New joint compound fills and covers cracks.
Your home's stability depends upon the strength and integrity of its foundation. If your foundation is constantly shifting, the drywall on the above-grade floors can crack. Because soil is a natural element, it's prone to swelling when wet and shrinking when dry, which can create alternate periods of pressure on the foundation. You can repair the drywall and make allowances for future cracks, but it's imperative that you take steps to reduce the soil movement around the foundation as well.
Re-Taping
Your wall is a series of large drywall panels attached to the studs beneath. The original contractor filled the seams between panels with joint compound, and these seams are the most likely spots for cracks. Re-taping includes removing the old tape and scraping the dried joint compound from the seam before applying drywall tape and new joint compound over the seam. You'll smooth the compound flush with the wall, let it dry and sand it smooth. You can use this taping process for additional small cracks not located in the seams.
Drywall Replacement
When cracking is extensive, or the cracks are wider than 1/4 inch, you can replace a portion of a damaged drywall panel with a new section. This involves cutting out the damaged section in a square or rectangular pattern. It's important to cut along the center of the studs adjacent to the damaged section. A stud finder can help locate the studs, which are generally spaced 16 inches or 24 inches apart. Using the cutout section as a template, you'll cut a new section from a fresh drywall panel, attach it with drywall screws to the studs and apply drywall tape and joint compound as you would for a smaller repair.
Install Expansion Joints
If you're replacing an entire wall of drywall panels, now is the time to install drywall expansion joints, or control joints. Made from flexible vinyl, these joints come in 8-foot, or longer, strips and fit between two drywall panels. In the future, if the wall studs shift, the expansion joint will absorb the movement and expand or contract, like an accordion, to prevent the drywall from cracking. You can paint over the expansion joint strips so they will blend in with your wall color, but you can't apply joint compound over the accordion part of the strip, because it must be able to expand and contract when the house framing shifts.
Reduce Future Cracks
Before repairing the drywall, it pays to reduce the risk of future foundation movement. Unless your foundation is structurally inadequate, movement is likely due to water-related soil expansion and contraction. Reduce the amount of water next to your foundation by installing guttering and downspouts. Add soil to bring up the grade of your yard around the foundation so water runs away, and remove foundation bushes and other plantings that require frequent watering.
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