big crack in ceiling/wall line

diylady · 03-10-2007, 07:57 AM

I have a big settleing crack where my ceiling/wall meet and it fairly long about 5 ft long. Its got to be about 1/8" to 1/4" wide. What is the best way to fix this???

**AtlanticWBConst.** · 03-10-2007, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diylady

I have a big settleing crack where my ceiling/wall meet and it fairly long about 5 ft long. Its got to be about 1/8" to 1/4" wide. What is the best way to fix this???

Use paper drywall tape and drywall compound. Here is a site that has pictures to describe how to tape a corner. This is what you have to do; re-apply tape to the corner, coat it, sand, prime, paint:

http://www.drywallschool.com/handtape.htm

Scroll to the last section, almost at the bottom of this page.
It's under: "Step 4 - Tape the angles last"

After the above process, do the following (coating the tape):

http://www.drywallschool.com/coatangle.htm

Tools: (6" Taping knife, compound pan and paper drywall tape)

Good Luck.

joewho · 03-10-2007, 07:59 PM

Approach this with a little caution. It's very common for that type of crack to re-occur.

My advice is this: An inch or so beyond the crack, use a utility knife to cut the existing tape. You'll have to cut the ceiling and the wall. Do this to both ends of the crack. Use a scraper or stiff mud knife to dig out an end of the existing tape and pull it out. Clean the gap left behind.

Get some "setting type" joint compoud. This dries harder than all purpose compound and is more likely to prevent the crack from re-occuring. It comes in a bag and has to be mixed. Plus 3 Easysand is a setting type that you can sand. Durabond is also a setting type but not sandable. Durabond is the strongest but has to be recoated with a sandable compound.
Which ever you decide, prefill the crack and retape it using the method Atlantic provided.

**AtlanticWBConst.** · 03-10-2007, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joewho

Approach this with a little caution. It's very common for that type of crack to re-occur.

My advice is this: An inch or so beyond the crack, use a utility knife to cut the existing tape. You'll have to cut the ceiling and the wall. Do this to both ends of the crack. Use a scraper or stiff mud knife to dig out an end of the existing tape and pull it out. Clean the gap left behind.

Get some "setting type" joint compoud. This dries harder than all purpose compound and is more likely to prevent the crack from re-occuring. It comes in a bag and has to be mixed. Plus 3 Easysand is a setting type that you can sand. Durabond is also a setting type but not sandable. Durabond is the strongest but has to be recoated with a sandable compound.
Which ever you decide, prefill the crack and retape it using the method Atlantic provided.

Thanks for adding the additional 'repair' points... (that website is good...but doing a 'repair' can be more particular)

boman47k · 03-12-2007, 02:09 PM

what is the specific reasoning for replacing the old tape?

boman47k · 03-12-2007, 02:16 PM

Would a little flexible caulk be a hack job? If the house contintues to settle, the stiff mud will crack again. I have used caulk for thin cracks in verticle corners that held up very very well and invisible. I remember doing this once as an experiment. My reasoning being the caulk allows for sosme movement since it is flexible to some degree.

joewho · 03-12-2007, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boman47k

Would a little flexible caulk be a hack job? If the house contintues to settle, the stiff mud will crack again. I have used caulk for thin cracks in verticle corners that held up very very well and invisible. I remember doing this once as an experiment. My reasoning being the caulk allows for sosme movement since it is flexible to some degree.

There are several tricks to fixing cracks, some involving caulk. With a gap as wide as the OP describes, I don't think just caulking would be sufficient. Let's start out with a standard fix and see what happens.

**AtlanticWBConst.** · 03-12-2007, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joewho

There are several tricks to fixing cracks, some involving caulk. With a gap as wide as the OP describes, I don't think just caulking would be sufficient. Let's start out with a standard fix and see what happens.

You are absolutely right about the caulking trick, we have used it many times for cathedral ceiling peaks that have cracked. (Not the work we did - but service calls we have gotten). Usually small 1/16" cracks. Caulking works everytime for those....

boman47k · 03-12-2007, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Not the work we did - but service calls we have gotten

I guess I should have put that in too. And it was a thinner crack than what op posted. Didn't have to worry about it shrinking, etc..

But, if it was my place and I was not familiar with the mudding process, and didn't want to maybe have to paint the wall and the ceiling because of a crack..... I might would give caulk a shot. If does not work, the oh can always do the other more involved treatment. 1/4" is a fairly wide gap though. Just rambling a little.

diylady · 03-12-2007, 10:35 PM

Thanks for all the great advice,what a wonderful website atlantic. I don't think chalk will work since it is too wide. I will try to tape and joint compound but I do have one question. Joe you said to cut the existing tape,cut the wall and ceiling and dig out the existing tape and pull it out. I guess i'm a little unsure what you are saying. Are you saying i need to cut into the corners wider than where the crack is and pull off All(wall and ceiling) the existing tape in that corner before i retape?? What is the purpose of doing that and what width tape do I use or should I cut the standard size narrower??

**AtlanticWBConst.** · 03-12-2007, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diylady

Thanks for all the great advice,what a wonderful website atlantic. I don't think chalk will work since it is too wide. I will try to tape and joint compound but I do have one question. Joe you said to cut the existing tape,cut the wall and ceiling and dig out the existing tape and pull it out. I guess i'm a little unsure what you are saying. Are you saying i need to cut into the corners wider than where the crack is and pull off All(wall and ceiling) the existing tape in that corner before i retape?? What is the purpose of doing that and what width tape do I use or should I cut the standard size narrower??

Diylady,

Usually, when there is a crack, especially in a corner...the paper tape that was 'bonding' and 'holding' that area's seam has been 'stressed' considerably.

The result sometimes.... 'pulls'.... at the paper tape and causes it to 'release' or 'separate' .... from the sheetrock's surface.

This is not always the case. Sometimes it's just a seperation at the inside of the paper tape.
Other times, it is, as described in the beginning of this post. When it has seperated from the sheetrock's surface, then you should 'cut' it off, and remove it.
You do this, in order to place a new section of paper tape with new compound (it is like using glue).... in it's place.

The main reason for removing that 'stressed paper section' - is because you want the new tape to bond completely and directly... ON the sheetrock.

If you simply apply it onto a section of tape that is 'stressed' and possibly seperated from the S/R/ surface....obviously, it will not be directly holding onto the 2 edges of sheetrock.

To illustrate: A Bandaid that is falling off your hand - It's no longer 'sticking' - Remove it and put on a nice fresh 'sticky' bandaid....

joewho · 03-13-2007, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diylady

Thanks for all the great advice,what a wonderful website atlantic. I don't think chalk will work since it is too wide. I will try to tape and joint compound but I do have one question. Joe you said to cut the existing tape,cut the wall and ceiling and dig out the existing tape and pull it out. I guess i'm a little unsure what you are saying. Are you saying i need to cut into the corners wider than where the crack is and pull off All(wall and ceiling) the existing tape in that corner before i retape?? What is the purpose of doing that and what width tape do I use or should I cut the standard size narrower??

Yes, you should pull the old tape out. Drywall tape is all the same size.
With the old tape gone, there will be a perfect trough to lay the new tape into. A lot easier to re-mud

diylady · 03-13-2007, 08:17 PM

So what you are saying is that because the tape is stressed it probubly has pulled away from the wall near the crack in the corner so you have to pull and retape. Makes all the sense in the world, thanks for clearing that up for me. I really appreciate all your help. Will let you know how it turns out.

**AtlanticWBConst.** · 03-13-2007, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diylady

So what you are saying is that because the tape is stressed it probubly has pulled away from the wall near the crack in the corner so you have to pull and retape. Makes all the sense in the world, thanks for clearing that up for me. I really appreciate all your help. Will let you know how it turns out.

Diylady -

The key to getting this repair right is to make sure that you get enough compound under the tape, before wiping it down.
That compound is like a glue for the tape. You want it to cover the whole area under the tape.
Wipe off excess, but do not overwipe ...to the point that you push all the 'glue' out....

Good luck....This is really an easy repair, so don't be intimidated by it....

joewho · 03-13-2007, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diylady

So what you are saying is that because the tape is stressed it probubly has pulled away from the wall near the crack in the corner so you have to pull and retape. Makes all the sense in the world, thanks for clearing that up for me. I really appreciate all your help. Will let you know how it turns out.

We just don't know what's going on with it. It's best to pull the tape, have a look in there and maybe even put a couple of screws in the drywall there.

It's going to be a bit messy so you might want to lay something on the floor to catch the debri.

03-10-2007, 07:57 AM	#1
diylady Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 33	big crack in ceiling/wall line I have a big settleing crack where my ceiling/wall meet and it fairly long about 5 ft long. Its got to be about 1/8" to 1/4" wide. What is the best way to fix this???

03-10-2007, 07:59 PM	#3
joewho Pro Painter Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 434	big crack in ceiling/wall line Approach this with a little caution. It's very common for that type of crack to re-occur. My advice is this: An inch or so beyond the crack, use a utility knife to cut the existing tape. You'll have to cut the ceiling and the wall. Do this to both ends of the crack. Use a scraper or stiff mud knife to dig out an end of the existing tape and pull it out. Clean the gap left behind. Get some "setting type" joint compoud. This dries harder than all purpose compound and is more likely to prevent the crack from re-occuring. It comes in a bag and has to be mixed. Plus 3 Easysand is a setting type that you can sand. Durabond is also a setting type but not sandable. Durabond is the strongest but has to be recoated with a sandable compound. Which ever you decide, prefill the crack and retape it using the method Atlantic provided.

03-12-2007, 02:09 PM	#5
boman47k Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 1,064	big crack in ceiling/wall line what is the specific reasoning for replacing the old tape?

03-12-2007, 02:16 PM	#6
boman47k Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 1,064	big crack in ceiling/wall line Would a little flexible caulk be a hack job? If the house contintues to settle, the stiff mud will crack again. I have used caulk for thin cracks in verticle corners that held up very very well and invisible. I remember doing this once as an experiment. My reasoning being the caulk allows for sosme movement since it is flexible to some degree. Last edited by boman47k; 03-12-2007 at 02:19 PM.

03-12-2007, 10:35 PM	#10
diylady Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 33	big crack in ceiling/wall line Thanks for all the great advice,what a wonderful website atlantic. I don't think chalk will work since it is too wide. I will try to tape and joint compound but I do have one question. Joe you said to cut the existing tape,cut the wall and ceiling and dig out the existing tape and pull it out. I guess i'm a little unsure what you are saying. Are you saying i need to cut into the corners wider than where the crack is and pull off All(wall and ceiling) the existing tape in that corner before i retape?? What is the purpose of doing that and what width tape do I use or should I cut the standard size narrower??

big crack in ceiling/wall line