# shrinking drywall



## brent3369 (Jul 20, 2006)

I have an issue that came up on my last drywall job. I did a tape,mud, sand on a new 1800sq ft house with a vaulted cieling that was 15ft high down to 10ft. 

When I was done, I took a 500w light and went over my work to catch anything that needed fixxing. After I was done I primed the walls and cieling so the owner could paint it himself. There were no visual flaws that showed up under light, but after the owner decided to prime it again he noticed that scew holes stated to appear. Now he is trying to prime and patchch himself and making things worse and not wanting to pay me for the job.

What can cause the flaws to appear after priming or painting? I am a painter too and could have had the house done the right way long ago.
It is so frustrating to get a client like this.


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## Sheetrock26 (Dec 25, 2004)

Are they dimpled in or pushed out? If they're popped it most likely has something to do with the moisture content in the lumber. Try to think back to the weather conditions of when the project would have been framed. Expect more pops right through next spring after the cold months when permenent heat is introduced.


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## krobinson (Jun 27, 2006)

Im with Sheetrock26 on this. Usually related to improperly dried lumber (the framers are putting it up right out of the kiln around here) humidity or gyproc not acclimated to job.

And 500W??? Wow, take it easy man, we always use 200W and never had problems.

On another note, how are things going in flat country? I am thinking of moving back to where I come from (Moose Jaw), can't stand the pace in British Columbia anymore (not to mention the large amounts of cash one needs to get by). :surrender:

Is there enough work to keep me fed around SK ?


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## brent3369 (Jul 20, 2006)

The holes are dimpled inward. The weather has been wet for most of the spring and into summer. It was framed last fall and boarded by the client around feb. or march.

krobinson, there seems to be alot of work right now in Sask. I am in Yorkton and have alot of work. There seems to be alot of building going on in Saskatoon and Regina.


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## AtlanticWBConst (Mar 29, 2006)

It's definitly related to the lumber being moist and drying out. We worked on a pre-fab sectional home about 3 years ago. Same problem.

Cause: Moist Lumber.
Pre-fab Sections: Built in Canada...must be the weather?


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## theworx (Dec 20, 2005)

Thats why you really can't give a warranty on drywall taping. Have had many customers ask for a warranty and tell them no. I tell them they will get the best quality job but I don't know the moisture in the wood framing or drywall (not to mention whether the foundation will have movement depending on how it's built)... Not to mention the change in differing weather conditions. The work you have to put in should be extras because it's beyond your control.


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## theworx (Dec 20, 2005)

brent3369 said:


> The holes are dimpled inward. The weather has been wet for most of the spring and into summer. It was framed last fall and boarded by the client around feb. or march.
> 
> I missed that, the fact the client boarded himself. Could be he set the screws too deep!!! That will show up after the fact...
> 
> I love Regina, did work at your Smurfit plant in the last two years(redoing their main offices - two phases) I love it there, great restaurants, the friendliest people I've ever experienced, and a slower (less fast paced atmosphere) than Winnipeg. I seriously could see myself moving there...


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## brent3369 (Jul 20, 2006)

I thiml the client is looking to save himself money. He is happy with the cieling (vaulted with a knockdown over paint). The drywallers here usually don't do knockdown on vaulted cielings. 

What is th feeling about doing knockdown on vaults from you guys?


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## ProWallGuy (Oct 17, 2003)

brent3369 said:


> boarded by the client


This is probably the main problem. You didn't hang it, there should be no warranty whatsoever.


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## AtlanticWBConst (Mar 29, 2006)

ProWallGuy said:


> This is probably the main problem. You didn't hang it, there should be no warranty whatsoever.



AGREED..We put it in writing for our taping jobs. 

In essence it says: "If we didn't hang it, we will not warranty it".

You have to know that it was 'hung' properly in order to have faith that the 'taping will not crack or other....

It's like putting down ceramic tile work and guaranteeing it's installation over a subflfoor .....that 'some one' else installed....and you have no idea of what's under there and how it was fastened, etc...


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## DaveH (Jun 2, 2006)

I tell the clients "YOU hang it"..."YOU finish it" I have never seen so many problems as those I have encountered going over some idiots hanging job. I made the agreement years ago to let a H.O. do there own hanging, and when we showed up to finish it he had stood the drywall up on wood framing. I told him we could finish it, but he would see every joint crack in a short time. He told me to get lost and had someone else do it. The last I heard he was looking for someone to spray texture on the walls to minimize all the cracks...:blink:


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## maj (Mar 13, 2006)

Usually what happens when ho's hang their own, is they use their cheap little cordless drill or worse, a 3/8" corded drill, to set the screws. What they don't understand is it's the paper face that holds the drywall. They just screw away so it stays up, figuring the mud will fill the holes. The sheetrock "pops" out away from the framing because the paper is broken by the screw being too deep.


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## Mudpuppy (Jun 28, 2006)

Your problem is moisture. You can't control that. The job should be painted as soon as posible. Too many people think that paint is just a color, no it's not, it's a shield that just so happens to come in different colors. I'm doing a 64,000 ft house, not dw, sq ft, that I'm having the same problem with. My problem is in very moist areas, basements, places the painters set up for paint shops, and anywhere that the a/c has been on recently in damp areas. Best fix is Rapid Coat mud over what is easily visible on the screws.


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## Mudpuppy (Jun 28, 2006)

Oh by the way, if you have a homeowner doing his own painting; RUN RUN!!!! They will pick you apart! Whining ballbags.


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## j120strat (Jul 24, 2006)

the flaws showed up after prime because shinny paint like primer will bring out all the imperfections, tell the homeowner to put a flat paint on it and it will be perfect.:thumbup:


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## brent3369 (Jul 20, 2006)

The other shoe dropped. Got a phone call from the home owner's wife warning me to not expect payment(I am out 1400 dollars). I quoted 2750 to do the job and then he told me I told him it was only 2000(always get it in writing). The only satisfaction I get is in the knowledge that they will have problems with the house for at least a year, ie. settling and truss lift in the winter, and of course it will be all my fault. The wife even threatened to tell everyone about "my faulty work", which isn't going to mean much concidering that one complaint out of hundreds won't mean much.

Well, I vented, now I feel better...lol.


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## kgphoto (May 9, 2006)

Brent,

Hopefully you have learned this lesson this time. It sounds like you knew it before, but since you went ahead without a contract, you really didn't. Contracts can be real simple and fast and would have allowed you to pursue the money owed with protection.


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## Frankawitz (Jun 17, 2006)

*Heres a question*

Since this HO hung the board I was wondering was the sheetrock he hung 1/2 or 5/8, another thing is being your in the northern country did he insulate the ceiling and also if he did, did he install vent shoots on the backside of the roof for air flow? but if he has dimples he must have set the screws to deep:thumbup: , also if you contracted with him didn't you have a proposal he signed, if so why not lien the house? or do what I do when dealing with s&*%heads like this tell him that just remember what comes around goes around, and you never know you wife could get raped:sad: or one of your kids could get run over by a truck or something:blink: , put that little bit of fear in his ear and he may come around and send you a check, being that I'm from the Detroit area I like to tell them I have this friend who is 6'8" and 280lbs and black and he sure likes white women.:whistling


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