[Oldmaster]

We paid a contractor that others highly recommended to sheetrock our living room ceiling. Looked good at first we painted it after about a week or so. 4 months later we are seeing cracks at the seams. Starting to see more and more. He came back and looked at it and asked me what do you want me to do?. He said if I re- spackle it'll just crack again. Any suggestions?

 

[stick\shift]

Spackle is not the right product in the first place so hopefully we are talking about joint compound. That said, did he tape the joints? Fiberglass or paper tape? If fiberglass, was the first layer of compound a setting type compound?

On the whole, I don't think he's the right guy to fix the problem so my next question to him would be how much of a refund he's going to give you so you can pay someone competent to fix it.

 

[mark sr]

Ya, it sounds like either sticky tape was used without setting compound or the mud was thinned too much. Are all the seams cracking or just some of them? pics?

 

[Oldmaster]

He used paper tape and joint compound. No it all joints, just some. Any suggestions how to fix?

 

[mark sr]

Does the tape feel loose? a little hard to say the best plan of action without being there to inspect. You could mud over the offending areas and see how that goes. Hard to say if your finisher knows what he's talking about or just trying to get out of coming back for free.

 

[ClarenceBauer]

I am NOT a drywall person but have worked in the Plaster trade for 41 years and the same cracks appear in plaster.
It may not be a tapping or Joint compound problem.
You may want to look at what the drywall is applied to like is it attached to the bottom cord of a roof truss? Is it applied to a floor joist?
The following will cause cracks Sagging support system. (floor joist)
Truss up lift.
Expansion Coefficients,Temperture variation & Humidity.
It may require an expansion joint be installed.

 

[siffleur]

Prefill seams with Durabond

We paid a contractor that others highly recommended to sheetrock our living room ceiling. Looked good at first we painted it after about a week or so. 4 months later we are seeing cracks at the seams. Starting to see more and more. He came back and looked at it and asked me what do you want me to do?. He said if I re- spackle it'll just crack again. Any suggestions?

siffleur

 

[Marson]

Do you have a photo of the cracks? I’ve seen cracks develop on the surface that were the result of too much fill with the final coat (with very wet mud). The other thought is that the joists are over span and moving.