Plasterboard tape cracking/peeling - use decorator caulk instead?

[Andr3w]

My house is about to hit 5 years old and a number of cracks/straight lines/flaking have started to appear, it looks like tape is peeling away from the corners.

I've done some research and it apparently its common practise to tape over the corners and between the walls and ceiling to cover up the joins.

How do I repair the tears/cracking/peel tape?

Could I just peel all the tape away, sand down any mess it makes and then use decorators caulk on the joins? Can I just paint over it the next day?

The top photo is between a wall and ceiling (crack on Wall). The bottom photo is between two walls.





edit: I would like to point out that the two photos above are just a sample - I could easily find about 10 of these throughout the whole house.

 

[Mercenary Keyboard Warrior]

That looks quite bad

I find it happens often in corners, I just cut it out and filler it up. Caulk is fine or harder filler if your fairly certain the boards aren't moving.

Its quick and easy for the boarders but suffers that when it shrinks back.

 

[SpeedFreak]

A few years ago Barratts repaired similar cracking in a flat I owned under the 10 year guarantee (with no real pressure needed). I would be asking the house builder to rectify first.

 

[Andr3w]

I have contacted NHBC and they've asked me to take some photos and send them in so they can see if it can be claimed for.

If it turns out I have to fix it myself - how do I do it?

 

[SpeedFreak]

I have contacted NHBC and they've asked me to take some photos and send them in so they can see if it can be claimed for.

If it turns out I have to fix it myself - how do I do it?

Did you not speak to the developer first?

 

[thezappa]

Looks a pretty poor job but cracks like that should really be dealt with by the builder. NHBC won't get involved unless it is a latent defect which that isn't (unless they get really wide, then thats probably a different problem). Cut the tape away and get some ready mix stuff and a filling knife and paste it on, try and get it as smooth as you can and sand down any bumps.
There are loads of youtube videos about it.

 

[Andr3w]

I didn't contact the builders as they only offer a 3 year warranty. I'm pretty sure they would just laugh me off the phone.

 

[Kiyoshi]

From what I can make out from the pictures, it looks as though they haven't skimmed enough over the skrim tape - or even skimmed over it at all. If it were me I would pull the old tape off and joint tape it again with new and then skim over again with some Easi-Fill.

 

[ci_newman]

As above, you need to re-tape it. Decorators caulk is just going to crack again.

 

[Entropy]

From what I can make out from the pictures, it looks as though they haven't skimmed enough over the skrim tape - or even skimmed over it at all. If it were me I would pull the old tape off and joint tape it again with new and then skim over again with some Easi-Fill.

I would hazard a guess it is dry lined rather than skimmed. Quicker and cheaper to do.

 

[Andr3w]

I literally have no idea how to skim

Is it relatively easy?

 

[Maccapacca]

Lift the tapes up carefully and glue back down then use a foam filler to fill the fine cracks.

 

[Kiyoshi]

I would hazard a guess it is dry lined rather than skimmed. Quicker and cheaper to do.

You still skim over dry lining

I literally have no idea how to skim

Is it relatively easy?

It depends how comfortable you are with DIY! If not very then maybe it's easier to get somebody else to do it

• Take the old tape off.
• Buy this or similar and replace tape.
• Buy this and this or similar.
• Mix and spread a thin layer over the tape, allow to dry and sand smooth.

 

[Andr3w]

I have everything you suggested other than the filling material.

I thought it was a bigger job than just re-tape, smooth a lay of plaster and then sand + paint a few days later!

Would you suggest this method is better than using decorators caulk? (That I bought yesterday!!)

 

[Entropy]

You still skim over dry lining

I always thought dry lining refers to where you paint directly over plasterboard after jointing the boards filling the screw holes and sanding.

Where as plastering is a complete surface covering of a skim coat over plasterboard/bonding/browning.

For a developer the former is much quicker and cheaper than the latter allowing a quicker turn around and greater profit from house building.

 

[Maccapacca]

There's no £sqm cost difference between skimming and tape and jointing. T&J quicker and less messy so shortens build times but in the winter the jointing compound takes forever to go off and sometimes skimming is quicker. You still need to tape joints in plasterboard if you skim but it's usually just one pass with a mesh tape.

 

[Drizmod]

Ours was a newbuild when we bought it and after 4 years the boiler showed an error and we contacted the builder who sent somone out who said the whole flue needs replacing and they just did it a few days after no questions asked or costing me anything

 

[Andr3w]

Whats the best plaster/compound to use to cover the tape on the corners?

Is there a specific one to use or can I just do this:

1-Remove current tape
2-Smother area with multi-purpose filler http://www.screwfix.com/c/sealants-adhesives/multi-purpose-fillers/cat850102
3-Put paper plaster tape on corner
4-Smooth over the multi-purpose filler again
5-Wait for it to dry and do another layer of filler
6-Sand down
7-Paint