Why is My Drywall Cracking?

Now that you understand a bit more about drywall cracks around door frames and windows, you should learn why these drywall cracks can form. Why do some cracks indicate a deeper problem while other cracks are only cosmetic?

The reason for these drywall cracks can certainly vary. These are the most common reasons you’ll run into drywall cracks in your home.

Excess Structural Pressure 

The walls in your home should be constructed such that the internal structure handles most of the pressure. Drywall is much more flimsy than the strong beams that make up the internal structure, so it shouldn’t be supporting all that weight.

However, if the construction planning is poor, that may be what’s happening. The walls might be holding up too much weight, or there may be too much weight on an upper floor, putting stress on the ceiling of the floor below it.

In this case, it’s important that an expert is able to divert some of the pressure elsewhere. A JES expert can put in fixes to avoid those pressure issues, ensuring that your drywall cracks don’t get worse.

Poorly Installed Drywall

Sometimes, the problem stems from the way the original crew installed the drywall. For example, some construction crews use drywall compound to create a textured ceiling, but that compound applied too thickly can start to crack as it dries.

You can also notice fewer superficial issues due to poorly installed drywall. These usually fall along the same lines as drywall that’s simply supporting too much weight.

This poor installation can cause problems whether it’s simply cosmetic or it’s actually structural in nature. Especially if the drywall cracks are relatively large, it’s a good idea to contact a JES expert to get more information about them.

Home Settling

This is one of the most common reasons for drywall cracks and other structural problems. As the years go by, your home is going to settle. That’s normal, and it’s not necessarily anything to worry about if it only happens a moderate amount.

Worries can arise, however, if your home settles too much. If you’re starting to notice uneven floors, drywall cracks, nail pops, and other problems, it could be that your home is settling too much due to a variety of structural problems.

These cracks can essentially showcase foundation problems that you haven’t noticed up until now. Although hairline cracks may not be a big deal, these more gaping cracks that are larger than an eighth of an inch should be addressed head-on.