Inside corners are crackin.??. - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

bujaly · 10-26-2007, 10:50 AM

Question that I'm not sure the answer of.. Actually, TWO questions I'm not sure the answer is..

Customer called to paint a kitchen and a stair way hall in a townhouse, not an end unit either.. Pretty cut and dry, BUT... The inside corners are all cracked and very visible. Heck, at one point you can actually see the tape "twisting" OFF in the middle. (if you can envision that).

My questions are as follows and I know you all don't have ALL OF THE info you might need, but you all can humor as you always do.
1. What causes this typically? Settling, shoddy taping, incorrect methods..blah,blah..
2. Lets say it is due to settling or whatever... If I take all the tape off and re-tape, will this just keep happening?

**ProWallGuy** · 10-26-2007, 11:08 AM

1. Usually settling causes this, especially if it looks like the tape is 'twisting' off.
2. Remove tape, re-tape, and don't guarantee it. You can't. You have no idea if it's done settling. That's about the best you can do. I never guarantee repairs on stress cracks.

A W Smith · 10-26-2007, 12:23 PM

twisting off is a sure sign of one wall moving in the opposite direction of the other. You cannot guarantee it. just cut out one end of the tape and peel it off. Some light cracks on a corner tape edge I just flat tape over to allow it to move slightly.

bujaly · 10-26-2007, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A W Smith

Some light cracks on a corner tape edge I just flat tape over to allow it to move slightly.

I'm not following you here. Do you do this if it's just light cracking in general or..?

A W Smith · 10-26-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bujaly

I'm not following you here. Do you do this if it's just light cracking in general or..?

No what I mean is on inside corners that have limited cracking on only one edge of the tape. I flat tape over that crack so the center of the tape is over the crack. any crack over 16 - 24 inches long or so i cut out the corner.

bujaly · 10-26-2007, 01:48 PM

I gotcha.. I wish, these cracks are about 15 ft long..

neolitic · 10-26-2007, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bujaly

I gotcha.. I wish, these cracks are about 15 ft long..

I'm just guessing here

, but you're talking ceiling angle?

A W Smith · 10-26-2007, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by neolitic

I'm just guessing here

, but you're talking ceiling angle?

i was thinking the same thing. "townhouse"

hmmm... trusses?

drywallet · 10-26-2007, 05:33 PM

What kind of tape is it? mesh or paper. I've seen more cracks when Mesh has been used on angles. I was tought to never tape with mesh on the angles.

bujaly · 10-26-2007, 06:44 PM

No, no angles here.. From the bottom of the stairwell to the top of the second floor. The stairwell starts at the bottom of the first floor. It's paper tape, of course..

neolitic · 10-26-2007, 06:51 PM

Pull a piece off, you can tell if there was never any mud behind it. I f there was then it's probably a movement/shrinkage problem like mentioned before.