Almost every house gets drywall cracks. Houses move a little with the seasons, and the weak points are the seams and the corners of doors and windows. Most cracks are cosmetic, but a quick paint-over almost never lasts.
Why cracks come back
A crack is a seam or corner that moved. Filling it with caulk or spackle and painting hides it for a while, but the next time the house moves, it opens right back up. A repair that lasts bridges the crack with tape.
The fix that lasts
- Scrape off loose paint and any tape that's lifting.
- Open the crack slightly so compound can grip.
- Bed tape over the crack in joint compound. Mesh tape with setting compound is a strong combination.
- Apply thin coats, wider each time, and feather the edges out several inches.
- Let each coat dry, sand lightly, then prime before you paint so the patch doesn't show through.
When it's more than cosmetic
Call a pro if a crack keeps coming back after a proper repair, if doors start sticking, if cracks are wide or running at an angle from a corner, or if there's a water stain nearby. A stain usually means a leak, and the leak has to be fixed before any patch.
We can help
See how we handled a water-damaged ceiling and a bathroom ceiling over a shower, or read about our drywall repair service.