New drywall cracks after a renovation
New drywall cracks leave homeowners unsure whether to hire a structural engineer or a general contractor to inspect for shifted joists. These cracks, particularly at inside corners, make it difficult to figure out the root cause and the best way to fix them permanently.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Keeping an eye on the crack to see if it changes with the weather
- 2Considering hiring a structural engineer or general contractor for inspection
- 3Using flexible, paintable caulk
- 4Removing old caulking, re-taping, and re-mudding with heavy-duty or metal-reinforced corner tape
- 5Scrape and caulk, then paint
- 6Redo the drywall tape and mud
- 7Monitor crack width and check if doors and windows start sticking
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Noticed some dry wall cracking in my basement. Currently going through the cold and heat cycles this Time of year. Something I should be worried about or no.”source ↗
“Anywho fast forward and now we see this brand spanking new crack.”source ↗
“Should I hire a structural engineer to come check? Or do I just hire a general contractor to inspect the joists and see if the joists shifted?”source ↗
“I've got these cracks all over my condo scpecifically at inside corners. I'm not sure what caused this but it's soft so im guessing maybe the drywaller put too much plaster? What's the best way to fix this and make sure it doesnt hapoen again?”source ↗
“First time home owner had me in a panic.”source ↗
“I have cracks similar to this but it's plaster not drywall. I've had foundation repair people look at mine and sent photos to a structural engineer. They have all said it doesn't appear concerning at this time and monitor.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 13How to fix a botched drywall patch with uneven edges and gaps
- 3Crack along ceiling and wall joint
- 6How to clean mold on drywall or know when to cut it out
- 4How do I fix peeling and flaking stucco?
- 4Ceiling popping noises and drywall screws showing after roof repair
- 3Horizontal drywall crack and stuck door