Need drywall help

[atgcpaul]

I drywalled the ceiling in my garage and I'm mudding and taping the joints
now. I'm using fiberglass tape. Anyway, I'm no expert and the joints where
the flat ceiling meets the sloped wall was not so tight. So I taped the 135
degree angle (or so) and mudded the bejezuz out of it to fill all the voids. Not
bad really. Well, if you've ever made a cheesecake, you know after the drywall
setup and dried, it cracked. I was expecting that, and that I would have to go
back anyway and fill and sand, etc.
I figure if I just fill in the cracks (probably 1/4" now), they'll just crack again.
This is, afterall, only my shop. What if I fill again, wait for the crack, then
caulk with a paintable silicone caulk? Paint after that will hide everything and
the caulk let's the joint move but doesn't let it crack?

Whaddya' think?

Thanks, Paul

[Stormbringer]

I drywalled the ceiling in my garage and I'm mudding and taping the joints
now. I'm using fiberglass tape. Anyway, I'm no expert and the joints where
the flat ceiling meets the sloped wall was not so tight. So I taped the 135
degree angle (or so) and mudded the bejezuz out of it to fill all the voids. Not
bad really. Well, if you've ever made a cheesecake, you know after the drywall
setup and dried, it cracked. I was expecting that, and that I would have to go
back anyway and fill and sand, etc.
I figure if I just fill in the cracks (probably 1/4" now), they'll just crack again.
This is, afterall, only my shop. What if I fill again, wait for the crack, then
caulk with a paintable silicone caulk? Paint after that will hide everything and
the caulk let's the joint move but doesn't let it crack?

Whaddya' think?

Thanks, Paul

Paul.

Been there done that. Silicone tends to contract and expand sometimes too. I've seen it with some crown molding jobs. The more you fill it (with joint compound) the less it's going to shrink (that's what's really happening). Each time you fill it your using less and less so it's shrinking less and less. Choose one of these options:

1)You can go with your plan since it's "just a shop"

2)Fill it with joint compound another five times getting it to shrink less and less each time. Go thin so there's less dry time. The 1/4" crack was the result of an extremely heavy coat. Then before coat five (or however many it takes) tape it again.

2)Fill the crack just once more with a powder or ready mix plaster (which barely shrinks). Then tape where the "crack" was and skim it with joint compund and you won't have to worry about it returning due to settling or tool vibration etc...

3)or the extreme: Rip down the 20 lbs of joint compund and rerock it right so the seem gets taped like any other.

Good luck,
Greg

[Copper]

Yup, been there. I did my garage a year and a half ago. The joints didn't come out just right, but I keep telling myself, "It's just a garage." I would probably just fill the cracks again with mud and let it dry. The cracks, if any, won't be noticiable (by anyone but you) once you sand and slap some paint on the walls.

[TheRic]

Turn off your DC and let the dust fill the crack

I would fill the cracks, I would think 1 or 2 more times should do it. It seems that it cracks less when it dries slower. Something I have noticed, maybe my imagination (or the 12 pack ).

[Greg.B]

What would could have done was use a piece of cornerbead up there and that would have given you more support if the sheetrock wasn't tight.

I would mix some water into the joint compound, to thin it out, and then re-do it, THe thinner mix will fill the crack, and will not be so heavy making the joint thicker, plus it will dry faster for re-application.

Also another thing they sell is this corner tape. It is meant for doing angles. It has a hard piece of plastic that flexes slighlty in the middle and has tape already atached to both sides of it. That would be your best bet if starting from scratch. That would be what to use for a non-shop.

[mpauly]

Joint compound is supposed to be applied in thin layers or fill small voids. It shrinks when it dries so if you piled it in there, yes it is bound to crack. The suggestion for the corner bead is a good one, or use just enough mud to get the tape to stick then fill it in with several layer, letting them dry in between.

[Deadhead]

You can also get a faster drying mud to cut down the wait time between applications.

Almost every I know about drywall I learned from this website: http://www.drywallschool.com/

[430752]

cornerbead and build up

yeah, for future reference, use corner bead or similar plastic "tape", and build up in layers. I goop the mud in before corner bead and apply heavy pressure with blade to squeeze out excess, then thin layer on top to seal the bead. then after that build up, sometimes 3 or 4 layers.

of course, it is a garage so I don't think I myself would have the patience for 3 or 4 layers, but that's the way to do it.

curt j.

[lkazista]

I've used "bondo" for really big gaps in the past. You can buy it at any auto place, and it dries quick. Just leave yourself some room for a top coat of spackle.

It really does work, I swear.

Lee

[dkhoward]

My drywall guy says that the key to those kinds of joints is the care with which the wall board is cut and fitted in the first place. His take is that if the joint is snug and tight along the entire length you have solved more than half the problem.

He also is a big fan of fiberglass reinforced mud. I don't know where he gets it, but it seems to solve a lot of the cracking problems. However, it is a real pain to sand and finish.

[atgcpaul]

Thanks for all the replies. If I ever do this again, I will follow your
advice--next time.

For now, the shop has been down for a month because of the drywalling and
this and that AND more importantly, my wife wants me to move on to
something "real".

I finished the first pass of mudding yesterday. I was much less generous on
the corner seams this time around on the half of the shop I hadn't done yet.
My dad and I also drywalled this half of the garage on the second day so our
seams are much better, too.

The cracks in the first half weren't as bad as I thought. The worst was 1/8".
I'm hoping by this weekend to have everything sanded and maybe painted.
Pictures to come.

How the heck did Leonardo do this in the Sistine Chapel without going nuts?!!


Paul

[wardprobst]

SNIP

How the heck did Leonardo do this in the Sistine Chapel without going nuts?!!


Paul

I think he subbed it out to Michelangelo and let him go nuts....8`}

DP

[atgcpaul]

I think he subbed it out to Michelangelo and let him go nuts....8`}

DP

I knew I'd mess that up. Got Da Vince Code on the brain.