Can Cracks Appear in the Walls Due to a Poor Drywalling Job?

Straight or Jagged

• Whether a crack that forms in the drywall on your wall is straight or jagged indicates the potential cause of the crack in the wall. Straight cracks in the drywall that run perfectly horizontally or vertically along the wall are actually the seams between different sheets of drywall. Repairing these cracks alone should eliminate any future cracks from showing up again, since the cracks are probably the product of a poor drywall job. Jagged cracks are not from the seams between the drywall sheets, but the drywall tearing from the house settling unevenly. Jagged cracks are usually accompanied by nails coming out of the walls, trim coming loose or other similar problems.

Settling

• All homes may experience damage from settling due to numerous causes, such as the soil under the home settling unevenly, the lumber in the house shrinking over time and even insect damage to the house, according to home improvement expert Tim Carter. As different parts of the home settle, the shifting in the structure can lead to cracks forming in the cement floors in the basement, the foundation and even the drywall on the walls. No matter how well the drywall was installed in the house, the walls will form cracks from settling. Consult a trusted local contractor for solutions if your house is settling unevenly.

Repairing Seams

• Fixing cracks that run along the seams between drywall sheets requires you to take some of the same steps you use to install drywall. You must drive nails or screws into the drywall on either side of the crack, with the nails or screws anchoring into the wall stud behind the drywall. You must then apply mud or joint compound and then drywall tape over the seam. Finally, you must spread joint compound over the nails or screws as well as the drywall tape, smoothing everything out so no signs of the crack or repair remain.

Repairing Tears

• If your drywall has cracks or tears in the form of jagged lines instead of horizontal or vertical cracks, you must approach the repair with a different technique from what you would use to install drywall. If you have not taken measures to stop the settling in your house, then you cannot merely mud and tape the crack and not expect it to come back again. Instead, you must apply a siliconized latex caulk to the crack, counsels Darrell Hay of the Seattle Times. The latex allows the paint to bond with the caulk, while the silicone allows it to move as the house continues to settle.