# Ridge Joint Cracking



## danman_83 (May 21, 2014)

I've got a housing complex I've been working on for the last 3 years or so and done about 20 of the same model. The living room has a 12' vault and the ridge joint on every single one of the houses has cracked out. I've tried wiping them in square(with my 6") I've tried wiping them in round(with a rubber flexible knife) I'm using mechanically applied paper tape and i've hung the job myself on multiple occasions, and that center line is pristine. No voids or anything that needed to be filled. Every single time, when I get to the point of texturing(having coated this joint 2 extra times) I find hairline cracks all throughout the center line. I have tried finishing this ridge both round and square and had issues both times. The GC prefers the rounded finish, but it shows up worse on that. Sometimes the cracks are more than hairline and I usually end up having to re-tape them and re-finish just before texture. We have yet to be called back to fix any of these cracks, but I think that is more because the GC is a hack and just sells them quick and doesn't look back, so the H.O. never knew who did the sheetrock anyways….any tips on how to keep these cracks away?


----------



## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

This may be your best bet, whether it is the look you want or not IDK. 
http://www.all-wall.com/trim-tex-magic-corner-kit.html


----------



## keke (Mar 7, 2012)

my bet is on this-I like it more :thumbup:

http://www.trim-tex.com/product_catalog.php?cat_display=showproduct&id=122


----------



## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

If I'm reading you right? Your taping the off angles with paper tape..And the crease is hair line cracking? 

Your putting too much mud over the tape or running your tape coat before It's completely dry. Running angle tape while It's still wet will crack every time. 

There's a trick to a cove off angle To keep It from cracking.
I cove the angle without tape first [Pre-fill] Then let dry.
Then I lay tape and put two thin coats over that .

If the angles are cracking before you even get to the texture Then It's surely a user error . 
I use No-Coat 3.25 or 4.50 for off-angles . 


Just my two pennies!


----------



## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

I totally get your high production [get er done] Situation :yes:
Will the G/C be willing to pay the extra for the proper material to use on the off-angles?? 

Maybe ...Take the corner of a sanding sponge and lightly sand out the hair line crack till your almost down to the crease of the tape before you tex.....?


----------



## thefinisher (Sep 2, 2011)

I think Moore hit it on the head. Your using the wrong tape! Cant use paper tape on off angles and expect them to hold.


----------



## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

You can also float the 2 boards by keeping screws 6-8 inches away. Helps with truss lift and allows some play. If they are laying the sheets down and are leaving a double bevel or single bevel prefill the whole angle. By doing this and using No coat 350 or 450 it will allow you to do like Moore said and apply thinner coats. Another little trick is having thin mudd when setting No coat


----------



## Mudstar (Feb 15, 2008)

nocoat done!


----------



## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

I despise installing no-coat into a dbl bevel!


----------



## moore (Dec 2, 2010)

fr8train said:


> I despise installing no-coat into a dbl bevel!


3.25 sets in there pretty nice ! But the frame needs to right!


----------



## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

moore said:


> 3.25 sets in there pretty nice ! But the frame needs to right!


How often does that happen? Lol! Either way, with the framers I'm following.....


----------



## endo_alley (Nov 2, 2013)

Straight Flex works pretty good. Sometimes we will mesh tape the obtuse inside angles and then paper tape them over the mesh. But if there is structure movement, not even the best tape job in the world will hold the house together.


----------

