[memuser]

Hey folks,

I moved into a new home about 14 months ago. We had a foundation problem where the foundation cracked and one of the back corners sunk about 3 inches. The builder has fixed the foundation problem (he called in Olshan) and has fixed most of the interior problems. One problem we are having over and over is the cracking in the drywall. The builder has been out 4 times over the last 8 months repairing the same cracks that were caused by the foundation problem. He says they are just settlement cracks, but I don't believe him. The last 2 times the drywall guys have come in and dug out the cracked area. They then filled it in with caulking and then mudded over it. However, the cracks keep coming back. Does this sound normal or do I have more serious issues I need to deal with ? How do you keep the cracks from coming back ?

Thanks and sorry for the long post,
Jason

[ballengerb1]

The man who fixed your bad foundation probably graduated in the bottom half of his class. Repeated cracking means you still have settling going on. The primary problem must be addressed before your patches will work. By the way, caulking with mud is a very poor fix.

[memuser]

The man who fixed your bad foundation probably graduated in the bottom half of his class. Repeated cracking means you still have settling going on. The primary problem must be addressed before your patches will work. By the way, caulking with mud is a very poor fix.

Well that's doesn't sound good. I have called out Olshan to recheck their work. I figured something must still be going on for it to continue cracking in the same spots over and over. Also, the drywall guys are telling me that one of the best ways to fix a crack like that is to use caulking in the cracks. They tell me it gives the drywall room to move a little. So your telling me this is not a good idea. I hate not knowing more about this kind of stuff. I'ved also been told by others the best way is to cut out a section of the wall and replace it. Does this sound like a better fix once the primary problem has been solved.

Thanks for your input,
Jason

[ballengerb1]

The caulk does allow movement but they put mud on it afterwords. The mud dries brittle and will crack. You should not have movement in your drywall because that means you have movement in the structure itself. In some sense the cracking is a good thing, it is telling you that you have a bigger problem, the foundation. I'm not familiar with Olshan. How did they fix your 3 in settlement of the foundation? Did they pump mud under the foundation? Is your crack coming upward from the corner of a doorway or window or is it running horizontally through the room. Am I safe to assume the cracking is happening very close to the sagging foundation corner?

[memuser]

Olshans has what they call the cable lok system. In a nutshell they jack the house up then use a tool to drive concrete cylinders connected by a cable down into the ground until it hits a certain amount of resistants. Then the house is rested on these cylinders which are now in the form of a concrete peir. The used 7 of them around the area that had the problem. I think I desc that right. Anyway, its suppose to be a very good system and they have a great track record from what we can tell. They are a big national company that backs their work with a 100% lifetime repair warranty and have been in business for many many years.

Yes, the cracks are coming up from the corner of a doorway on one side and the corner of a window on the other side and this happened right at the corner that was sagging. We do not see any other indications of movement. The bricks outside have not re-cracked, the tile in the room which was replaced has not re-cracked. The door and windows in that area are not having any problems opening or closing. There are no new cracks. Its just the original cracks keep coming back.

Thanks
Jason

[ballengerb1]

The stress finds the least resistance and cracks at that point. That's why I guessed windows and doorways. They are weak because there is only about 1.5 feet of drywall above them. Sand the area down to the paper surface of the drywall but do not break the paper. You can buy a paper membrane or even use joint tape. Lay down the tape with a thin mix of quick setting joint compound, not the ready mixed kind. Quick setting mixes come in bags marked 22, 45, etc... the amount of time it takes to set. Only mix a very small amount because it dries before you're ready for the next coat. After curing apply a second coat feathering about 5 inches, then a third coat feathering 9 inches and the final coat feathering about 12 inches. Paint after a full day of curing and good luck.