fixing corner cracks

[mishenka]

I am fixing a few corner cracks in my new house before painting the rooms and hope I can get some professional advice here. Yes, it is not in the garage.... but this is the house with the garage attached hope it can qualify for being here

Here are some pictures. I think what I need to do is to drive some screws along the edge of that wall, and through it, into the stud behind. Then cover the screws with some spackling and applying some primer after that in those spots before I can paint. That's an easy fix comparing to removing the entire taping from that corner and re-taping it all over.

My question is, actually two, is the way I describe to fix it correct? Based on the pictures - where might the electric wire go behind the wall??? The last thing I want is to drive the screws into the wire. Perhaps some of you are more familiar with the building process and can advise me where the wires might be.

If you wonder why I am not simply asking the builder to do all that - they refuse saying that all corner cracks are covered by warranty but will be fixed only once at the end of the first year. It is not going to do me any good since I am painting the house now (I've been in the house for about 4 months) If I wait a year without painting - my wife will eat me alive and you will loose a junior member of this forum without having an opportunity to become a senior member.

 

[trbomax]

The only way to fix that is to dig the corner tape out,cut the edges back at an angle ,fill the corner with hot mud,and bed an inside corner bead into it while wet. Spackle or latex mud will shrink too much and crack again anyway because its inherently weak. Its for surfaceing,not filling and tapeing.

 

[Zeke]

I just fixed this same type of crack. No screws but you can get a cheap current locator and screw away if you find no power. Most of the time the lines are between 2 and 3' from the floor if no device nearby.

Do use some fiberglass mesh over the first patch. Hot mud is good and so is "Fix It All." Then embed the tape in a coat of drywall mud and mud over that after dry. You will need to re-texture the area. They sell spray cans of texture.

 

[back2class]

13 years as a building contractor....only way to fix it is ripping the old tape off, checking and fixing root cause and then re-tape. My advice, just put a little caulk in it and paint....then wait 7 months and have it fixed under warranty and repaint the area when they are done. repainting a corner will take just a few minuites. Your idea will not work!

 

[hmbemis]

Someone who knows better can say if I'm right or wrong----but usually when you have a "box" like that you are hiding something (a pipe, duct, etc)... reason I mention it is that if you the screw route you may want to be careful how long of a screw you're using!

 

[mishenka]

13 years as a building contractor....only way to fix it is ripping the old tape off, checking and fixing root cause and then re-tape. My advice, just put a little caulk in it and paint....then wait 7 months and have it fixed under warranty and repaint the area when they are done. repainting a corner will take just a few minuites. Your idea will not work!

Truly appreciate your (and others) advice. I just realized that I forgot to mentioned that the drywall is a bit bowed - which to me indicates that the crack occurred due to some movements. Normal settlement or not - I do not know. But you are saying that my idea with screw will not work. I thought that if I bring the drywall back again to the stud - it will be enough to keep it together (assuming the initial movement is simply due to normal settlement). Can you be so kind and educate me why it will not work, please?

 

[back2class]

If it is just "setteled" then bringing the drywall tight to the framing will prevent further cracking. BUT...the tape has already pulled away from the joint(not uncommon in corners that have moved). Assuming the tape is pulled off the wall in the corner..it will be loose and just crack in the near future. Tap on it with your finger and you will see it move a little. You need no air/gap between the painnt and back of the drywall. 1" drywall screws should keep your wires safe if everything was installed to code.

matching up the knockdown (hate that stuff for this reason) will be a pain,,that's why it shoud be painted like it is and wait for the warranty repair to be done.

 

[Falcon67]

That is more that a simple surface crack and I would be on the builder's azz like stink to fix it now. BS on end of year - broke now, fix it now. You paid big $ for the house I assume, complain like hell. Last new house we had - if we had an issue, the builder was on it now.

 

[Zeke]

Well, he's right about fixing the root cause. Waiting a year seems silly. I have to agree that if it cracks that bad now, fix it now. A year just brings 4 seasons of heat cycles. Supposedly any cracks would be at their worse condition after 4 seasons.

Not always true.

 

[camarotoolman]

If the builder wouldn't fix it now, hire a dry wall pro to fix it, then deduct the bill from his final payment. Report him to Angies list. Thats ******** about waiting a year.

 

[mishenka]

Totally agree with all who say that waiting a year is a BS. But this is how their warranty is written and guess what - I accepted it when bought the house. I understand the rationale behind it - they don't want to waste their resources for every single, normal and expected crack. But as some pointed out - it might not be a normal crack and there might be a bigger issue behind that crack. I already send them a certified mail with the official request to send a structural engineer and just a moment ago emailed them to request a meeting unless they want me to escalate an issue further - if I escalate the issue it wont just be a report to Angies List It will be a small claims court at the minimum. This is a builder with a very good reputation in the area - such a shame that it might be lost over this simple problem.

I really hoped that they would go out and fix it before I am painting the house. Because if they do fix it at the year end - they sure will not repaint the room

 

[slghmmr88]

That is not normal and should not be expected. The texture looks to be orange peal or back rolled with long nap roller. Don't know what area you are in but be looking for some other areas of settlement, You said you were repairing some corners (plural) so there is more like this? You need to determine the cause of these faults before just getting them patched, because the causes could be numerous, (settlement, improper corner framing (missing or barked out corner stud for facing attachment), fastener problems, and others. Don't let them just cover it up and get past the warranty period.