We plan on selling our current home in a year or so and upon doing
inspections to find possible flaws or common problems that will need to be
addressed to help sell the home I noticed a drywall crack extending from the
top corner of a room opening to the edge of the second level floor in an
open foyer (open from lower level to upper level). This crack is visible in
the drywall and looks bad and I would like to get rid of it to keep it from
being an issue with a home inspector or potential buyer. The home is about
4 to 5 years old.

Any ideas on how to eliminate this crack, most likely caused due to some
settling, without causing some major problems to the drywall. The crack
extends at about a 45 degree angle, upwards, and about for 18 inches.

Scrape it out. I use a pointed beer can opener for this. Spackle, and
re-paint. Hopefully, the house has settled as much as it is going to.
This is not an uncommon problem. The issue is really a cosmetic one,
unless there is a serious flaw in the house structure.

Gary KW4Z wrote:
We plan on selling our current home in a year or so and upon doing
inspections to find possible flaws or common problems that will need to be
addressed to help sell the home I noticed a drywall crack extending from the
top corner of a room opening to the edge of the second level floor in an
open foyer (open from lower level to upper level). This crack is visible in
the drywall and looks bad and I would like to get rid of it to keep it from
being an issue with a home inspector or potential buyer. The home is about
4 to 5 years old.

Any ideas on how to eliminate this crack, most likely caused due to some
settling, without causing some major problems to the drywall. The crack
extends at about a 45 degree angle, upwards, and about for 18 inches.

You need something to hold things together- either open-mesh glass
tape, or
the traditional paper tape, work fine; the glass is thicker. Your
technique can
be a limiting factor in the mudding part.

What I'd do: sand the area lightly about 6" either side of crack (don't
fuzz up
the paper on the wallboard), removing whatever's loose in the crack.
Then "tape"
it like any other drywall joint, keeping layers as thin as possible.
Scrape
the area after each coat dries to remove any high spots, which should
be few.

Prime & paint.

Just stuffing anything _into_ gap won't git-er-done.

J

PS to the below. If you don't want to buy a whole roll of tape
for a 12" crack, a strip of paper from a paper grocery sack will
work just fine.



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Gary KW4Z wrote:
We plan on selling our current home in a year or so and upon
doing
inspections to find possible flaws or common problems that will
need to be
addressed to help sell the home I noticed a drywall crack
extending from the
top corner of a room opening to the edge of the second level
floor in an
open foyer (open from lower level to upper level). This crack
is visible in
the drywall and looks bad and I would like to get rid of it to
keep it from
being an issue with a home inspector or potential buyer. The
home is about
4 to 5 years old.

Any ideas on how to eliminate this crack, most likely caused
due to some
settling, without causing some major problems to the drywall.
The crack
extends at about a 45 degree angle, upwards, and about for 18
inches.

You need something to hold things together- either open-mesh
glass
tape, or
the traditional paper tape, work fine; the glass is thicker.
Your
technique can
be a limiting factor in the mudding part.

What I'd do: sand the area lightly about 6" either side of crack
(don't
fuzz up
the paper on the wallboard), removing whatever's loose in the
crack.
Then "tape"
it like any other drywall joint, keeping layers as thin as
possible.
Scrape
the area after each coat dries to remove any high spots, which
should
be few.

Prime & paint.

Just stuffing anything _into_ gap won't git-er-done.

J

Gary KW4Z wrote:
We plan on selling our current home in a year or so and upon doing
inspections to find possible flaws or common problems that will need to be
addressed to help sell the home I noticed a drywall crack extending from the
top corner of a room opening to the edge of the second level floor in an
open foyer (open from lower level to upper level). This crack is visible in
the drywall and looks bad and I would like to get rid of it to keep it from
being an issue with a home inspector or potential buyer. The home is about
4 to 5 years old.

Any ideas on how to eliminate this crack, most likely caused due to some
settling, without causing some major problems to the drywall. The crack
extends at about a 45 degree angle, upwards, and about for 18 inches.

Rather than rigid spackle, corners and fine cracks that result from
movement can be patched with paintable caulk. Corners crack commonly
from expansion, and that is most common problem area. Using rigid
material just invites it to crack again; flexible material allows a
little movement without cracking.

This is a common crack point. IIRC, it can be caused by lumber shrinkage due
to the fact the drywall may have been attached around the opening to both
horizontal (header) and vertical framing components. Since lumber shrinks at a
greater rate against the grain vs with the grain, you get this type of cracking.

Or your house could be sinking :-)


The best way to fix this is by cleaning out the crack, and taping over it with
either mesh or paper tape. Paper type is preferred by some because it trowels
out thinner than mesh, but I like mesh because I think it will do a better job
of not cracking again.

Some folks like to use paintable elsometric caulking but for a hairline crack, I
think this is not a good solution because I don't see how you can get the caulk
in the crack and it does not sand well if you get it on the sides of the crack.


Norminn wrote:

Gary KW4Z wrote:
We plan on selling our current home in a year or so and upon doing
inspections to find possible flaws or common problems that will need to be
addressed to help sell the home I noticed a drywall crack extending from the
top corner of a room opening to the edge of the second level floor in an
open foyer (open from lower level to upper level). This crack is visible in
the drywall and looks bad and I would like to get rid of it to keep it from
being an issue with a home inspector or potential buyer. The home is about
4 to 5 years old.

Any ideas on how to eliminate this crack, most likely caused due to some
settling, without causing some major problems to the drywall. The crack
extends at about a 45 degree angle, upwards, and about for 18 inches.

Rather than rigid spackle, corners and fine cracks that result from
movement can be patched with paintable caulk. Corners crack commonly
from expansion, and that is most common problem area. Using rigid
material just invites it to crack again; flexible material allows a
little movement without cracking.

Spam goes well with eggs

Rather than rigid spackle, corners and fine cracks that result from
movement can be patched with paintable caulk. Corners crack commonly
from expansion, and that is most common problem area. Using rigid
material just invites it to crack again; flexible material allows a
little movement without cracking.

+1 I've done that, with paint-able silicone, and it is the easiest and
the best. Easily the least detectable repair, once painted.