# Arch troubles



## lloyd.116 (Jan 20, 2008)

I built an arch at the bottom of the basement stairs and I can not get the compound on the inside of the arch to stop cracking. The arch is drywalled, I used plastic corner beads and plastic corner bead on the curved part of the arch. The compound seems to pull away from the corner bead and then crack across the face.....the cracks are about every 2 inches all the way down to the floor. I have already torn it all down once and even switched brands of drywall compound. 

Any ideas or suggestions on what may be going on would greatly appreciated...thanks


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## taper71 (Dec 9, 2007)

Can you post a pic? Is there lots of traffic on the main floor above the arch which could be causing pressure on the floor above the arch? Constant movement is what it is sounding like to me- not a compound issue.


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## lloyd.116 (Jan 20, 2008)

I'll get the pics up as soon as I can...it's actually over at my brothers place. The doorway containing the arch is in the wall directly below the landing for the stairs going up to the second floor, but there is only 2 people in their house...that is going to cause enough movement?
My second attempt looked great until we primed it and then it cracked all over again once the primer was dry.


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## Tim0282 (Jan 8, 2008)

Are you using regular, light or Durabond? You might want to try the brown bag durabond. The real hard stuff that doesn't shrink, sand and sticks to everything.


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## Brockster (Dec 15, 2007)

Easy Sand and this tool. I've used the brown bag but it seems when you try to sand on it for this application it just wants to sand down to the plastic.


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## Brockster (Dec 15, 2007)

Also, for cleaning off round bead I use a plastic caulk tube cut on a curve to match the curve of the bead. I'll have to dig it out of my trailer and snap a pic to post. It works great as long as you clean it off while the mud is still wet and works way better than the store bought ones I've used.


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## Tim0282 (Jan 8, 2008)

I haven't seen the DW454 before. Have used the tool from Trim Tex. Doesn't work the greatest. They have two, one for cleaning off the round bead and one for filling the arch notches. Neither one works real wonderful.


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## lloyd.116 (Jan 20, 2008)

i have tried both regular and light compound....regular cracked right away and the light did not crack as bad until it was primed......

here are 2 pics : 3931 is just what we are working with
3924 is the best pic of the cracks that i could get to come out....it is a very good representation of the whole damn doorway


.....I don't really think tearing it all off and starting over is going to be an option again as this has been holding us up. Also, when I tap on the cracks it sounds hollow (compoud lift from the bead). So can I skim coat with something that is less likely to crack? my guess would be it is just going to crack again.

so any other ideas for trimming out the doorway to cover the drywall? Thanks


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## Brockster (Dec 15, 2007)

I thought you were using round bead.

Anyhow, did you apply the 3m spray glue to the bead and wall before you put it on and staple or nail it down? You should also use mesh tape and brown bag or easy sand durabond as your first coat. I like to kind of pack it in as I go along to insure I get the slots pretty much filled with durabond as I'm coating the bead.


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## lloyd.116 (Jan 20, 2008)

ahh.....no i just used the normal corner bead not the big round bead.

I did not spray glue it before I stapled it (didn't know about that step, damn) but I did staple it very well.....leading to too much movement in the corner bead itself??? 

I tried the adhesive paper tape along the bead but it just pulled away also so I took it down when I took down the first coat.

So am I out of options other than starting over or coming up with some kind of trim idea?


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## taper71 (Dec 9, 2007)

Chisle out the cracks and fill the void with concrete fill, then finish with normal mud. It still may crack because it still seems like a movement issue.


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## Brockster (Dec 15, 2007)

taper71 said:


> Chisle out the cracks and fill the void with concrete fill, then finish with normal mud. It still may crack because it still seems like a movement issue.


Damn Bret Farve!!!:wallbash:

Anyhow, what's is concrete fill? Brown bag?


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## taper71 (Dec 9, 2007)

15 kg​​​*Concrete Fill*​*
*• Quick-setting, multi-purpose wall and
ceiling compound
• Lightweight, fiberglass-reinforced
• Excellent for filling, leveling and patching
voids in concrete ceilings
• Excellent workability
• Virtually no shrinkage or cracking​• Good adhesion
This is a product made by CGC . I m in Canada so it may be called something different there. Stuff is strong and will fix anything.


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## Brockster (Dec 15, 2007)

taper71 said:


> 15 kg​*Concrete Fill*​
> This is a product made by CGC . I m in Canada so it may be called something different there. Stuff is strong and will fix anything.


Thanks taper, I've never seen nor heard of that before in the States but I bet it would work well since it has fiberglass in it. I'll keep my eyes open for it.
Thanks again, Brockster


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## Drywall1 (Dec 9, 2007)

Brockster said:


> Thanks taper, I've never seen nor heard of that before in the States but I bet it would work well since it has fiberglass in it. I'll keep my eyes open for it.
> Thanks again, Brockster


Would it be called Sure-wall. Fiberglass reinforced structural bonding cement? We use it to coat foundation walls that will get stucco finished.
Nate


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## Drywall1 (Dec 9, 2007)

lloyd.116 said:


> I built an arch at the bottom of the basement stairs and I can not get the compound on the inside of the arch to stop cracking. The arch is drywalled, I used plastic corner beads and plastic corner bead on the curved part of the arch. The compound seems to pull away from the corner bead and then crack across the face.....the cracks are about every 2 inches all the way down to the floor. I have already torn it all down once and even switched brands of drywall compound.
> 
> Any ideas or suggestions on what may be going on would greatly appreciated...thanks


try puttin some big strech caulk in there. might move with the movement. When stuff dont add up I get creative.


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## BoB The Fixer (Jan 22, 2008)

hello pal , 

Get a roll of 4 inch mesh tape and stick it to the arch and mudd it i dont think it will crack at all.

best wishes..


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## drywalldaddy (Jan 23, 2008)

I'd suggest to groove out all the cracks real good, pre-fill with brown bag Durabond, tape over the whole archway with meshtape, use 2 overlapping strips for extra hold, and final coat with Durabond 90 or 45. we see this stuff all the time with modular homes and that's how we fix them. hope it helps!


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## JCardoza (Jan 23, 2008)

caulk it and paint it with a plastic biased paint for stucco. 

or... 

Chip it all off make sure you tape the edges, spray it with a good primer. (there is a primer made by one of the corner bead companies for helping bond mud to plastic.) and remud it WITH OUT USING ANY SETTING TYPE OF COMPOUND.... regular mud has more flex. I had all the mud just fall off plastic on several houses when the temp changed. it was the oddest thing! just all the mud from the arch laying on the floor. wow that'll mess with a guy. LOL thought someone took a hammer to my arch! every once in a while we get that problem.


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## evolve991 (Jan 24, 2008)

I think Trim Tech makes a solid arch bead that covers the entire face on most common sizes/widths. Not sure if this would help but might survive the movement better.


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## lloyd.116 (Jan 20, 2008)

Thanks for all the great ideas.... I am jumping ship though and just trimming it out to cover the drywall. I will keep all the other ideas in mind though if I ever have to do this again. Thanks again


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## butcherman (Jan 26, 2008)

It sounds like the inside has a fill that is too heavy. Even though the compound drys, it takes time to cure. If the fill is heavy it will crack. Chip it out set mesh with ez sand. Don't put the mesh on and go over it. That won't help. Then fill with ez sand at least 2 coats or more. Finish skim with light weight. Also if you wet the boards to get the curve the paper may be separating from the rock causing cracks. If thats the case same solution, just peel the loose paper first.


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## JCardoza (Jan 23, 2008)

evolve991 said:


> I think Trim Tech makes a solid arch bead that covers the entire face on most common sizes/widths. Not sure if this would help but might survive the movement better.


they do and it works great!
:thumbup:


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## evolve991 (Jan 24, 2008)

Yes it works great if the finisher listens and gets the right stuff. People from Elkton,MD seem to have alot of trouble with math.... I just did a job with 2 arches that weren't framed properly,they had a large flat spot at the peak of the arch and no matter HOW I curve the rock OR whether its 1/2 inch or 1/4 inch I use...it will have a FLAT spot at the TOP of the arch PERIOD. I described the Trim Tech product....you know....solid middle,2 edges,both edges sectioned as to follow the curve....these idiots got it with ONE edge and expect it to do an arch with 2 faces. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.....they regularly confuse 8 foot ceilings with 9 foot,10 foot, 11 foot.....no extra pay for high work,no change between 48" and 54", no breakdown of 14 or 16 foot board,nothing for dropping garage door hangers,nothing for scrapping jobs.....load 3 cases of glue for a 300+ sheet job,'forget' to pay me for the glue I add, short every floor of every job at least 10 sheets etc etc et-F-ingCETERA. They also dodge my calls at the end of the job which is why I'm already at a boil at 5:20AM on a monday after working the weekend to finish this job up....sorry for the rant guys and if I don't post again soon its because I got time for ripping it back down today. 
PS: Remember! Elkton,MD means MORON!!!!


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## fr8train (Jan 20, 2008)

evolve991 said:


> I think Trim Tech makes a solid arch bead that covers the entire face on most common sizes/widths. Not sure if this would help but might survive the movement better.


We use that product or a similar one as well, I hate finishing them, but would prefer to do it with this product than any other way. we knock out these all the time.


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## cooper (Apr 6, 2008)

Scrape out the cracks, cover outside of metal with a row of mesh tape, pre-fill with a heavy mud and finish from there.

If that cracks then you have a framing issue that needs to be addressed. Not likely from the floor above, just a header issue directly above the arch...


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