I will occasionally do it on repairs, especially where a repaired wall meets a popcorn ceiling. You really don't want to get into redoing a section of that ceiling - scraping popcorn, installing tape and mudding it, reapplying popcorn, possibly painting - when there's nothing to repair on the ceiling. So I'll caulk that joint. I admit I never thought of fire rated caulk.

Fire rated caulk is available in other colors. But read more information here
http://forums.mikeholt.com/showthread.php?t=151138


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## expertPainter (Sep 15, 2014)

Go nuts. 

Just painted into a HORRIBLY tapped textured line. Pot the first coat on, then caulked around the room abd finished.


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## gunner666 (Jul 16, 2014)

Didn't realize red fire caulk would probably remain pink after 1 coat of good primer. They probably only carry red in the stores near me also, but I guess either a thin coat of white over top or a few coats of primer would do the trick and is a lot easier than mudding and taping and sanding. 




expertPainter said:


> Go nuts.
> 
> Just painted into a HORRIBLY tapped textured line. Pot the first coat on, then caulked around the room abd finished.


you caulked after painting? One of the threads was about a painting contractor did this and the HO got pissed and had a call back, made the painters cut in after the caulk, the pictures looked armature with a white bead of caulk even if the room is painted white, it won't be the same white - gotta caulk and paint after.









I forgot to note this should only be done on butt corners (not joints of course) of drywall. If you hang drywall vertically, the factory butts should be at the ceiling and your cut at the floor, instead of the factory bevel if hung horizontally which I wouldn't caulk unless asked to because you'll see the bevel that should be filled in with mud. On inside factory corners when hanging boards vertically, you'd have the same thing. And there's that small section of factory bevel joint at the ceiling every 4' also that would need mud even if you hang the boards vertically. 
Just try and keep it consistent, if the drywall isn't tight and making a good inside corner and would need a fat bead of caulk that doesn't match a sharp taped corner, then mud those also.


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## expertPainter (Sep 15, 2014)

gunner666 said:


> Didn't realize red fire caulk would probably remain pink after 1 coat of good primer. They probably only carry red in the stores near me also, but I guess either a thin coat of white over top or a few coats of primer would do the trick and is a lot easier than mudding and taping and sanding.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Painted the caulk white. Doing bigger residential jobs what we do is because is a big push for all the trades after we finish the hallways we put a tight bead of caulking to make a nice line because the tapers left us with a crappy one


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## ront02769 (Nov 28, 2008)

Fire code caulking is red for a reSon....same as fireblock greatstuff is bright orange...same as #14 wire around me is white and #12 is yellow......so that the inspector can come in and see if you used the right stuff in the places. Ron


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## epson (Jul 28, 2010)

< Sorry, links to competing sites are not permitted. >
read up..


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## beenthere (Oct 11, 2008)

Sorry, links to competing sites are not permitted.


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## epson (Jul 28, 2010)

sorry about that...


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## gunner666 (Jul 16, 2014)

I was rethinking this after recently taping and mudding a bunch of inside corners. I decided to tape and mud because I wanted to make sure it was fire rated just to have it done as correctly as possible but I don't think such a code exists.

I did about 10 feet with tape and said F this and was going to caulk the inside corners the next day with fire retardant caulk. I think inside corners are much more work than any butt joint or factory-to-factory joint (except ceilings which are the hardest). 

I changed my mind and continued taping and mudding but I would much rather have just put some caulk and then screed the caulk out to a crisp 90 degree with a caulking tool. 


The reason I don't think there's a fire code against this is because even though the walls require outlets every 6 feet or so for code (wiring etc a possible fire threat but also the main point is to just contain a fire from lack of oxygen or spreading to another room), it could just be a half wall, then you have all that open area where a fire could spread. 
And all inside corners of course are framing members, even if you had a 3/8" void where two drywalls meet, you have a 2x4 or metal stud behind that. It's also like saying you have to tape and mud the bottom corners where the floor meets the wall, even though that usually gets moulding which is approx 1/2" of more wood (more material to slow down a fire), the moulding can be commercial flammable rubber. I really don't think there can be a code against this as if to say like 'you don't have to mud (or anything fireproof) every corner but if possible, then you need to". 





This is all besides the point of cracking. Joint compound cracks all the time, regardless if you use mesh tape (on an inside corner is very difficult and no one really does that) and if you uses setting type compound (stronger than premixed compound). Houses settle and move etc. I don't know why anyone would say caulk is more likely to crack. It's made to expand and contract. Sure it can crack but I think even the cheapest caulk is less likely to crack vs green lid USG drywall compound (stronger than the blue lid or light green lid and is for the base coat because it provides strength but doesn't sand as easily as blue or light green lid). 

You might get a little bit of a sheen from the caulk vs compound after it's painted but nobody's really going to notice, and you can probably prime the caulk and prevent this anyway.


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## Anti-wingnut (Oct 18, 2009)

Tape or fire caulk would only be needed on rated walls. Partitions internal to an occupancy can be framed or covered anyway you like


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