If you see cracks in the drywall of your Jacksonville, FL home, it’s not necessarily something to be deeply concerned about. Oftentimes, small drywall cracks are a relatively easy fix that you should be able to do yourself. What causes drywall cracks? In our area, it’s generally caused by high winds, changes in temperature, and changes in humidity. So you don’t have to immediately rush to thinking that it’s a problem with your home’s foundation. You should, of course, consult with a professional to determine the causes of large or frequent cracks in your drywall - but you should be able to tackle smaller ones yourself with these simple tips and tricks and a few relatively inexpensive tools and supplies.
What to look out for
Before you can get to fixing the cracks in your drywall, there are a few things you need to look out for. First, ensure that the drywall on either side of the crack is as stable as possible. Natural movement of the wall is what ultimately causes drywall cracks to break open. Second, when you are working on the drywall, make sure you are wearing a respirator mask and safety goggles.
Now that we’ve got those little warnings out of the way, let’s walk through the steps of fixing cracks in drywall.
Step-by-step drywall crack repair
If you follow these steps, you should be able to easily repair any cracks in your drywall. This can help to ensure that your Jacksonville, FL home looks great for years to come.
- Start by drawing a pencil line on either side of the crack in question. You should do this about ⅛ of an inch from the edges of the crack.
- Use a utility knife to cut along the pencil line on one side of the crack. As you do this, be sure to cut down to approximately the depth of the crack. Then repeat this step on with the pencil line on the other side of the crack.
- With your trusty utility knife, clean out the crack as much as possible. You may need to scrape the crack out with a screwdriver in order to clean out any loose material that remains.
- Next, take some time to test the wall around the drywall crack. Push relatively firmly on either side of the crack. Make pencil marks on the drywall anywhere that the drywall gives or moves upon your touch.
- Take care of the weak spots by hammering drywall nails into the marked areas. The goal here is to make the drywall as stable as possible.
- You should then take properly mixed joint compound and spread it over the crack with a putty knife. Ideally, the layer of joint compound should be about ⅛ of an inch thick. As you do this, be sure to push the compound into the crack so that it is filled completely. Then spread the compound over an area approximately six inches in diameter, with the crack in the center.
- Once you have done this, you can place drywall tape over the crack. The crease in the center of the tape should face the wall and line up with the center of the crack. You should apply as many pieces of tape as necessary in order to cover the length of the crack entirely.
- Once the tape is in place, start at one end and pull the putty knife toward the middle. You should push down hard on the tape in order to force joint compound out from underneath it. Any air bubbles left under the tape may cause it to blister later - so you want to be careful during this step. Wherever necessary, remove the tape from any spots where the joint compound won’t ooze out. Then apply more compound and tape and repeat the process until it works properly. Continue this step by placing the putty knife - loaded with a scoop of compound - at the other end of the crack. Then pull it up from there straight to the middle.
- The next step is to smooth the surface. You do this by feathering the drywall compound away from the crack. A smooth surface during this step will ensure that you have a nice surface for any future paint jobs on the area.
- After you have applied the drywall compound, you need to wait at least 24 hours before this next step. The compound needs to set thoroughly so you can smooth it with 120-grit sandpaper. During this step, the compound should blend in seamlessly with the finish on either side of the crack.
- Once you have done all that, you’re ready to paint the wall however you please!
Some things to consider
In many newer homes, you may run into a common drywall issue called “nail pops.” Nail pops are when nail heads pull away from the wooden studs and protrude through the drywall tape or, later, paint. This is often caused by warped wood that wasn’t quite dry enough when it was initially installed. If you encounter this issue, use a screwdriver or hammer to drive the nail back into the studs. After that, bracket each nail head with closely-placed drywall screws.
Of course, the final thing to consider after repairing a crack in the drywall is what you’re going to do next. Fortunately, we have many tips and tricks throughout this blog outlining popular paint color trends and ideas to help you make the most of your Jacksonville, FL home. So get that drywall repaired, and move on to bigger - and more exciting! - things.