However, the material fell out of favour by the s and s, and it was all down to its near-namesake: plasterboard — or drywall. Since gaining popularity around the time of World War Two, drywall has become the go-to material for coating interior walls and ceilings. Like plaster, it often consists of gypsum. However, the difference is that this substance is sandwiched between two boards of paper and typically sold as 4x8 foot panels.
You can also just screw drywall into the studs of a wall, whereas plastering is a much more labour-intensive process. Think of drywalling like wallpapering a wall and plastering like painting it. That said, you still need to skim drywall afterwards to create a smooth finish, as well as paint it your desired colour. Drywall is a cheaper and much more hassle-free option than plaster, boasting many other advantages from its thermal qualities to its flexibility. As touched upon, fixing drywall is a fairly easy job.
Conversely, wet plastering must be done by a professional over several days, with drying time needed between different coats. Newer homes tend to feature drywall, a material comprised of gypsum sandwiched between two sheets of paper and usually sold in 4-foot-byfoot panels.
Drywall installs quickly and fairly easily by screwing it into the studs of the wall, and today it comes in a variety of thicknesses and other options to choose from. Plaster and lath, on the other hand, is a more labor-intensive but high-end wall treatment where workers nail lengths of wood called lath to the studs and then apply several coats of plaster over top, used in most homes built before World War II. Keep reading for what you should consider before planning your next project.
Today, plasterers are more specialized tradesmen than drywall installers, so having the skilled laborers available in your area is the first thing to check before committing to the high-maintenance material. As far as repairs, they can run the gamut from being as simple as touching up a little bit of plaster to rebuilding the wall, especially in cases where electrical or plumbing work needs to be done behind the walls.
Small holes cut in these locations may not be visible at all, but if you choose they can be patched using a self-adhesive drywall patch kit , or with ordinary drywall joint tape and taping compound. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile.
Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Project Overview. Featured Video. Materials Drywall patch kit Wire coat hanger. Inspect Through an Electrical Box Cutting a sizable hole in the drywall will certainly determine if you have insulation.
Tip Inspection scopes that attach to a smartphone are relatively inexpensive, or you can lease an inspection scope at a tool rental outlet. Tip Because blown-in insulation can settle and leave a space at the top, it is important to check the wall cavity several feet down. Show Full Article. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for TheSpruce. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page.
Hi Myron, Boy are you the guy I have been looking for , we turned our attached garage into part of the house 8 years ago and ever since I get ceiling cracks in the winter and they close up in the summer but they have done it so much that the screws are popping and it looks bad , I blew in about 22 inches of insulation but the roof plywood and trusses are still exposed to the cool temps from our south Dakota winters , would it help if I went up and spray foamed everything in the attic above the blown insulation to keep it from absorbing the humidity on top?
If so can I do it in the winter or not? Thanks Mike. If you choose tto do this i would do before the weather gets too cold. Truss uplift occurs along the ceiling at center located partition walls. Is the room just one big space or are there partition walls? My guess is that there is just structural movement. How good is the foundation of the old garage? Hi Myron , It is pretty much all 1 room 14 x 18 with a hip roof 1 closet at the end of the room , most all cracks are in the center of the room running parallel with the rafters from wall to wall but not along any wall to ceiling joints.
I did have pillars installed because a contractor thought it would help but it did not change a thing soon as fall comes. The cracks start to open. This always starts way before the hard freezing starts.
Hi Mike. Can i just use long nails or screws to secure the truss more to the interior walls? Hi Brandon, I think there is a lot of force when the trusses pull upwards. The extra strong fasteners may hold and who knows maybe the wall itself will pull up a little. The cracking may not be as bad. Really good insulation and a well vented attic is best and if possible insulating the rafters against the roof and as a result having the attic as part of the conditioned space is also a good idea.
I have a friend that had a contractor nail the truss cords to the interior walls trying to make the connections stronger. Now they have wall movement which causes problems with the interior wall doors which will not close correctly. They rub the door casings. In I built a high end custom home directly on the intracoastal here in Florida. I used open cell spray foam throughout the walls and roof system.
Furthermore I anticipate adding crown in the coming months, but the movement during the winter months makes so much noise at night if often times can wake you up. There is a lot of popping and cracking.
Please let me know your thoughts on this home specifically as it appears you are very familiar with the uplift phenomenon. Joshua , just wondering if the snapping and cracking noise has gone away.
I have the same situation ,since August last year , the builder is finally coming over to listen to my recorded noise. The truss has cracked the kitchen ceiling. Sometimes when I walk by the area I can hear the noise in the wall , but at night , its really bad. I want the builder to go up in the attic to inspect. Whats your thoughts. Hi I was recently pointed to this article by a friend when i asked him about nail pops and cracks in ceilings.
However I have now also noticed that there is a small gap between my kitchen cabinets on first floor and the sidewall. On that same sidewall, I notice gaps between bathroom cabinets on second floor and the sidewall.
Also for that same sidewall, i notice a little gap between baseboard and floor. My home is 3 years old and still under structural warranty from the builder. The second winter, there were just a couple tiny cracks in where the center wall touches the ceiling.
However, this year there are several, and they are bigger. I found the part about using the special L bracket to attach the Truss to the wall frame to allow flex. I have been searching the internet and stumbled on your website. Now I know what my problem is — Truss Uplift.
We had a home build in and have the winter cracking problem. I want to do crown molding but see that I could still have a problem in the winter because this will continue to occur every year. Where should I nail the moldings? I plan to have a runner on the top nailed to the ceiling about 2 inches away from the inside corner of the ceiling — and — a runner along the wall about 3 inches or so down from the ceiling. So, then I will have a piece that would normally be nailed to the top runner and the bottom runner on an angle.
What should I do to minimize the cracking in this case and is there another kind of molding design I should use? I am assuming this is just an unsightly problem since one of your posts above said that it is not a structural problem. Also, another problem I have you may be able to help with. Should I cut out a section and put a nailer and then re-drywall a lot of work or is there another product that will allow a better solution?
I would try to just fasten to the ceiling which will let the molding along the wall slide up and down. Truss uplift does not compromise the structural strength but the structure is moving. Did you investigate the quality of the insulation in the attic and also the humidity levels in the house and attic? Is the drywall moving or cracked in the wall corner where there is no nailer? If it is just a reoccurring small crack you can install Magic corner instead of paper tape.
Has anyone tried paintable caulk? Thanks Tom in Chicago. I am having a problem with what I assume is truss uplift. My house is 2 year old, and in my ensuite I have a full height glass shower enclosure. There is a small bulkhead across the front of the shower and the glass is attached up to that bulkhead, in a small chrome channel.
There is also channel at the bottom and the glass also fits into that. Usually there are no screws in the bottom piece of channel as it could lead to water leaking below over time, so the channel is simply siliconed at the bottom and screwed dow the side.
What is happening is in the summer, the panel fits perfectly and is tight on all three sides. However, during the winter, the glass and channel pull up at the bottom and breaks the silicone seal, leaving the glass swinging. Wile it is attached up the side it can be pushed back and forth. I am also having a problem in the kitchen with the crown moulding around the top of the cabinets pulling again in the winter and perfect in the summer.
How can this be fixed so that this no longer happens? The problem is that the rafters are lifting and taking the interior wall it is attached to with it.
Increasing insulation and controlling humidity in the attic will most likely help. Also removing the nails that attach the rafters to the top plate of the wall affected will help but keep in mind that the drywall or even the crown molding is attached to the rafters so those fasteners may have to be removed as well.
I have read many sites concerning truss uplift and your explanation is hands down the best. I have been battling it for years and I am looking for a long term solution. I live in a small square foot ranch with s low pitch roof. The hall and one small bedroom towards the center of the house have been the worst. This is not however a great solution for the entire house.
I can see the drywall tape pulling in other locations in the winter, so I am looking for a larger solution. There are gable vents with vented soffit, but no ridge vent. I am considering your idea of insulating with a radiant barrier insulation against the roof rafters and taping all of the seams.
Then, possibly a humidistat controlled gable fan. To make things more difficult, I have textured ceiling, so removing drywall screws and moving them is not ideal. I am considering hiding the cathedral ceiling cracks with wood flooring, but I have no solid plan yet. Any additional details related to the idea of insulating the roof trusses would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you! Hi Aaron, Sounds like you have your hands full but have some good ideas. Prevention is the key because it is very difficult to fix after drywall work is complete. The angle piece that attaches to the top plate works great. For minor movement the Trim-Tex Magic corner is a good solution.
You made a good point that the bottoms of the roof trusses are buried insulation. Your right, problems created by truss uplift are very difficult to correct. Lucky for me that I have been called in for only a few problems over all these years. I think most are just small cracks. I think the companies who build trusses know about the potential problems but it would be interesting to know what if anything they have tried to do to eliminate the problems.
Hello there. Since moving in, however, I have had issues with attic ventilation and temperatures upstairs in the home. The attic sits on either side of the walls upstairs and is accessible by two small doors, one on either side of the room in the upstairs bedroom.
Truss uplift has nothing to do with plastic surgery or under- garments. It is a phenomenon common in homes built with roof trusses as opposed to rafters. If a house suffers from truss uplift, the top floor ceilings literally lift off the interior walls in the winter. They drop back down in the summer.
Needless to say, this is a tad disconcerting to the homeowner. At first glance, one might assume that the floors have settled.
0コメント