Drywall bulge, should I be concerned?
HU-914247112
3 years ago
We’ve been in our house for eight years. When we first moved in there was a small bulge where two pieces of drywall met. The bulges have now come up in a few other different places throughout the house as well, some are pretty noticeable but I am hoping it’s just aesthetic. We also had a sticking door but I adjusted the hinges and shaved a little off the door a few years ago and it hasn’t been an issue since.
I had a gc in to have e a look but he seemed to think it was just poor drywall installatio. The bulges seems to be at butt joints and he believed it might just be a poor taping job. what I don’t understand is, if it is just poor drywall installation from when the house was built, why is the drywall bulging in new places (and getting worse in some areas)? I have noticed a couple of cracks one door upstairs and some brick at the front of my house is cracking on the exterior wall.
How do I determine what’s going on? if I start cutting open walls will I be able to see the issue? How do I check the foundation to see if that’s the issue? This is starting to worry me and I’d like to figure out what is going on so I can stop stressing!
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Stax
3 years agocat_ky
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Cracks - Should I be concerned?
Comments (6)It all depends on the nature of the cracks. If a crack follows a panel joint it is probably due to poor installation or use of insufficiently dry framing. Look for screw pops to support this assumption. Cracks in a ceiling are usually due to these factors or unusually high humidity and if the cracks are at the ceiling-to-wall joint it can be because the installer screwed the ceiling edges to the framing instead of allowing the wall board to support them. If a crack is vertical at a door/window corner then the installer probably put a joint there which, of course, he shouldn't have. If a crack is diagonal across a panel it is most likely due to foundation settlement. Settlement should produce cracks in the foundation as well so it is usually not difficult to see. It is possible that the model unit was built to meet a tight deadline and the drywall joints were taped with a fast drying "setting type" compound and painted the same day. If you are really worried you should photograph the cracks and post them here or get a structural engineer or architect to visit the site and report back to you....See MoreWet drywall - How concerned should I be?
Comments (11)Simply respond in writing that when the house is fully enclosed you expect all wet drywall to be completely replaced and ask for his confirmation for this work at no expense to you. Depending on how often it rains in your area, you may expect additional water damage until the house is fully enclosed and weather tight. Why the contractor started interior work when the house is in such state is know only to him (probably trying to reduce the time for construction, but gambled and lost on the weather). But, as the owner, you have the right to require good workmanship and that all trades follow the standards for their trade--at no additional expense to you. These things happen, so don't get too torqued over them. That said, you should demand proper performance from the general contractor. Good luck on your project....See MoreHelp with fixing bulging drywall seams
Comments (14)Absolutely it is in British Columbia. I don't know for sure if it's code, but it's absolutely standard practice in stairwells (usually the only place where you get your whole two floors height in one wall. I'm an alarm technician, and I see it (the gap and the trim that covers it) in every new house. Mine has the same bulge at the seam at the level of the upper floor, because it was built before that trick was introduced. I assume it's not a rule in the US since nobody seems to know about it, but it's standard here, and it WILL fix the OP's problem (assuming it's only one seam, but if it's several, once the gap is introduced, the others can probably be fixed.) What 'framing' would fix it, in your opinion? Clearly it's downward pressure. Sure, a heavier point load may have reduced the effect, but the direction of pressure certainly appears to be downwards. I guess that's why we leave a 3/8" gap at the bottom of a wall....See MoreShould I be concerned about these cabinets?
Comments (13)As others have said, the doors haven't been adjusted yet. But keep in mind, the there will always be a small gap between the face frame and the door and the face frame and the drawer front. Typically they sit off the face from 3/16" to 1/4". You'll notice that the doors and drawers are fitted with silicone stem bumpers. They lesson the sound of a closing door or drawer. But they also keep the doors and drawer fronts proud of the cabinet face frame. Look along the edge of the drawers in the picture below. You'll see that there's a gap. That's there by design and is normal....See MoreStax
3 years agoHU-914247112
3 years agoStax
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