# Drywall Cracks, installed yesterday



## la_bacon (Mar 1, 2018)

I usually do the drywall work on jobs but this time my boss subbed it out because we're super behind. They finished yesterday but when I looked at it today I noticed tons of cracking. Mainly in corners, which won't be hard to caulk in, but there is a really big one on the ceiling, right in the middle of the joint (not the edge of the tape). I've never seen this happen so quickly. What's going on?

Also, what's the best way to fix it? Can I just skim coat it or should I use some tape (they used paper but I prefer mesh for non-corners)? Should I be worried about something structural? We were replacing their drywall because the ceiling had been starting to fall down, but not in the area of this ceiling crack. We were worried it was termites, it wasn't, and my boss shrugged it off as just old drywall. Also, this crack is near where some of the garage door hardware is attached. Could how they re-hung the garage door be effecting it?

Thank you!


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

lordy


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## Mordekyle (May 20, 2014)

Pictures?


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## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

The drywall subs don't know how to deal with it? Why should you fix their mistakes?


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## la_bacon (Mar 1, 2018)

RangoWA said:


> The drywall subs don't know how to deal with it? Why should you fix their mistakes?


I don't trust them to do it right. If this wasn't a garage I would be re-hanging sheets and skim coating everything. It'll be faster to do it right myself.


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

la_bacon said:


> I don't trust them to do it right. If this wasn't a garage I would be re-hanging sheets and skim coating everything. It'll be faster to do it right myself.


If it’s a garage, did you think it might have cracked due to a shift in the weather before it was fully dry? I heard mud takes a couple days minimum to dry all the way through and that’s in a controlled environment. Even if it looks dry, it’s not necessarily.

I’m not a drywaller, I Jaws that shlt out.


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## la_bacon (Mar 1, 2018)

Big Johnson said:


> la_bacon said:
> 
> 
> > I don't trust them to do it right. If this wasn't a garage I would be re-hanging sheets and skim coating everything. It'll be faster to do it right myself.
> ...


I've done a lot of drywall in new builds before they are climate controlled as well as other garages and haven't seen anything like this. I'm in Phoenix so we're pretty mild, mid 40s thru low 70s but it did jump up to 80 yesterday.


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## la_bacon (Mar 1, 2018)

Mordekyle said:


> Pictures?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


The joists are running perpendicular to the ceiling crack. Also included an example of the cracking that is all over the place in the corners.


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## Snobnd (Jul 1, 2008)

It’s probably because of improper blocking in the ceiling area, every 7 feet you should have blocking in the ceiling Joist. Seems like movement above for sure.


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## la_bacon (Mar 1, 2018)

Snobnd said:


> It?s probably because of improper blocking in the ceiling area, every 7 feet you should have blocking in the ceiling Joist. Seems like movement above for sure.


Oh, is that for the additional weight of the garage door?

There were also cracks on the walls, mainly horizontal but also vertical, and I know those studs were at least 24" on center. There's also cracking in every corner, where the ceiling meets the wall and where the walls meet.


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

la_bacon said:


> I've done a lot of drywall in new builds before they are climate controlled as well as other garages and haven't seen anything like this. I'm in Phoenix so we're pretty mild, mid 40s thru low 70s but it did jump up to 80 yesterday.


Maybe the garage door was operated before the mud fully dried???


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## Big Shoe (Jun 16, 2008)

Tapes lifted. Watery paint or improper taping. See if tape peels out easily. Do not tape over. 

Wow. Somebody’s going to loose some money here. 


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## blacktop (Oct 28, 2012)

Wet mud over wet mud and then paint over wet mud ? I think you know where in going with this ! 

Sounds like one of those ..let's git er done in two trips kinda deals .. with a tail light warranty.
The tape coat has to be cured before the block coat goes on . The block coat has to be cured before the skim coat goes on. The skim coat needs be cured before it can be sanded! 

READ THE BUCKET !!


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## blacktop (Oct 28, 2012)

la_bacon said:


> Oh, is that for the additional weight of the garage door?
> 
> There were also cracks on the walls, mainly horizontal but also vertical, and I know those studs were at least 24" on center. There's also cracking in every corner, where the ceiling meets the wall and where the walls meet.


Overloaded mud in the angles can cause the angle cracks. Or the tape was still wet when they coated them ..And when the tape coat starts to cure out under a wet block coat ! It causes the angle to hair line crack in the crease .


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## blacktop (Oct 28, 2012)

la_bacon said:


> The joists are running perpendicular to the ceiling crack. Also included an example of the cracking that is all over the place in the corners.


It's a garage that's not air controlled ? Where you been man? All garages hung with regular sheetrock go to chit within the first year or so . You can't put regular sheetrock outside !!! It will fail . It needs to be air controlled . It's called DRYwall . If you want drywall to hold up outside? You got to go with W/P.


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## blacktop (Oct 28, 2012)

I'm calling H/O on this .


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## la_bacon (Mar 1, 2018)

I think you guys are right with watery mud not curing. 

Wednesday I re-taped the cracks (on walls horizontal and vertical, on ceiling on joists and perpendicular to joists, corners I just caulked). Used mesh tape and a thick coat of 45 minute mud then topped it with regular mud. So far no cracking, which is good because their stuff was still wet when I saw the cracks. I didn't remove the old tape but if I have to do more repairs (which I'd bet on) I will.

When I was cleaning up the job site I found a 5 gallon bucket half full with a super watery mud mixture. Much looser than I'd even use in a hopper. More like the stuff at the bottom of your cleaning bucket after mudding for a week. My boss said they were using it to apply the tape (adhering it to the wall and giving it a first coat). I guess they used a normal consistency mud after that, but you're kind of f-ed after a first coat like that. Plus since it was so watery, I'm sure it didn't dry out well enough before the next coats.

I am just totally amazed that people could screw something up so badly.


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## la_bacon (Mar 1, 2018)

blacktop said:


> la_bacon said:
> 
> 
> > The joists are running perpendicular to the ceiling crack. Also included an example of the cracking that is all over the place in the corners.
> ...


I'm in Phoenix so our weather is pretty mild and I think that makes a difference. The garages are weatherproof but not climate controlled. Using drywall in them is pretty standard, even the new builds I've done. My detached garage's drywall is 20+ years old and doing fine. 

What is W/P? And H/O?


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## blacktop (Oct 28, 2012)

T


la_bacon;6877466
What is W/P? And H/O?[/QUOTE said:


> Water proof . And homeowner . And I'm guessing your an H/ O .?


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## 3bar (Jan 14, 2011)

living space above?

floor flexing too much?


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## AARC Drywall (May 11, 2008)

That's awesome,


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## cedarboarder (Mar 30, 2015)

blacktop said:


> with a tail light warranty.


:laughing: I'll remember that for my sale pitch on warranties


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## Texas Wax (Jan 16, 2012)

cedarboarder said:


> :laughing: I'll remember that for my sale pitch on warranties


:thumbsup: Works great! 

Sure I 'can' do it that way, however it comes with the tail light warranty. Homeowner "Whats that?" Me "See my tail lights...it's all on you" Adding "Won't see brake lights either, this warranty requires, Gas is the right, damn the brakes scope of coverage.....we're outta here never to return."


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## madrina (Feb 21, 2013)

blacktop said:


> T
> 
> Water proof . And homeowner . And I'm guessing your an H/ O .?


what about GFYS? OR FUBAR


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## blacktop (Oct 28, 2012)

madrina said:


> what about GFYS? OR FUBAR


Are you trying to get kinky with me ?


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