What Causes Cracks In Drywall

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.

What causes cracks in drywall.

Usually the seams are invisible due to the use of drywall mud and tape. When a house settles or walls move cracks may indicate either weakness in the joint or movement that exceeded expectations. This involves scraping away the loose tape and crumbled bits of drywall mud sanding the surface smooth. If the crack is horizontal or runs at a jagged 45 degree angle it might mean there s a more serious problem.

House settling and temperature or moisture fluctuations in an attic which result in the expansion or contraction of framing members. 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. However there are many potential causes of stress. One reason drywall cracks is because the wrong type of drywall mud was used when taping.

The mud fills in the. Most drywall cracks occur on the seams where two pieces of drywall meet. Typically plaster ceiling cracks have two causes. The wrong type of drywall mud was used.

Some of the more common ones are. The cracks may occasionally be a red or yellow flag that a problem is beginning to appear or that there is a serious problem. Being knowledgeable about drywall cracks and their causes can help homeowners determine the seriousness. 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.

Then layers of drywall mud are added to feather the seam smooth with the rest of the wall. Common causes of drywall cracks. 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.

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