# hairline crack



## josh6106 (Nov 5, 2008)

hey guys i'm getting a small hairline crack where the wall meets the ceiling. i know it could be a lot of things, but i just started taping with paper tape (always used fibre tape in corners) and i thought it would be either shrinkage, because i'm thinning out teh mud to apply by roller or could it be truss related or movement. thanks for any ideas


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## Whitey97 (Jan 27, 2009)

What was the timeline between application and crack?

highest likeliness is that you're dry running the tape, put more mud back there, or lighten it up more. Otherwise untill you get the hang of it, prefill all of your seams with mud, that will keep your problem to a minimum without knowing exactly what you're doing.

Or

Don't push so hard, make sure to leave enough mud behind the tape so it has mud back there to adhere it.


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

What brand of mud? If it's Pro-Form and you add too much water I've seen that happen.

As to truss movement...could be. One truss plant here is now giving us a fastener spec sheet to cover their arses. It tells the hanger not to put ANY fastener within 16" of interior walls in the ceiling and also no fasteners within 8" of the top on the walls. Has to do with truss uplift. Even if the builder orders the trusses to be built without camber, this problem reoccurrs, especially after a big windstorm. Since that happen and crack every interior wall/ceiling joint in entire job. You'd swear a fat man ran down the hallway attic...


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## drywallnflorida (Sep 19, 2008)

[email protected] said:


> What brand of mud? If it's Pro-Form and you add too much water I've seen that happen.
> 
> As to truss movement...could be. One truss plant here is now giving us a fastener spec sheet to cover their arses. It tells the hanger not to put ANY fastener within 16" of interior walls in the ceiling and also no fasteners within 8" of the top on the walls. Has to do with truss uplift. Even if the builder orders the trusses to be built without camber, this problem reoccurrs, especially after a big windstorm. Since that happen and crack every interior wall/ceiling joint in entire job. You'd swear a fat man ran down the hallway attic...


That would not pass a screw inspection here. 
Screws must be within 4" of the edge of the board even if the wall butts into it.


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## [email protected]rtners (Dec 23, 2008)

I know about fastener inspections, but these are engineer specs. The only places I've run into this have been on rural custom homes w/o inspections. I'd defer to the engineer if an inspector called me out on it. After all, it's the engineer who is issuing the solution for a problem with a product he has designed. For me it's been a liability thing. I quit warrantying work on trusses for this reason. When I see trusses, I ask the builder to call the plant and ask for the fastener spec and it goes into the job file.

Besides, who writes the codes? Engineers, right?


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

[email protected] said:


> What brand of mud? If it's Pro-Form and you add too much water I've seen that happen.
> 
> As to truss movement...could be. One truss plant here is now giving us a fastener spec sheet to cover their arses. It tells the hanger not to put ANY fastener within 16" of interior walls in the ceiling and also no fasteners within 8" of the top on the walls. Has to do with truss uplift. Even if the builder orders the trusses to be built without camber, this problem reoccurrs, especially after a big windstorm. Since that happen and crack every interior wall/ceiling joint in entire job. You'd swear a fat man ran down the hallway attic...


fat man running down the hallway attic, hahahahahahahha -- thats GREAT, i never heard that. i will surely be using that in the future!


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

[email protected] said:


> I know about fastener inspections, but these are engineer specs. The only places I've run into this have been on rural custom homes w/o inspections. I'd defer to the engineer if an inspector called me out on it. After all, it's the engineer who is issuing the solution for a problem with a product he has designed. For me it's been a liability thing. I quit warrantying work on trusses for this reason. When I see trusses, I ask the builder to call the plant and ask for the fastener spec and it goes into the job file.
> 
> Besides, who writes the codes? Engineers, right?


trusses......use RC-1 Channel on the ceilings with trusses.

aka Resilient Channel, aka R.C. Channel.

unless you already know about them.


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

[email protected] said:


> When I see trusses, I ask the builder to call the plant and ask for the fastener spec and it goes into the job file.
> 
> Besides, who writes the codes? Engineers, right?



Darren, this is smart. if the owner / contractor wont pay extra for the R.C. channel, i will be doing this as well.

again, smart. good way to minimize your liability. damn i cant believe ive never done this.


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

Actually, the builder brought it to my attention on a job last year. He'd fought this problem for some time and had given up and started crown moulding every job. But the next job I did in the area (different builder), supplier says "no problem, treat it like a stick built". I pulled my spec sheet from the 1st job and faxed him and let him know he's at his own peril.

The other option on that spec is drywall clips and I just don't have any faith in 'em. Plus I'll wager we'd lose time messing around with those clips. And they are hard to find once you get away from the city.

And RSC channel...hard to get anyone to spring for it or wood strapping, not to mention then having to rip an inch off the top of the top wall sheet... But good idea, some of my quality-minded builders might go for it.


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## Apple24 (Jul 17, 2008)

I Dont like to stand behind smooth ceilings for this reason I push RC-1. I do mostly high end homes and 1 of of my builders puts blocking on all interior wall intersections so we dont scew into a truss, but theres still a screw back in the field attatched to truss. Seems silly but works very well never get any serios cracks. Truss manufacteres here dont want interior walls nailed to truss, and were suppose to stand behind the drywall, CRAZY. Truss's Lift, Ive seen a job i installed RC-1 channel to and sons of bitches still lifted and that a good 3/8" amount of room for truss to move cut the corner of ceiling tape and the board lifted 1/2" or more. We just can't win. So i installed a no-coat 4" tape in corner so it would have a hinge to move up and down with temp, with no cost ofcourse.


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

IMO, no good resolution except maybe crown moulding and let trim guy/builder warranty. I agree with you Apple, but I don't think any specialty trim/tape will cure truss uplift totally. It will always be a problem, particularly after windstorms. Even the engineers know this, hence the fastener specs to CYA.


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## Apple24 (Jul 17, 2008)

Agreed. But was the best i could do it was on the truck so I went for it went back 2 years later and was surprised to see no crack.I have never fixed a no-coat i put on in 11 years strong ****.


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## [email protected] (Dec 23, 2008)

Sorry, if there is 3/8" truss uplift, no product known to man nor drywallers will prevent a crack. Either the structure has not yet experienced the 70-90 mph wind that causes it yet or the owner just hasn't gotten around to calling yet.


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## brdn_drywall (Apr 25, 2008)

the quality builders in my area also screw blocking to the top plates of interior walls as apple described, i have to admit its probably the best defence against truss uplift because the ones who don't are the ones who get cracking and tape pulling ruining top angles on interior wall/ceiling angles i guess they don't mind calling the painter back to use paintable silicone and touch ups after movement until new home warranty expires.
another builder out here lag bolts the plates to the trusses and nails the bottom plate through the plywood not catching the floor joists resulting in perfect drywall angles but gaps in base to flooring.


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