# Weird cracks, rip, and bulge in drywall?



## chazell29 (Dec 23, 2016)

Hello everyone,

About 6 weeks ago, I purchased a home that had been remodeled. A couple of days ago, I noticed the drywall above the door leading from the master bedroom into the master bathroom was ripped. It did not appear to be a crack, it was a perfectly straight vertical line that almost looked like the paint had peeled off and ripped. I also noticed the corner of the doorframe is separating, and a crack is forming - this crack though only appears to be paint cracking/separating from each other - the drywall underneath (in the separation) looks intact. On the other side of the wall, a small crack is forming, there is a crack along the ceiling/wall corner, and there is a bulge in the wall coming out near the ceiling.

I was wondering if anyone has seen anything like this and if so, if you can shed some light on it. 

Thanks!

*Bedroom Side Overall*









*Bedroom Side Close Up* (It's Sideways for Some reason)









*Bathroom Side Overall*









*Bathroom Crack with Bulge Near Ceiling* (Sideways for some reason too)


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Those look like poor tape joints.

The painter should have done a better job on this place.

You are going to need to re do it, plus maybe a whole lot more around the house.

Did you get any kind of warranty when you bought?

This should be covered by one.


ED


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## chazell29 (Dec 23, 2016)

de-nagorg said:


> Those look like poor tape joints.
> 
> The painter should have done a better job on this place.
> 
> ...


Thank you very much for the reply. Yes, I did get a home warranty with it. This is my first home, so I'm learning a lot about this type of stuff right now - I looked up what a tape joint is, and that makes sense as to why it'd tear perfectly like that on the bedroom side. What would be the fix for this?

Do you think there is a foundation issue that is maybe stressing a drywall joint, causing the paint to split, since the door casing is separating?


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

If there was a foundation issue, the crack would be diagonal across the wall.

I suspect that maybe the door was not installed securely with the proper studding, and it is separating from the king studs, if there were any installed.

A tear out and look see is needed, but not until you get the warranty adjuster out to look at this thing.

ED


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## chazell29 (Dec 23, 2016)

de-nagorg said:


> If there was a foundation issue, the crack would be diagonal across the wall.
> 
> I suspect that maybe the door was not installed securely with the proper studding, and it is separating from the king studs, if there were any installed.
> 
> ...


Okay cool, thanks. I'll give the warranty company a call tomorrow and go from there. I was worried it was going to be a big foundational issue.


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Could also be water damaged causing the tape joint to come apart. Even a poor tape joint needs a bit of help to come part like that. Either water damage or house shifting or both.


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## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

I can't be sure from here, but it appears to have no or a sub standard header in there.
You won't know until it's taken apart to look.


ED


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

----Welcome to the forums!---- my cut-off is 10 posts - you just made it... 

Was it remodeled or flipped... either way the drywall was installed breaking a joint over a door- wrong, should have been a up-side down "L" shape out of one sheet. Appears to be a screw head showing over center of trim in first pic and open miter in casing of 1, and 2 pics. That could be settling OR a bad cut and no putty before paint.. Picture of top door reveal from inside mirrored room (ask guy with camera to leave... would show us either: door settling or bad install- need a level across the floor to see if door jamb is depressing floor or not- two story above that? Bearing wall? Does that window/door remote security sensor work with magnets so far away?

Gary


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## chazell29 (Dec 23, 2016)

Gary in WA said:


> ----Welcome to the forums!---- my cut-off is 10 posts - you just made it...
> 
> Was it remodeled or flipped... either way the drywall was installed breaking a joint over a door- wrong, should have been a up-side down "L" shape out of one sheet. Appears to be a screw head showing over center of trim in first pic and open miter in casing of 1, and 2 pics. That could be settling OR a bad cut and no putty before paint.. Picture of top door reveal from inside mirrored room (ask guy with camera to leave... would show us either: door settling or bad install- need a level across the floor to see if door jamb is depressing floor or not- two story above that? Bearing wall? Does that window/door remote security sensor work with magnets so far away?
> 
> Gary


It was a flip, they remodeled most of the house. Interesting about the way the drywall was installed - make sense now that you mention it. Why they didn't install it that way to begin with puzzles me.

The thing that looks like a screw head in the first picture is actually the key to the door lock on the casing. 
The house is single story, I'm not sure if its a load bearing wall. 

In regards to the alarm sensor on the window in the second picture, yes it works lol. The alarm system was installed by ATT after I moved in.


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## chazell29 (Dec 23, 2016)

joed said:


> Could also be water damaged causing the tape joint to come apart. Even a poor tape joint needs a bit of help to come part like that. Either water damage or house shifting or both.


Okay thank you - is there any way to tell if its water damage? The split is on the bedroom side, not the bathroom side, so there isn't any steam or anything so I'm not sure where the water damage would come from.


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## Gary in WA (Mar 11, 2009)

Because they are "flippers"- think; fast/shoddy/unskilled/ignorant or non-caring.... pick one or all.

Pop the attic access lid and take/post a picture toward the wall in question, we are looking for a point load or ceiling joist bearing framing up there.

Gary


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## radioman99 (Nov 21, 2016)

i would just cut out the bad tape and redo with mesh tape and redo. if the was shifting and settled - then it probably already did most of it so it shouldnt happen again. if it does - you either got water issues behind the wall or foundation issues directly underneath. 

its a stress crack and i wouldnt be concerned unless its growing . just fix it and move on.


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## lenaitch (Feb 10, 2014)

It might be water damage but I'll put my/your money on simply a poorly done joint. Either not enough compound, too dry, etc. My guess would be that once fixed properly the problem will be solved. If not, at least you tried the most inexpensive approach first.

If by 'doorframe separating" you mean the gap in the nearby corner of the casing, my guess would be a less-than-perfect mitre joint that was not finished properly. It was probably done in haste or by amateurs -the reveal on the opposite (hinge) side looks to be quite a bit wider than the rest of the trim and wider than usual.


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