# cracking drywall



## dant (Jul 18, 2009)

I have been finishing my basement for about a year know. I hung the 8' drywall on the celling screwed and glued it. used the sheetrock low dust compound and mesh tape. It has been a few months know after it has been painted now all my long joints are cracking. Joists are 16' on center even have a section were had to work around pipes were it was screw every 12" and it is still cracking. I think I am pretty good at my application of mud. 3 ligt coats starting with 6", 8" and 12" knifes with days and sometimes weeks between coats. Why is it cracking and now how do I fix it? Help very fusterated!!!:furious:


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

that's what happens when you use mesh .... it's garbage some will argue this point on and on but the fact is it is not what they claim it to be... you have to pre fill all joints before mesh is applied with a quick setting mud then bond over the mesh... the only way to fix is to re-tape with perfa tape... I am sure if you grab hold of the existing mesh it will pull right off , I am assuming you used a lite mud to coat over it , it is soft and should not be hard to remove the mesh... tough break , leave it to the pros bro...


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## Durabond-Don (Jul 11, 2009)

Sorry your having problems dant. I agree with the previous post. I never was a fan of mesh tape. It can be used, but I am assuimg you did not pre fill joints with mud first. Since I believe you must prefill first, you midaswell use paper tape.


If you used mesh in your corners as well, I assume they are all cracking?

What I would do is retape everything using paper tape. Scratch the paint up first ( with sandpaper maybe an 80 grit), as the mud will bond better. But be careful as not to "hump" the joints or they might show worse than they do now.

Maybe it's time to spring a few hundred $$$ and call a professional? The time and labor you spend fixing it, would easily pay a pro with much better results. Good luck.


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## dant (Jul 18, 2009)

that very aggerating if it is crap y the hell do they sell it I would never used it if i knew this.. there is no way to v groove and go over with differant mud?


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## Durabond-Don (Jul 11, 2009)

I guess it would be possible. But it would be much easier to retape than to run around carving grooves in your wall. Grooves that might not cover without taping anyway. Oh and the mud wasn't your problem.

And dant my friend, they sell many products today that simply are no good. In my opinion (and you will get the other side I am sure), mesh tape is simply one of them. 


Like I said, mesh tape can be used, but if you never used it before, the cracks you are experiencing are common. I would even bet you can see the mesh through your paint.


I think I would seriously retape all joints and skim very tight and lightly over the tape a few times.


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## Custom Drywall Svc. (Oct 31, 2008)

Fiberglass mesh tape should only be used for small patches.


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## Whitey97 (Jan 27, 2009)

dant, are you a DIY'er?


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## JoeMudder (Sep 13, 2008)

dant said:


> I have been finishing my basement for about a year know. I hung the 8' drywall on the celling screwed and glued it. used the sheetrock low dust compound and mesh tape. It has been a few months know after it has been painted now all my long joints are cracking. Joists are 16' on center even have a section were had to work around pipes were it was screw every 12" and it is still cracking. I think I am pretty good at my application of mud. 3 ligt coats starting with 6", 8" and 12" knifes with days and sometimes weeks between coats. Why is it cracking and now how do I fix it? Help very fusterated!!!:furious:


Mesh tape is only made for factory seams when you use a setting type of compound such as durabond. If you are using another type of compound then you have to use paper tape or it will crack.


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

Whitey97 said:


> dant, are you a DIY'er?


 must be come on weeks to a year to do a basement ????? could do one in my sleep in less than a week more like a couple of days .... hate to say this but these do it yourself guys get what they deserve always thinking that what we do is easy .... Skilled professional ..... I wonder if there are any do it yourself doctors out there


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

Like I said before try to rip the old mesh off try to get under it and pull it off then re-tape with paper it should go right in the recess of the mud and prevent humping... If you used lite mud it should pull off easy there is not much adhesion give it a try what do you have to loose....


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## Whitey97 (Jan 27, 2009)

you guys have to stop giving the diy'ers help.

They can go to the diyforum. If you're a diy'er in the paintforum, you get your @ss hole ripped over there. We need to do that over here!


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## dant (Jul 18, 2009)

Did I come to the wrong forum? I thought this was a general drywall discussion. Was there a DIY forum? It shouldn't matter that I am DIY if you don't want to answer a simple question then don't. I have spent over a year on my project for many resons, I have built a bar building my own cabinets and for money resons I have done it in stages. I am doing it by myself with out a crew so I am not going to one in my sleep in less than a week. I will pull up the old mesh.


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## silverstilts (Oct 15, 2008)

Yes this is drywall talk , and sure you will get some ass chewing because you are a do it yourself guy ... really this site is for the pros ... but on the other hand you will find some useful information....there are many out there that seem to have a little time in the trade and next thing you know they think they are a pro... I don't think you fall into this category and there is nothing wrong in asking questions but , I myself would have asked first then proceed with the work , and I certainly would not ask another do it yourself-er because they lact the knowledge and training involved even in the simplest of projects..... Makes me laugh at watching a do it yourself tv program and I sit back and say yeah right , nothing like making more work for yourself...


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## R.E. Plaster (Jun 27, 2009)

Using mesh tape is a big mistake like silverstilts said anytime you use mesh tape you have to use a setting type mud everything else will crack, if possiable I would retape over what you have with a papper tape and refinish, tough break but a valuable learnig lesson


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## Durabond-Don (Jul 11, 2009)

Whitey97 said:


> you guys have to stop giving the diy'ers help.
> 
> They can go to the diyforum. If you're a diy'er in the paintforum, you get your @ss hole ripped over there. We need to do that over here!


 
You will have to excuse me. I am new and dont know these section, rules. I seen a guy asking a question and thought I could offer some help. 



If he is not supposed to ask questions here, then he shouldn't be able to post.


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## Whitey97 (Jan 27, 2009)

The rules are all stated before you logged in for your first time. To be on this site, this must be your professional job, not just a "weekend warrior" If that is what you are, than there is a forum for you, not this one. www.diychatroom.com Thank you, this thread should now be closed.


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

****** for Moderator!!! I'm with you though, DIYers should stick to demo and minor stuff unless their skill set allows. Almost every HO bsmt I do, I ask if they're going to do their own tile/paint/trim. With tile, I usually get a call after they waste a box or two, asking for my tile guy's number.


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## JoeMudder (Sep 13, 2008)

I don't know how many home owners think they can do the job the right way. It looks easy when the pro does it and so they think they can do it too. That is, until they try then they find out very soon that they should have hired the pro to begin with. My take is that if you can't afford to hire a pro to do the job and you don't have the know how yourself you shouldn't be doing the job.


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## Durabond-Don (Jul 11, 2009)

When I was a contractor, I done many many jobs where the homeowner tried to do the finishing his self and ended up calling a pro. What I used to hate, is when they would tape everything like $hit, then think they would get a break on the price.

Just about every time I would charge more to fix their junk, than if I would of just done it from the start.

I could never figure out why the people would spend thousands on a chandelier, or a toilet, but then try the finishing themselves. Or they would always take the lowest bidder (always some idiots I could not compete with, price wise).

Something as important as the drywall, and people feel the need to save a $, never made sense to me. If you notice my very first post to the guy, I did tell him to call a professional.


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## dant (Jul 18, 2009)

Whitey97 please reread your rules.. ohh wait ill just post them.. 
Membership is available to any person over the age of 13 who registers and accurately provides all the required information, provides a legitimate electronic mail address and obtains a unique Drywall Talk member name and password. Membership is non-transferable. The use of web-based email accounts may be denied due to abuse.


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

We'll end end this right quick. See that report icon in the lower left....


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## Nathan (Oct 31, 2007)

Please post on www.DIYChatroom.com. This site is for pros only.

Thanks.


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