What Causes Cracks In Drywall

Cracks that are larger than 1 8 inch are much more of a concern than hairline cracks.

What causes cracks in drywall.

Drywall cracks in ceilings or walls. Causes of drywall cracks. Usually the seams are invisible due to the use of drywall mud and tape. House settling and temperature or moisture fluctuations in an attic which result in the expansion or contraction of framing members.

Whether drywall plaster or concrete walls are susceptible to cracks even walls in newly built homes are prone to cracks which normally occur from settling. As previously mentioned stress is usually the main reasons that cracks occur. Vertical cracks run the same direction as drywall generally making them less serious. One reason drywall cracks is because the wrong type of drywall mud was used when taping.

Repairing cracks in walls the best way to repair a crack in drywall is to re tape the joint. Homes are constantly settling as different construction materials expand and contract at different rates. Most drywall cracks occur on the seams where two pieces of drywall meet. Then layers of drywall mud are added to feather the seam smooth with the rest of the wall.

This article describes the common causes of all types of cracks that appear in drywall or gypsum board or plasterboard walls ceilings in building interiors. The mud fills in the. The wrong type of drywall mud was used. Cracks in your drywall or plaster interior walls could be the result of your house settling which could come from the foundation or may be the result of earth movement according to gregg cantor.

The cracks may occasionally be a red or yellow flag that a problem is beginning to appear or that there is a serious problem. However there are many potential causes of stress. Illustrations show where cracks are most likely to appear explain why and suggest both repair approaches to drywall cracks and how to prevent cracking in plasterboard or gypsum board. If the crack is horizontal or runs at a jagged 45 degree angle it might mean there s a more serious problem.

When a house settles or walls move cracks may indicate either weakness in the joint or movement that exceeded expectations. Typically plaster ceiling cracks have two causes. Some of the more common ones are.