New walls may crack as wall studs and ceiling trusses dry.
Shrinkage cracks are common in drywall, especially in wood-frame homes. These cracks tend to appear as the lumber loses its moisture content and shrinks slightly. Settling also accounts for some cracks in drywall. Joint compound is a common ingredient for repairing these cracks, although you should only use it on cracks that appear for the first time. Proper preparation is a necessary step in repairing shrinkage cracks and creating a wall surface that looks as good as when it was new.
Instructions
Narrow Cracks
1. Clean out the center of the shrinkage crack with a sharp knife, removing the loose plaster or broken drywall. Using the tip of your knife, gently scrape away the deepest portion of the crack to make it wider on the inside than on the surface. This helps hold your joint compound in place and makes it stick better.
2. Clean the area around the crack with a damp sponge. Allow sufficient time for the moisture to dry completely.
3. Scoop a small amount of joint compound onto your putty knife. Press the compound directly into the crack, pressing the knife back and forth, until the crack is filled. Feather the edges of the compound outwards to extend about 2 inches on each side.
4. Let the compound dry completely, according to the instructions on the package label. After the compound is dry, sand the edges until they are even with the surrounding surface areas. Remove any dust with a tackcloth and apply primer and paint to the patched area.
Large Cracks
5. Remove any loose particles of drywall from the center of the crack. Nail the edges of the cracked drywall to the underlying studs, using drywall nails. Tap the nail heads slightly lower than the surface of the drywall.
6. Apply a piece of mesh drywall joint tape over the crack, extending it slightly beyond the edges. Press the tape down firmly. Mix the joint compound according to the instructions. Scoop up the joint compound with a drywall knife. Starting at the top of the crack, press the drywall knife firmly against the wall, pressing the compound into the crack. Draw the drywall knife along the length of the crack, pressing the joint compound deeply into the mesh tape.
7. Scrape off excess joint compound with a cleaned drywall knife, smoothing the joint compound against the surrounding surface. Let the patched area dry, then sand the edges until you can't feel a difference between the patch and the undamaged surface. Remove any dust from the wall with a tackcloth and paint it to match the surrounding surface.
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