# Old ceiling drywall in wrong direction



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Has the tape broken and there's now a crack?
Are there nail pops?
Can you push up on the drywall and it moves?
Sure it's not the whole ceiling that's sagging?
What's above this area, any access?


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

If it has sagged and bagged over the last 50 years,I doubt if the situation can be corrected without removing the old drywall and replacing---

I have run into a house or two that had sagging ceiling joists and once, a set of bad trusses ----so investigate the cause of the sag/bag before you open up a can of worms----Mike-------


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## jdbowman (Oct 22, 2013)

No tape breaks or nail pops. 
I can definitely push the center of the drywall up at least 1/8 inch and see nails that are under tape - probably are not drywall nails either.
Every piece of drywall is sagging consistently in both living an family rooms, and it is definitely running in the same direction of the trusses.
It's a ranch home with a high pitch so I have lots of attic access. I've added rolls of insulation perpindicular to the trusses, but the ceilings were this way when i bought the house.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Try pulling the drywall back tight to the joists and see if that is acceptable---you may want to 'jack' the drywall up using a 2x4 with a section of 2x4 nailed to the top in a T shape---lay a section of 2x lumber on the floor--measure the distance from the 2x to the drywall---make your T pole about 3/8" to 1/2" LONGER--

wedge the pole between the 2x and the ceiling--tap the bottom lightly with a hammer--this will lift the drywall so you can screw it ---------


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## jdbowman (Oct 22, 2013)

New screws in the center truss sounds like the best first step. (others I've thought about are a coffer ceiling and laying new drywall on furring strips) Now would be best to figure it out in the living room before the room is trimmed and painted. The family room is another story since it is already "done." *Is it a possibility that the ceiling could come down at some point?*


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

If the wrong fasteners were used, it's possible. I've only seen drywall fall off a ceiling once, and that was in a garage when there was a leak in the roof above and the drywall got wet. However sagging usually suggests the problem is simply the fasteners not at the correct spacing, and/or too thin drywall used.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

After all of these years? I rather doubt if it will drop---but you have added more weight with the new insulation----try the screws and see--then run a string and see how much sag there is in the framing. 

1959 is rather early for trusses---in this area they did not become popular until the 1970s---- Could you post a picture of the trusses or describe the webbing?

Some early trusses were made by the builder,on site--and were poorly engineered.


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## jdbowman (Oct 22, 2013)

My trusses look like this:


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## Nailbags (Feb 1, 2012)

Well sounds like if you can push up the drywall then it is nail pops you can try to screw it back up. if that does not work guess what? new drywall ugh! this is why going parallel is bad when doing dry wall always go perpendicular to the framing walls or ceiling it gives added strenght to the drywall.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Myron Ferguson actually illustrated in his book that drywall (like wood) is stronger in the long dimension.


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## jdbowman (Oct 22, 2013)

So, if I don't care about what it looks like, it sounds like I'm safe leaving it. If not, 1. try the screws 2. consider a new layer of drywall over furring strips 3. running coffer ceiling beams perpendicular to the trusses.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Measure the distance between the trusses, they should be no more than 24" on center. If you can remove a ceiling vent or heat register see if you can tell how thick the drywall is.


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## Nailbags (Feb 1, 2012)

also they could have used 1/2 inch or less drywall 5/8 is what it should be.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Go out side and look at the ridge of the roof---is it straight or sagging in the center like an old horse?----


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## jdbowman (Oct 22, 2013)

The trusses are definitely 24 inch, and the roof is not sagging at all. 
I do think that the drywall is 1/2 inch though. 
I put a level and tape measure on the ceiling, and each sheet has 3/8 inch difference between the lowest point and the edge of the piece of the drywall. There are definitely nails holding the center of the sheet, but they have come down 1/4 to 1/3 inch with the drywall.


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## jdbowman (Oct 22, 2013)

There are nails in the center of each piece in the center truss, and they are 1/4 to 1/3 inch pulled out according to the amount of sag at that point.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Lift it back up--hopefully no insulation has slipped between the drywall and the framing--then add more screws---

That is very loose---I was removing a loose ceiling in a kitchen---one good pull and the entire 10 x14 ceiling came down in one fell swoop----Bang, Big bang!!!


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

1/2" is recommended for 16" centers and 5/8" for 24" centers. Over time this has probably caused the sag. If you have access from above you may need to add some cross bracing between the trusses just to have something to screw to. Just don't be too surprised if you end up having to replace it.


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## jdbowman (Oct 22, 2013)

Thanks to everyone. Last "?" *Does replacing it necessarily mean ripping the old one down* or can I place the furring strips every 4ft where the drywall is still tight and install a new ceiling in the correct direction.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

With it sagging this bad remove and replace.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

ToolSeeker said:


> With it sagging this bad remove and replace.


It's loose and bagged and sagged----best option is to remove it.


Cover the floor with several layers of heavy plastic---cut the corners at the wall/cieling using a utility knife----then bash a hole with a hammer---and pull with a rake or hoe----remember--this might all fall at one time---so be careful-----


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