Question for you home improvement types (drywall)

[wnaplay1647545503]

I consider myself knowing alot about home remodeling having owned both a painting company and a remodeling company but I have come across something that has me stumped. I have 1 entire wall and several small areas in my house where the drywall has an odd appearance. It looks as though it is cracked. Almost as though spider webbed. Kind of like if you take a thin piece of plastic sheeting and poke a needle into it, cracking it, but not breaking it. Its something I have never seen before. I dont know if it has become worse since we bought the house because its mainly in a room we havent occupied until recently hence why its bugging me now. I know how to fix it but I would really like to know what has caused it. It looks as though it is in between the outer paper and inner drywall core. I thought maybe someone had patched the wall(foreclosed home) while the house was cold inside and this is what happened when the mud or whatever was used didnt dry right but I dont know. Any ideas or has anyone ever seen this? I have been in several thousand homes in my time and never came across this.

[TTQ B4U]

are you sure it's not the paint?

 

Post some pics.

[mmrmnhrm]

I'm with Tim... let's see some pics. My guess is either thermal cracking of the mud, or house settling (especially if it's a new build).

[wnaplay1647545503]

Definately not a new build and I have been in several homes on the same street and have never seen this issue. Its not the paint, that I am sure of. I will try to post some pics up tomorrow.

[Akula]

Is it happening on the seams, or on the screw heads? My guess would be the compound didn't cure all the way, or the painting company didn't prime.

[AJ]

my house is cracking at the seams and just started a few months ago. seeing as my house was build in 73' its nothing we did.

[1veryfastvr4]

if what ive seen is same as u describes it was moisture getting in the wall and working its way thro, had mold on inside of wall cavity too......

 

 

also seen old old mud that lost its glue be used and it left a odd like orange peel finish, it was hard to sand out, kinda looked like mud that has been over paint u know how it gets lil pits.....

 

not sure if either helps just what ive seen in my drywall days

[wnaplay1647545503]

Its not orange peeling, its not in the seams or screw holes. Could be moisture but It would have to permiate(sp) through the siding which is covered by a partial roof, make it through the vapor barrier, insulation, and through the drywall only affecting the paper of the faceside of the wall. I could see it in a spot or 2, but this is over the entire wall. It is possible though.

[TTQ B4U]

is it an exterior facing wall? do you have gutters along the top part of the wall on the exterior where this is at? do you have icicles right now?

 

what you describe below in terms of permeating through the siding, vapor barrier, etc...could be occurring from repeated ice jams making their way along the roof and melting as they are today.

 

Water seeping in from the roof along the wall would wick right into the wallboard.

 

Its not orange peeling, its not in the seams or screw holes. Could be moisture but It would have to permiate(sp) through the siding which is covered by a partial roof, make it through the vapor barrier, insulation, and through the drywall only affecting the paper of the faceside of the wall.

 

Now your point below doesn't perfectly match ice dam damage as it's unlikely to go across the entire wall like that. However, if the wall has moisture and mold on the other side that you're not aware of it certainly could be the case. I've never seen a wall with extensive mold damage, but my wife back in 04-06 went after Dominion on nearly a dozen cases for a poor design that led to mold growth along the exterior walls of new-builds. It affected several floor plan designs.

 

Is your home a Dominion by chance?

 

I'd cut out a nice section of the wall board all the way through, get a good light in there and check the actual board itself.

Take photos of everything before you cut and as you go to get proof should it be a Dominion home.

 

I could see it in a spot or 2, but this is over the entire wall. It is possible though.

[wnaplay1647545503]

These have been here for all the years we have lived here, They have not become worse. It is a lower outside wall with the floor above it stepped out covering the entire wall, so no water is getting behind this wall and freezing. The drywall in here is horrible at best. I am going to skim the whole wall and that will fix the problem. I was just curious as to what caused it. No Dominion. This house was built in the 80's. I will try to get pics up tomorrow in better light.

[still2hi]

check pm.

[Stimmel1647545512]

I skimmed my whole kitchen it sucked by i was tired of the plaster walls lookin retarded have fun sanding all that stuff

[1veryfastvr4]

yea a level 5 skim sucks balls to sand.....