How To Fix Wall Cracks? Have you ever noticed those annoying little cracks in your walls that just seem to keep coming back no matter how many times you try to patch them up? Wall cracks can be unsightly and potentially harmful to your house, but they are also very easy to fix if you know what you’re doing.
Do you need a handyman service to fix this? The process of fixing these wall cracks can be simple and cost-effective, as long as you follow these four steps to do it right the first time. Follow along below to learn how to fix wall cracks permanently. Read on!
First, you want to make sure you have the tools and materials required to properly do the job. You’re going to need a drywall saw, several drywall clamps, a screwdriver, wall anchors, exterior wood glue, and caulk. The clamps will be used to hold the pieces of drywall together while you secure them with screws.
The screws alone won’t hold it in place; they need something to clamp onto while they set. Wall anchors are used to hold the screws in place and will ensure that you drive them straight, which is very important when you need a flat surface that can be covered with paint or wallpaper. The caulk will seal the crack and keep peeling paint from making a mess.
You’ll want to measure the crack just in case it is wider than you thought. If it is, there will be more pieces of drywall than you have planned for and that means more time for calculating where to put everything. Then, start the drywall saw and cut out one side of the wall section that faces the crack.
Then, measure down from above and cut another hole on the other side of the board so there are two holes total in both directions. Measure down from above and make three more holes straight across from each other on both sides of where you just cut.
Where to Put the Drywall? Now that you have two pieces of drywall cut out, you’re ready to measure where you want to put them. Every wall is different and so are the cracks and so you need to start by calculating how deep the crack is. Measure down from above in both directions and then mark where it hits the floor.
Now count all of the points on your floor where the drywall hits and make a mark between each one. You want to avoid putting holes on any walls or in any ceilings because they will be covered by things like baseboards, crown molding, or other trim that will cause unnecessary complications later on.
Once you have the marks down, you can start thinking about where you will be putting the drywall. The most obvious spot to place it would be in the middle of each wall, but if there is a stud or something in the wall you can’t get the drywall hung on, then putting it directly over it is probably your best bet because that way you won’t need to move anything.
Put a screw through one of the holes in your first piece and hang it on one side of the crack. Then, screw it in on the other side and then hang your second piece. Make sure the pieces are perfectly lined up because you want the drywall to be straight across both pieces.
Now, you’re going to use the drywall clamps to hold them together while you screw them into place. First, mark where your screws go so they are in a straight line. Then, clamp down one side of the drywall and make sure every single screw is in a straight line: they all need to be parallel with one another or they won’t hang straight.
If you have one screw that is slightly off it will still hold together but there will be gaps between certain parts of the board that could further damage the wall.
Now that that is done, you can caulk the crack. Put a small amount in the crack and smooth it out with your finger. You must go right in and smooth out any air bubbles or any gaps in between pieces of drywall, otherwise, they can cause more problems later on.
You can cover up any extra around the edges of the crack with tape if you desire but you want to be certain it’s completely sealed before moving on to step 5 because if it is not, then all of the pressure from putting drywall over the top will cause more damage to your wall.
Side Now you want to come out of the room and get a second piece of drywall. You need the same pieces as before, so if you measured down on one side, then measure down on the other and check that they are in perfect alignment. Then, look at how much crown molding you have around your walls.
If there is a lot of it and it is not completely covered by baseboards or anything else, cut some small pieces out from under it so that you can hang the pieces of drywall onto it. Then hang them up just like before and this time wrap a layer of tape around them for extra protection.
Now you need to screw the drywall into place. You want to put screws in at perfectly even intervals and make sure that every layer is aligned just as it was before so that when you trim it, it will be perfectly straight.
Now you can enjoy your newly fixed wall crack! If you know someone whose house could use some work, don’t hesitate about suggesting this easy DIY tip!