From Plat to Place
The Step By Step Home Construction Site
Step 43 - Fixing Drywall Seams
Sanding and Smoothing
After several days of installation, applications of joint compound and sanding, the final smooth sanding process takes place. The floors are now Gypsum white from the powder and the walls have a nice, uniform fill. You are now in a very late stage for the interior of your home and it feels as if you could live there, though the floors, fixtures and utilities are not yet in place. I will say that this period seems to move very slowly due to the joint compound drying requirements and the schedule of the drywall staff. Ryland allowed this crew a full ten days to complete their work and they took the majority of it to deliver a finished surface throughout. The work is high quality and we were in no rush, so it pays off in the end if the crew does take their time to do a job well done and professionally.
Things We Learned Along The Way
The Art of Fixing Drywall Ceiling Cracks
A Guide to Plaster Wall Repair
A Simple Trick for Ceiling Drywall Repair
Easy Ways for Patching Damaged Drywall
Drywalling an Unfinished Basement
How to Stop Drywall Cracking - Once and For All
Fixing a Drywall Seam
It's alright if you see a crack on your drywall. The wear and tear of the house cannot be helped. You might be looking at it thinking your houses poorly constructed or there was poor installation of the joints on your drywall. Yes, you can think of that but there are other common causes of cracks in drywall. What are these causes? One cause is the house settling into its structure wherein the ground is shifting, like a mild earthquake. The climatic condition of an area that can affect the sealants and drywall compound used which are moistened and then dried out. Nails and screws can loosen the compound. A hit on the drywall that was banged by the movement of furniture moving around could also be a cause. The slamming of doors and windows can also cause a crack.
Fixing drywall cracks in walls can be easy if you know how to do it yourself. You need to know the steps on how to repair cracks in drywall. The most common places where cracks happen are on your doors and windows, including the seams. Drywall seams have the tendency to crack even for a subtle movement, like what we mentioned earlier, the door banging and slamming of windows. Another question for you is how to repair a cracked drywall seam? After knowing the mechanics of simple repair in drywall cracks, you only need to add more from the simple process. You need to locate the crack and then know the severity of the crack. You need to replace the existing drywall tape, not tape over it. So you need to remove both the plaster and the tape through scraping. Push the plaster and paper tape away with a scraper along the crack. Remove the things you have scraped until you get a smooth surface where you can place a new plaster and tape. If necessary, you can use a sandpaper to smooth the surface around the crack. You can now add the drywall mud over the crack. Of course, preparation of drywall mud has to be done. You will need a drywall mud power drill, a pan and water to do this. Make a good mixture of the mud with water in the pan. Ensure that there is enough mud on the wall and on each side of the crack. Make sure it's the same width as the drywall paper you will be applying to the crack. Cut a strip of drywall paper long enough to cover the crack in your seam. Press the drywall paper against the mud using only enough pressure by a knife and make sure it doesn't create a dent. Smooth the edges. Make sure that you get a smooth surface on the whole area. Let it dry for 24 hours. Use sandpaper to smooth the bumps or ridges. Then with a knife again, apply another coat of mud on the area you are working on. Let it dry again. Smooth the surface again with sandpaper. You can then apply primer. Two coats will most likely be necessary to cover the repair. You are then ready to apply paint. This is the easiest way to fix drywall cracks when it comes to cracks in drywall seam.