29
votes
What sort of contractor (if any) should I call for this ceiling crack?
There is, or has been a leak - those come from plumbing or from the roof, or occasionally from a water spill on the floor above that was not cleaned up quickly.
If you are quite certain it's not ...
- 201k
27
votes
Accepted
Why did cracks form over the rebar grid in my concrete footings?
This is known as "plastic settlement cracking", a type of shrinkage crack. It's the result of the rebar being too close to the surface. As water settles out of the concrete, it tends to ...
- 129k
25
votes
Accepted
How to finish wide gap in drywall at edge of ceiling
You could use a piece of inside corner bead and finish it like any other inside drywall corner:
A less aesthetic solution would be to cover the gap with a piece of wood trim and paint it to match the ...
- 35.1k
25
votes
Crack in concrete block garage wall
Yes, you should be concerned. Cracking like this is caused by movement (the structure has moved, such as settled) and this type of cracking is unusual. This needs to be reviewed in person by a ...
- 5,709
25
votes
Crack across front of garage floor
Good news, that is not a crack in your garage floor. It's just a damaged cosmetic connection from garage floor to the pawers. Someone already patched it before. Since those are thin, it will not ...
- 16.9k
24
votes
Accepted
It appears this support beam is shifting and the drywall is buckling underneath its weight, what would cause this?
Yes, this should be inspected by a competent professional as it could be something serious that needs to be addressed immediately.
Water damage could cause this or wood degradation caused by termites ...
- 2,310
21
votes
How to finish wide gap in drywall at edge of ceiling
Jimmy's corner bead solution is probably easier and I upvoted it. The other method is to make a larger, more regular gap by cutting the present drywall and patching it with new drywall cut to fit the ...
- 201k
19
votes
Accepted
Crack in paint seems to be slowly getting longer
Unfortunately many of the homes built in the 80s and 90s have features such as vaulted ceilings and floating walls, and they usually employed engineered truss systems. Those trusses move seasonally ...
- 129k
13
votes
Are these bathroom wall tiles coming off?
No.
It appears from the pictures that you posted that the grout lines have cracked, this does not necessarily mean that the tile adhesion to the wall is compromised.
If the tile has movement when ...
- 2,310
12
votes
Why did cracks form over the rebar grid in my concrete footings?
Potentially there are three issues. The cracks could be caused by any single issue or any mix of the issues.
Not enough clear cover over the rebar mat.
The concrete mix contained too much water (...
- 3,362
11
votes
What sort of contractor (if any) should I call for this ceiling crack?
I don't think you are ready for a contractor yet. I would scrape that section and add some new drywall mud with a piece of tape and see if it cracks again. There are kits at big box stores for $10. ...
- 47.8k
9
votes
Crack in concrete block garage wall
Being a corner and a mid block crack I would say yes there is an issue here. It could be the attached building footing sinking but mid block cracks are really bad I have only seen them in walls that ...
- 102k
7
votes
Accepted
Old single pane House window has a crack, can I fix it using a resin?
I'm going to say no on this because of how a windshield is made. They are a layered construction with glass on the outside and a plastic material on the inside. A small crack or chip in a windshield ...
- 27.7k
7
votes
Accepted
Bathroom Grout Cracking
It's always recommended to caulk different wall planes at their joints and between tiles and the tub. That's where most of the settling will occur and grout will not adjust or expand. Start out by ...
- 78.7k
6
votes
Accepted
How much should I worry about this large crack in the foundation slab?
Sigh. Cheap builders are forever spending thousands on concrete, but unwilling to spend a few hundred on steel to make the concrete properly reenforced. Nobody sees the steel, but the lack of it does ...
- 201k
6
votes
Accepted
What could cause the drywall behind the baseboard to crumble and allow interior of wall to fill with dirt?
Drywall Crack - That is a likely the factory joint of the drywall. It cracks due to movement of the studs that can happen for a variety of reasons, including temperature, humidity changes and ...
- 175
5
votes
Are hairline cracks in basement concrete floor a problem if there's no water coming in?
Concrete slabs crack. Period. For this reason, "control joints" are often cut or tooled into slabs where aesthetics are a concern. They encourage cracks to occur along straight lines where they create ...
- 129k
5
votes
What sort of contractor (if any) should I call for this ceiling crack?
If it is beneath the bathtub there is a fair chance that the leak is a result of a poorly sealed overflow drain. It is pretty easy to check, just run the bathwater above the overflow drain and see if ...
- 51
5
votes
Old single pane House window has a crack, can I fix it using a resin?
Replacing a single window pane in a multi-pane window sash in the window of an old house is not that hard. My friend taught me how to do it. In our old house the putty is mostly on the inside face of ...
- 51
5
votes
Crack in paint seems to be slowly getting longer
I had something similar, only horizontal. A hairline crack that slowly got bigger/longer, and was almost a perfect straight line. Turns out, it was the paper drywall tape letting go from the sheetrock....
- 1,131
5
votes
Accepted
Is this long drywall crack a big concern?
It’s not a settlement crack. Settlement cracks are diagonal or run at an angle.
It’s metal corner trim popping loose. It’s caused by the lumber drying out and shrinking. You need to re-screw the metal ...
- 23.1k
4
votes
How to finish wide gap in drywall at edge of ceiling
All the above answers are correct, However I would just mix some 20 min hot mud really thick just add little of water to the mix then pack it. This mud wont shrink but may sag a little. Then use a 6" ...
4
votes
Old single pane House window has a crack, can I fix it using a resin?
I have had single pane glass replaced before typically it is quite affordable - I think last time my bill was $80. You just call glass people to do it.
Even if you could use a resin which I ...
- 13.5k
4
votes
What could be the cause of these window cracks in a London Victorian house?
London is built on clay. Everything sags.
You'll need a surveyor to accurately measure it & put movement marker clips on to test how far it moves per year, then weigh up whether or not it's going ...
- 10.5k
4
votes
Structural engineer recommends fix
According to the red line sketch he has on the picture, He just wants you to cut a short piece of 2X10, perhaps 14 1/2" long, screwed with 4 screws each end, my guess would be 3 or 4" screws....
- 34.3k
4
votes
Crack across front of garage floor
I'd pick a line inside the garage and cut it with a concrete cut off saw (14" gas powered) or use a 7" angle grinder with a diamond blade. Setup a straight edge the saw / grinder can follow....
- 13.5k
4
votes
External door handle crack
Unscrew the hex screw on the top. Remove the handle and bring it to the store to find a replacement.
As a temporary fix use a hose clamp then slip it over and tighten, to prevent accidents.
- 16.9k
4
votes
How do I fix a crack in an oak tread?
Yes, it is worth glueing the crack. Your plan is one way.
You could also consider drilling from one side with sufficient depth to go past the crack to glue in dowels which would also work. Need long ...
- 26.3k
4
votes
Accepted
How do I fix a crack in an oak tread?
That shouldn't be hard to fix. If it were me, I'd get a flat bladed screwdriver, insert into the crack to widen it just a bit. Using a glue like TiteBond, smear it over the crack trying to force as ...
- 23.1k
4
votes
How do I fix a crack in an oak tread?
Scabbing a piece of plywood or even another piece of oak on the bottom is one way of fixing this, but it's not a pretty way of doing it unless you cover the entire bottom of the tread, but then you'll ...
- 43.1k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible