I bought an older home (built in 1952) about 5 years ago and I am working on the main floor bathroom which was actually an add-on at some point. It's always felt a little drafty even after re-caulking the windows. I found out why today... After removing the poorly hung wallpaper, I found a gap in the drywall in one of the corners. It starts out as a 1/4" gap at the bottom and by the time you get to the ceiling it's almost a 1/2" gap. It's the corner between the shared wall (the kitchen sink is on other side) and the outside wall. What is the best way to fill/seal/repair this gap? Will drywall tape and mud be a strong enough barrier against the cold or should I use something else?
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Hello, and welcome to Stack Exchange. Is the outside wall of the bathroom air-tight? Editing a picture into your question would help.– Daniel GriscomCommented Dec 31, 2016 at 13:07
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The interior walls aren't meant to provide a barrier against the outside air - that's what the exterior walls are for. So your real problem isn't the sloppy drywall work, it's the leaks in the outer envelope.– Mike BaranczakCommented Dec 31, 2016 at 16:48
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A picture would help. Also, tell us where you live. The word "winter" means something completely different in Texas and Saskatchewan.– Mike BaranczakCommented Dec 31, 2016 at 16:50
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1 Answer
Assuming you have little to no batt insulation at that corner (and there's nothing snug that would hold-up a strip of the same if stuffed into the crack with a putty knife):
Get a 4"-8" wide strip of metal screen (as used in a screen door) and fold it in half. Insert it into the crack. Tape it open, to the left and right sides of the gap, respectively, thus creating something onto which an insulating spray foam will attach without falling to the floor of the stud bay. Spray foam using the straw-like attachment, let cure, and trim any protruding excess and in such a way that one forms a proper inside corner for the drywall tape. Note: this stuff expands greatly so go easy with it.
Then, using self-adhesive fiberglass drywall mesh, repair as one would normally do for a small hole.
