Construction gap in drywall on purpose?

[garage479]

I have a bedroom above my garage and the garage extends beyond that room by about 4 feet with a roof over that 4 foot section. Where the roof meets the room, there is a vertical section of drywall that goes down a few feet. On that section, the drywall has a 1/2 inch gap approximately 6 inches from the ceiling. Is there a reason for this gap? It looks as though it was done intentionally.

My problem is that everytime that it rains hard, there are a few drops of water that come down that wall, for which no contractor can tell me the problem or want to fix it, so I plan on filling up the 1/2 inch gap, finishing the drywall, and painting it with oil paint so that the few drops of water can run right off of the wall without damaging the wall.

Is there an issue with me filling up that 1/2 inch gap with drywall compound?

Thank you.

 

[brownbagg]

why do you have rain inside your house?

 

[cgall]

You seriously need to find the source of your water leak, or it will eventually damage your insulation, framework, wiring, etc. A 1/2" gap in drywall work is not acceptable.

 

[rodm1]

Photos would help but you must find the leak! No doubt you will get a good solution hear but try reposting at http://www.diychatroom.com/ they are very knowledgeable also.

My thinking is the roof doesn't have enough slope for all the water and it's pooling up and running under the flashing. I think the gap is an expansion joint.

 

[Hiball]

It sounds like the 1/2" Gap is the Least of your worries.. I would definitely address the Water Leak issue first... Its so Dry around here, I wish i had a Water leak.. LOL

In Regards to the 1/2" Gap, Im Definitely Not a Drywall Expert but Ive hung quite a bit of it in my Day and Finished it to boot, IMO 1/2" is Too much to try and fill with strictly Mud. I'd try and use something to Fill or Eliminate the gap with a proper sized piece of drywall before you attempt to finish it.

 

[signcrafter]

I have a bedroom above my garage and the garage extends beyond that room by about 4 feet with a roof over that 4 foot section. Where the roof meets the room, there is a vertical section of drywall that goes down a few feet. On that section, the drywall has a 1/2 inch gap approximately 6 inches from the ceiling. Is there a reason for this gap? It looks as though it was done intentionally.

My problem is that everytime that it rains hard, there are a few drops of water that come down that wall, for which no contractor can tell me the problem or want to fix it, so I plan on filling up the 1/2 inch gap, finishing the drywall, and painting it with oil paint so that the few drops of water can run right off of the wall without damaging the wall.

Is there an issue with me filling up that 1/2 inch gap with drywall compound?

Thank you.

From what you described("Where the roof meets the room, there is a vertical section of drywall that goes down a few feet.") you make it sound like you have drywall on the exterior of your house? I don't get exactly what you are trying to say. But I do know that "no contractor can tell me the problem or want to fix it" is a false statement. A good quality contractor can fix it. You have water getting in somewhere, which is bad. You need to figure out where it's getting in, flashing or some other place. Without seeing a picture or being there I would say flashing where the wall meets the roof isn't flashed right and depending on the siding material on the wall above the roof water could be getting behind the siding and running down the wall behind the roof.

If you don't fix the real problem and just try and halfass this by using some oil paint you are only going to be in for a big suprise down the road. The water is doing more damage than just the drywall. It will rot all the wood it touches as it runs down which will rot out leading to bigger holes. If you use oil base paint to protect the drywall the water will run somewhere else now that the drywall isn't soaking up the water and will damage other areas. Pretty soon this area that no contractor can figure out will turn into an area that a contractor can figure out when they tell you they need to tear the whole thing apart and replace all the framing, drywall, roofing, siding, etc.

 

[RECox286]

X2 on ^^^^. Get the bear, before the bear gets you.

Uncle Bob

 

[Dustball]

Fix the leak first, then fix the gap.

 

[wedge40]

Ah go ahead patch it up.. A little mold never hurt nobody.

Along with everyone else, find the leak and get it fixed. Even though these can be harder to find then that mysterious squeak in a car.

Wedge

 

[signcrafter]

Go buy an airless paint sprayer and a couple five gallon buckets of oil based paint and just spray the whole outside of your house. Now the whole house is "water proofed" like you are wanting to do to the drywall! Who do just the one piece of drywall when you can do the whole house!

 

[brownbagg]

again, why do you have rain in your hose, the hell with drywall thats cosmetic,

 

[rodm1]

You probable should do a complete tare out of that area to investigate further. Then sprinkle that area on the roof. If you are car full you probable could reuse most of the material removed.

 

[Justanoldguy]

Forget the leak.
Just fix all the bad spelling in this thread.

 

[raross]

I agree with everyone here, about fixing the water leak first! I was a drywall contractor for 16 + years, and the only reason there would be a 1/2 gap anywhere on drywall is if it was a designed expansion joint to prevent cracking, this is normally only used on 16 foot or higher walls, it allows the sheets to expand and contract, on high walls, without cracking, next time you are at an airport, or a mall you can see them both on drywall and plaster jobs!

 

[Dustball]

I agree with everyone here, about fixing the water leak first! I was a drywall contractor for 16 + years, and the only reason there would be a 1/2 gap anywhere on drywall is if it was a designed expansion joint to prevent cracking, this is normally only used on 16 foot or higher walls, it allows the sheets to expand and contract, on high walls, without cracking, next time you are at an airport, or a mall you can see them both on drywall and plaster jobs!

It's not for the drywall sheeting expansion/contraction but rather the building's expansion/contraction.