Seeing cracks in the walls of your home is never a pleasant experience. And the cost of repairing them can be high.
However, it’s important to note that a cracked wall doesn’t always mean your house has structural problems. Hairline cracks can easily be fixed with drywall patching compound and painted over, but wider cracks require more significant repair work. In addition, Mainmark Ground Engineering professionals can help you resolve this issue.
Drywall Tape
Drywall Tape is used to seal the seams between drywall panels to create a seamless look. It comes in two types; paper and fiberglass mesh tape.
The most common tape is the rolled-up paper variety that is easy to find in big box stores and online. This type is a good choice for do-it-yourselfers because it is wide enough to cover all of the seams in a wall and doesn’t require a coating of mud as an adhesive before it is applied.
It is also thinner than fiberglass tape, which means it doesn’t need feathering to make an invisible seam. However, it is not ideal for use in showers or other humid environments as the moisture can cause the paper tape to begin to mold.
If you’re not confident in your ability to apply a smooth surface, consider using the fiberglass mesh tape instead of paper tape for touch-ups. It doesn’t require the application of joint compound and is more elastic, which can help to prevent cracks from forming in the future.
Joint Compound
Joint compound is a type of wall filler used to repair cracks and other imperfections in drywall. It is usually sold in powder form that needs to be mixed with water.
Alternatively, joint compound can be purchased in a pre-mixed form that is ready to apply. It comes in small boxes and is usually available at home centers or hardware stores.
In one embodiment, the binder of the joint compound can be a latex emulsion. The amount of latex emulsion can range from about 5% to about 60% by weight, or from about 10% to about 40% by weight, by weight of the wet composition.
In another embodiment, the joint compound can include an optional rheology modifier. Suitable rheology modifiers include cellulose and associative thickeners.
Joint Tape
When you use drywall to plaster walls, it often results in imperfect joints between horizontal and vertical surfaces. This can be repaired with tesa Wall and Ceiling Joint Tape, which effectively covers such gaps and imperfections.
The tape serves as an elastic bridge that prevents cracks and helps to create invisible seams. It also perfectly matches modern interior building techniques.
A simple solution for repairing cracks on drywall is to tape it and apply a layer of joint compound over it. This can hide the crack and help the paint adhere better.
However, if the crack is very large, it may need reinforcement to prevent it from telegraphing back through. A self-adhesive fiberglass mesh drywall tape is a good choice for this purpose.
After you’ve covered the crack with spackling, spread joint compound over it and smooth the surface to feather out the edges. Light sanding is often necessary between coats of compound to achieve a smooth finish.
Paint
Paint is the most common surface material we use for decoration and protection. It can be applied as a liquid or dried by a variety of chemical processes into a solid.
However, sometimes cracks and flaws occur in the paint film that are both unsightly and dangerous. These are called paint defects, and if they are not fixed quickly they can lead to a host of problems.
There are many reasons for paint defects, and one of the most frequent is poor surface preparation. This can include painting over old substrates or failing to seal bare wood surfaces with a quality primer.
Moreover, spreading the paint too thin can cause latex products to dry too quickly and cause cracking or flaking.
Similarly, paint that has been exposed to alkalis or acids can be affected by saponification. This creates a concentrated water-soluble ingredient in the paint that causes a blotchy appearance and eventually flakes off after a few weeks or months.