crack spackling-not that kind! - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

GoodPainter · 12-09-2006, 04:52 PM

On a job coming up I have two ceilings that have normal settling cracks along the middle, the whole length.

I told the customer that they will probably come back if the house is still settling and they understood they are large rooms and they think it is from their kids jumping around upstairs

Well I told them that I would do the best i can so the cracks come back later rather than sooner

Question? How does mixing acrylic caulk to some plaster sound?
the caulk will expand...etc you already know what it does..
Will the stress crack hide for a longer time or will this not work

any thoughts
has anyone tried this?

Robert

PS- I just put a patent in for the idea

AAPaint · 12-09-2006, 05:40 PM

Are you serious? A patent?

Glasshousebltr · 12-09-2006, 05:47 PM

I knew a chick once who went looking for caulk every time she got a crack.

Bob

Richard · 12-09-2006, 06:28 PM

sounds ok...but running some tape and mudding along the cracks sounds good too--then your chances seem better that it wont come back

DeanV · 12-09-2006, 06:37 PM

In my house I tried repairing cracks in the walls above a door way three ways on the same door way opening.

1. Open up the crack, apply drywall compound to fill crack, fiberglass tape and then more mud.

2. Open up the crack and only apply mud.

3. Fill the crack with caulk only.

What I found is that the crack repaired with tape looks the worst by far. The tape makes the crack more noticable than the other ones when the crack reappears. The home was built in the early 60's by the way.

painterofeveryt · 12-09-2006, 06:47 PM

find the studs or the lath boards, screw in some inch and a half screws,then fix as normal with tape and hotmud for the first coat after the first is dry use what kinda mud you feel most comfortable with...

phinsher · 12-09-2006, 06:56 PM

I'd say a crack all the way along the middle of a ceiling is more likely faulty drywall work rather than from settling. They showed up when the house setteled, but they wouldn't have if it was taped correctly. When you get up there to cut the cracks out, if there are voids or spaces not full of mud, then its faulty taping.

A crack specifically from settling would be on inside corners, above door casings, above or below windows. We do a huge amount of drywall repair on modularr homes. Once they're set in place we repair and install some drywall. After a year we go back and the only ones that seem to show up because of settling are the ones on inside corners, above door casings, above and below windows.

Best remedy is to cut the cracks out, fill with durabond. Apply mesh tape, skim with durabond thick enough so you don't see the mesh tape. Then skim with regular joint compound to minimize the hump.

If you go your own "custom" way and the cracks come back, another professional my inspect your work and say it wasn't repaired using industry standard methods and you might be responsible for fixing them again.

DeanV · 12-09-2006, 07:39 PM

The hard part on ceilings of course is now there is a layer of taped that has to be smoother out and blend with the rest of the ceiling and we all know how hard it is for drywallers to do this perfectly on new construction, much less on top of existing seams.

axnjoe · 12-09-2006, 09:35 PM

I would first find out what type of ceiling it is. Drywall or plaster. I agree with Phinsher in the post above. Typically cracks down the middle of a ceiling do not indicate settling. Its not uncommon to see a crack in the middle of a plaster ceiling. If it is drywall then it could be bad workmanship. But it could aslo be a water leak from somewhere too. Can you be more specific?

GoodPainter · 12-10-2006, 11:47 AM

OK

The house was built 1979-80 drywall walls/ceiling

the crack is from room being 20x20ft plus

husband already "fixed" crack with mesh tape -which is showing again i believe fixed about 2-3 yrs ago

The crack is not so bad but it is noticable and it does run the length

I dont think i am getting the previous mesh tape off so i have to go over it with many coats of mud thick

Ohh i guess you would call this a stress crack being the room has a large span

I just thoought to mix in some caulk with the patch so it can expand a bit

Robert

Woz the Painter · 12-10-2006, 12:48 PM

Is the crack running on a straight line across the entire ceiling? I've seen this a lot on houses where a drywall joint comes off the top of a brick or stone fireplace wall. If you want to solve this problem for good and the HO is willing to pay, install an expansion joint, then mud her in ...

boman47k · 12-10-2006, 12:49 PM

Quote:

mix in some caulk with the patch so it can expand a bit

I'm trying to imagine sanding this mixture.
I can see the possibility of it being from the kids jumping upstarirs. They don't have one of them 38 year old sons living with them do they??

I'm thinking if it was me and my house, I would consider some sort of fake beams rather than have to do this every few years. Like fasten 2x's to the joists thrn box them in. Let the crack do it's thing behind the decorative beam.

GoodPainter · 12-10-2006, 12:59 PM

I was guessing the sanding might not work but at a ratio it might be infused with the mud to make it sandable

Don't know but, I am guessing no one tried this yet cause it doesnt sound like it would work, it may

I will experiment

WOZ- i never did a expansion joint could you explain a bit cost

Robert

boman47k · 12-10-2006, 01:09 PM

Quote:

I will experiment

Sounds like a good idea. Really, if you could perfect that....!
I've heard it said that in theory, a bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly.

Be interested in more info on the expansion joint too.

Woz the Painter · 12-10-2006, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Good Painter

I was guessing the sanding might not work but at a ratio it might be infused with the mud to make it sandable

Don't know but, I am guessing no one tried this yet cause it doesnt sound like it would work, it may

I will experiment

WOZ- i never did a expansion joint could you explain a bit cost

Robert

I not sure of the current cost of the material, maybe some rockers here could help on that. Basically you would have to cut out the drywall on either side to accommodate the expansion joint, then re-tape the area on both sides of joint...

metomeya · 12-10-2006, 03:23 PM

I've seen some home repair stores that sold a type of spray that you put over the mud, or spackle, and it a rubbery material that expands with the joint.

All you do is then paint over it, and its done.

LennyV-NHSNOLA · 12-10-2006, 06:42 PM

Seems like this would be a job for that "ButtJoint" tool so it would create an impression in the drywall on each side of the crack and then it could be re-taped and floated without having to go out 18" with the feather.

thom · 12-10-2006, 07:58 PM

To remove the existing tape and mud put a 60 grit pad on an oscillating sander. Instead of the dust bag, duct tape a vac hose to the sander. Hook the other end of the vac hose to a STRONG commercial vac. The vac will pull enough to put some pressure on the ceiling and keep the dust down. sand till you hit the drywall paper.

We brocade texture our ceilings here. Without sanding the joint back at least 12" on each side, it's impossible to hide a patch.

The toughest part is sanding through the paint. The 60 grit will do that quite nicely.

Once you get back to the paper, you can deal with the patch. If you try to deal with it on top of the other stuff the crack will continue to work it's way through. You can't get enough flex in a real thin joint (mud plus caulk) for the patch to work long term.

Joewho · 12-11-2006, 12:56 AM

In the past I've mixed caulk with Durabond. Not plain hot mud, but durabond. First coat only, then applied mud as usual.

At times I've put caulk only, then mud. Other times I've mudded, then caulked and mudded again.

Those three in addition to standard uses of caulk after the fact.