Sheet rock tape coming loose after 5 years...

16 years ago

We had our attic converted to living space 5 years ago. This is a house built n 1890. I am noticing the sheet rock taping is coming loose in a number of places. Most notably it started in the bathroom over the holiday. It is not wet looking it has just cracked and is coming away from the wall. It is quite obvious. I don't know how one repairs this...or if it is fixable. I am really tempted to call the contractor after the holidays but I wanted some info and ammunition before I did. Any help would be very much appreciated. Caroline

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Comments (6)

lucy
16 years ago
Did you have a warranty regarding time, for the job?
User
16 years ago
Sounds like normal settling has happened. The taps was not applied exactly right, of there would be a crack instead of looseness, but foundations do move over time and walls follow---creating cracks.

I have never heard of a warantee over a short time(1 year) for sheetrock taping.

The repair is fairly simply, remove the loose sections of tape and reapply new and repaint.
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Basically, a 'mud job' is just putting a thin veneer of compound over wallboard..it can also be called a 'skim coat'. It is basically joint compound, rarely it is plaster. Yes the guy has referrals, but what were the projects? Were they sensitive work on old houses to yield something which is like what might have been the original appearance, or were they gut jobs and remodels with no respect for the original house? From what you've said of him, I suspect the latter. Ripping out and replacing work with newer materials often yields an inferior result and costs more money than a decent job--he is pushing for the fastest methods to do the work, like someone who is primarily a 'flipper' of houses, not a true professional. Despite your saying he isn't profiting somewhere with his subcontractors or materials, I don't believe it for a second...he is going to make money somewhere, otherwise he wouldn't be doing the job. Based on the information provided as to his recommendations for the work to be done, he IS suggesting things which aren't needed. With a baby on the way, and new home owners, he is seeing a prime opportunity to make some fast money. Did you get estimates from other contractors and painters? That is an absolute MUST for any project. I know I'm sounding negative to you, but it is just common sense--I used to be a trusting person, but being burned one time too many changed that--and since a house is your biggest investment, you don't want to take ANY chances with such a big ticket expense. With a new addition to the family coming, you absolutely MUST save where you can, unless you have deep pockets, which you say you don't. Just a queston of curiosity: who put the idea in your head that the walls lead paint was a danger which had to be addressed by a complete removal? Paint chips are eliminated with vacuuming, unless you let them accumulate for weeks...and painted trim is going to be more likely to give them especially at corners...but again, the solution is to make sure the paint is sound and has a firmly adhered new layer.
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drywall_diy_guy
16 years ago
To retape, you score on each side of the tape, peel out the tape and mud to make a depression a little wider than the tape. Mud the depression and place new tape on. Imbed the tape as you squeeze out the excess - the tape should lie well below the wall surface around it. Cover with additional coats. It is helpful to quickly pass the tape through water and shake off the excess - this will prevent air pockets from forming under the tape. See the retaping procedure below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Retaping Drywall
brickeyee
16 years ago
I would cut a hole and inspect behind the damaged area for moisture intrusion before making a repair.
User
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you for all the suggestions. The house has settled...it is an 1890 and we have had a record drought this year and are down 2 ft of rain...that said we have had rain for 2 weeks and the earth is really wet now.

I will defiinitely check for water but we recaulked everything a couple months ago so I don't thik that is the case. It just happened in the past 2 weekd that this cracked. It is not loose at all just a deep crack.

I am sure there is no warranty but the contractor is our neighbor so that should make it easier to get it done .

Thanks again, Caroline
brickeyee
16 years ago
"I am noticing the sheet rock taping is coming loose in a number of places. "

is very different than

"It is not loose at all just a deep crack."

A crack could easily be caused by movement with moisture levels, even in an old house.

Settling is pretty unlikely in a house this old, unless you have done major work.
It most likely settled long ago, and absent foundation problems is not likely to be moving much (except for possible new work).

I would still open it up and look, since moisture can appear in places removed from the location it actually entered.
This is especially common under pitched roofs, where the water can run along the bottom of sheathing or on a rafter until roughness causes it to actually drip off the surface.

I remember one leak that was about 10 feet from the point of entry at the peak of a roof, but the damage was at a knee wall. It turned out to be the watter was running in the corner between a rafter and a piece of 1x4 used to fur out the rafter depth for insulation.

Sheet rock tape coming loose after 5 years...

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Sheet rock tape coming loose after 5 years...

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