elwoodbluesElwood Blues Premium Member join:2006-08-30 Somewhere in |
Cracking walls and ceilings Ceiling above stairs | Closet above stairs | Wall between bathroom and office | Closet Wall |
Some 15yrs or so ago, the 2nd floor of my house was renovated by the previous owner. Steadily over the years I've noticed cracks appearing in walls and ceilings. I've attached some pictures , not the greatest quality, all I have is my Iphone for a camera. Now the one marked closet above stairs, I "fixed' about a year ago, resanded and filled it in, but as you can see the cracks are back. Short of tearing down each ceiling and wall, I'm at a loss on how to fix it. |
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robbin Mod join:2000-09-21 Leander, TX |
robbin
Mod
2012-Jan-12 5:09 pm
said by elwoodblues: Now the one marked closet above stairs, I "fixed' about a year ago, resanded and filled it in, but as you can see the cracks are back Please give us all the details of your "fix". |
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Coma Thanks Steve Premium Member join:2001-12-30 NirvanaLand |
to elwoodblues
said by elwoodblues:Some 15yrs or so ago, the 2nd floor of my house was renovated by the previous owner.
Steadily over the years I've noticed cracks appearing in walls and ceilings. I've attached some pictures , not the greatest quality, all I have is my Iphone for a camera. Now the one marked closet above stairs, I "fixed' about a year ago, resanded and filled it in, but as you can see the cracks are back.
Short of tearing down each ceiling and wall, I'm at a loss on how to fix it. Was their ever a second floor or did the previous owner add the second floor ? |
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elwoodbluesElwood Blues Premium Member join:2006-08-30 Somewhere in |
said by Coma:said by elwoodblues:Some 15yrs or so ago, the 2nd floor of my house was renovated by the previous owner.
Steadily over the years I've noticed cracks appearing in walls and ceilings. I've attached some pictures , not the greatest quality, all I have is my Iphone for a camera. Now the one marked closet above stairs, I "fixed' about a year ago, resanded and filled it in, but as you can see the cracks are back.
Short of tearing down each ceiling and wall, I'm at a loss on how to fix it. Was their ever a second floor or did the previous owner add the second floor ? Always 2nd floor |
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elwoodblues |
to robbin
said by robbin:said by elwoodblues: Now the one marked closet above stairs, I "fixed' about a year ago, resanded and filled it in, but as you can see the cracks are back Please give us all the details of your "fix". Filled it in with Drywall mud and sanded it down. |
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robbin Mod join:2000-09-21 Leander, TX |
robbin
Mod
2012-Jan-12 6:01 pm
Remove loose tape, mud, etc. Refasten with drywall screws. Then V out the crack with a sharp knife, use mesh tape, float, texture, paint. |
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alkizmo join:2007-06-25 Pierrefonds, QC |
to elwoodblues
Those are ghost cracks. Your top floor is haunted by the dead bodies the previous owner had turned into pulp to make the dry walls.
Just hire a priest and a monk and a rabbi, cover all bases. |
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Vamp5c077 Premium Member join:2003-01-28 MD |
to elwoodblues
Looks like pretty normal aging to me, things shift, sag from weight and shrink/expand combined with vibration and old drywall, it will crack. |
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elwoodbluesElwood Blues Premium Member join:2006-08-30 Somewhere in |
But the "closet" wall after one year? (It's the wall you see going down the stairs) |
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guppy_fish Premium Member join:2003-12-09 Palm Harbor, FL |
to elwoodblues
The cracks don't look like drywall, it looks like plaster.
Filling in plaster cracks with drywall mud won't do anything and what ever is causing the cracks will just reappear as drywall mud is very soft compared to plaster
As to a long term fix, I would suggest 1/4" drywall over the plaster, that will eliminate the existing crack/stress points from being visible
The cause is the lathe is shifting with settling of the studs the lathe is attached too. Lathe is typically only single nail per stud so the lathe racks as the studs move which cracks the plaster |
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elwoodbluesElwood Blues Premium Member join:2006-08-30 Somewhere in |
said by guppy_fish:The cracks don't look like drywall, it looks like plaster.
Filling in plaster cracks with drywall mud won't do anything and what ever is causing the cracks will just reappear as drywall mud is very soft compared to plaster
As to a long term fix, I would suggest 1/4" drywall over the plaster, that will eliminate the existing crack/stress points from being visible
The cause is the lathe is shifting with settling of the studs the lathe is attached too. Lathe is typically only single nail per stud so the lathe racks as the studs move which cracks the plaster So I understand , you are suggesting I just put drywall over the plaster and be done with it? The house is over 100yrs old, why would it still be settling? |
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guppy_fish Premium Member join:2003-12-09 Palm Harbor, FL |
Yes, over the plaster, 1/4" drywall, that's why they make the thin boards.
Old homes are not immune to movement, in your area the foundations are Feildstone and the ground is clay, which expands and contracts with the seasons.
100 years ago there was no code, and framing was left to the person whom built the house and their budget. Some houses were built like forts, other utilized scraps or undersized lumber ... I've seen first hand in Mass both types |
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stevek1949We're not in Kansas anymore Premium Member join:2002-11-13 Virginia Beach, VA |
to elwoodblues
Were there any walls ever moved on the first floor? It's a shot in the dark, but it may have had loads on the second floor unsupported on the first. This would cause a lot of movement upstairs.
Just a guess. |
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elwoodbluesElwood Blues Premium Member join:2006-08-30 Somewhere in |
said by stevek1949:Were there any walls ever moved on the first floor? It's a shot in the dark, but it may have had loads on the second floor unsupported on the first. This would cause a lot of movement upstairs.
Just a guess. Not that I recall, it was pretty much isolated to the 2nd floor. |
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