Adding In An Expansion Joint

DeanV

I just installed an expansion joint in the center seam in a garage. The center seam was in far worse condition than the other seams and had been repair before with mesh tape and mud, but returned so I am giving it a try.

I am looking at a second garage now. In this one, all three seams in the ceiling are cracked and in the same condition, no one seam is worse than the other. If I put an expansion joint in the center seam, still minimize cracking on the other two? Any other advice on garage seams is appreciated as well.

The drywall in this garage is in rough shape, with a lot of the wall seams even needing repair. I do live in MI, and failing drywall joints are pretty common in garages that are not heated, but this one is especially bad since the bad joints are usually confined to the ceilings.

Thanks!

Multi-Tasker

Dean , Two thoughts about garage drywall.
1 The dampness causes regular mud and tape to seperate.Re-tape with hot mud.
2 If under fastened at the seams add more screws,then repair the seam.

I haven't repaired a lot of garages but this is what I found

Joe

Brocktologist

With the heat and cold of the Midwest and with the garage doors fgoing up and down, my preferred method is to install the drywall with all the butts in a straight row and leave room for the expansion joint(s). It looks a odd at first but helps to prevent callbacks.

Tim0282

Sometimes homeowners store "stuff" in the attic of the garage. Could be too much weight on the trusses if they weren't built to hold "stuff". (Most trusses aren't built for "stuff").

DeanV

No stuff in garage and the drywall seems to be fastened well. I do use the hot mud (white bag, easy sand) for my repair work.

For the next project, would you recommend adding the expansion joint to all three joints in the ceiling or just the middle one (all cracks are running parellel and the length of the garage ceiling)?

Burby

Besides the normal thermal expansion/contraction, are they using flat paint in these garages?
The reason I ask is back in the mid 90's I talked with S/W & CK supply, Drywall supplier about using drywall for our screen porch ceilings as they did here in years gone by. Most where either r/s 3/8 exterior ply with batten strips over the joints then painted, or later the vinyl soffit vent, or other vinyl for the ceilings. Though nice in wind, especially on the water it could be noisy, or in storms actually blown off.
So to offer something different, yet be tolerable, I was doing some research & discoverd the ceilings were actually drywall years ago with semi-gloss oil based paint over to protect the finish & mud.
Both C/K supply & S/W sai this is fine as long as do not use a flat paint that would allow moisture to easily absorb into the joints, mud, & paper of the boards.
I switched back to doing my porch, screen porch, & even the garage ceilings & walls in this manner, (the garages I always applied a semi-gloss finish on anyways, because of he exposure to the humidity we have here in the South East on the coast. It has seemed to tolerate this humdity very well. Others that just apply a flat finish the tape is found falling away form the ceilings, paint peeling as well.
Even house right on the water that are raised 8 or more feet above the ground & wide open, but the underside of the house still has to be closed in with drywall & painted as a finished ceiling. The ones here right on the water I had the painters apply a gloss finish for a tighter seal.
I'm sure today they have better types of a similar drywall product to do this, but then you either used M/R or reg drywall that was availible around here.

Just wondering if that may help some of the finish problems you are runnig into. Maybe some of the painters here could also add to this with the new products on the market today.

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DeanV

Good thought on the finishes. The next garage is a cheaper flat paint, the other is a satin finish. I will make repaint the flat garage with at least a good quality eggshell in case that makes a difference.

Burby

Talk with your paint supplier, it can't hurt

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kgphoto

Use X-crack before you hang. Paint with Semi gloss.