Best way to fill drywall fitment gaps

[Bob Kontak]

Refacing 1915 build kitchen and bath. Nothing is square. Gaps where new ceiling and wall drywall meet are present in places. Is there a product a little stiffer than drywall mud to fill these cracks.

Has to be a better way than jamming several applications of mud in there across three days. Taping corners/joints is expected but gaps behind is wrong.

[wdfifteen]

It costs money, but I use bondo. Seriously.

[ben parrish]

How big is the gap? If less than 1/2", just use 45min, quick dry mud and fill the spach to within aboit 1/16' from flush. Once dry, just bed in your corner bead as usual and finish. There is metal inside corner with tape attached in wider widths as well as the plastic ones.

I remodeled an old farmhouse built in the teens about 8 years back and there was nothing square or level about it. We had some HUGE gaps in corners and the ceiling. I sold the house but still know the owners and there have been no issues to date with what we did.

[look 171]

Yep, depending on the gap size? I really like Fixall. That stuff doesn't shrink and drys hard like a rock. Top coat with lightweight joint compound AKA drywall finishing mud with mesh tape. Sand and finish like usual.

[peppy]

I've used thinset, and Durabond 90 followed by regular sheetrock mud.

The thinset does not sand well.

Crown molding can hide the gaps at the top.

[billybek]

Concrete fill on the big gaps. Hard to sand, very strong.

[70SATMan]

X2 on the Fixall solution

[look 171]

Originally Posted by billybek

Concrete fill on the big gaps. Hard to sand, very strong.

don't need strong there, concrete will fall out eventually because it wouldn't stick in there. The rate of expansion and contraction will cause it to do just that unless you mud over it with mesh tape and joint compound. Still its has a good chance of the crack showing through.

[look 171]

Use Fixall and make sure you fill the gap and push the Fixall below the surface just a little. Use toping with mesh tape, let dry, sand and paint. Easy to sand toping, but not Fixall.

[look 171]

I used Fixall on my kid's cast. He, being a boy:roll eyes:, wore through the heel section within two days. I went out and bought a box of Fixall and gave him an additional 3/8" of cast where he needed the extra meat. He beat on that thing and has held up so far. Its been more then 6 days. Knock on wood.

[Bob Kontak]

Off to get Fixall. All good ideas. No idea there was a fast dry mud. I have seen some pink when wet and then turns white across time. Will advise and check back. Bondo. Yep. Have done that with window frames.

[Rick Lee]

I just have some ceiling seams showing. They're barely visible, but they drive me crazy. In AZ all the ceilings have a texture to them like they were smeared with putty and then dabbed with the trowel. Real PITA to redo and make blend in.

[ben parrish]

Rick, I have a rental that has the same issue. Simple... white, big stretch latex caulk. cut a fine tip and go over the the small gaps then wipe excess off with your finger. After about 10 min., use a damp rag and go over to do a final clean. The crack will disappear as long as the ceilings are white.

[drcoastline]

The best way (and the right way) is to cut the dry wall to fit properly. If you are not going to do that. Cut pieces to fit the gap apply construction adhesive and push it in place. Spackle and tape over the seam.

You can dry joint compound quick with a heat gun or hair dryer. For an entire room crank up the heat and put a fan in the room or a space heater.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Off to get Fixall. All good ideas. No idea there was a fast dry mud. I have seen some pink when wet and then turns white across time. Will advise and check back. Bondo. Yep. Have done that with window frames.

http://www.abatron.comUse this stuff for the outdoors. Not cheap bot worth every penny.

The forest service uses it for repairs. I used it on some rotten windows on a Greene and Greene Restoration about 10 years ago and it has held up perfectly. It was also used in my parents's house 15 years ago for some structural repair (didn't feel like tearing out and patching) and it has not moved one bit. Not cracks on the wall, nothing. Issue with Bondo and lumber when wet is that the expansion. For interior use, Bondo is the greatest thing sine slice bread. We can rebuild old molding so they match perfectly during remodeling stage. Right before it dries, it can shaped and it will always stay put. Love bondo.

[look 171]

Depending on how big is this gap before we get carried away and get you to bring out the big gun. If its just 1/8", caulk it up and paint.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

Refacing 1915 build kitchen and bath. Nothing is square. Gaps where new ceiling and wall drywall meet are present in places. Is there a product a little stiffer than drywall mud to fill these cracks.

Has to be a better way than jamming several applications of mud in there across three days. Taping corners/joints is expected but gaps behind is wrong.

Quick setting dry compound. You can buy it in the 15 minute variety and the stuff gets CRAZY hard crazy fast. Use it then tape your corners.

Here's what I've used in the past for doing just what you're describing. http://www.homedepot.com/p/SHEETROCK-Brand-Easy-Sand-20-Lightweight-18-lb-Setting-Type-Joint-Compound-384214/100321609

Oh yeah, and if ya really want to go wild, buy the 90 minute and tape your joints with it.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by look 171

Depending on how big is this gap before we get carried away and get you to bring out the big gun. If its just 1/8", caulk it up and paint.

This is what I was thinking... caulk would be cheap way to go.
I like Fixall but important to note as you said "dries hard as a rock" so don't slather it on like drywall mud thinking you will sand it down after it dries.

[wayner]

Fiberglass mesh tape and some mud?

If you are really concerned about some additional structure behind it, you could also fold some fiberglass mesh tape, submerge it in mud and stuff it in the crack first, then tape over it?

Thats what I did today...

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I just have some ceiling seams showing. They're barely visible, but they drive me crazy. In AZ all the ceilings have a texture to them like they were smeared with putty and then dabbed with the trowel. Real PITA to redo and make blend in.

You can buy spray can texturing to do knockdown. I've used it and it blends pretty nicely if you sand back a bit to blend it in.