Causes of Nail Pops & Cracks in the Drywall of a New House
Cracks in drywall aren't limited to older homes. New homes are prone to developing cracks, especially within the first six months after completion. The builder can reduce the risk of cracking and nail pops by using only certain types of lumber. Nail pops occur when the dried joint compound used to fill the depressions over the nail heads loosens and comes off the wall. Does this Spark an idea?
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Structural Shifting
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Drywall cracks can appear if the home's foundation settles, but that's not the only cause of structural shifting. If your builder used green wood, which is not completely dry, to frame the walls, the wood can move as it dries, creating cracks in the walls and causing nail pops. If engineered roof trusses contain green wood, horizontal cracks, or even gaps, can appear between the wall and the ceiling.
Humidity
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Green lumber isn't the only moisture problem that can lead to cracking. Drywall taping and painting can add significantly to the humidity level in the house. The builder can reduce cracking due to the home's interior drying by running the home's air conditioning unit to remove humidity after the taping is complete.
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Double Nailing
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Occasionally, the drywall installer will insert a nail or a screw that doesn't lodge solidly in the wall stud. When this happens, he may install another nail or screw right beside the first one. When the second nail or screw goes in, it secures the drywall panel to the stud, but the first nail or screw may move slightly. The compound covering the first nail is a weak spot and is more likely to pop out than the compound used to cover the subsequent nail.
Crack Locations
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When the home's foundation shifts or settles, cracks are most likely to occur in the weakest structural spots. These areas include over doorways, over and under windows, because the vertical studs were cut in these spots, making the wall slightly weaker.
Fill and Sand
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Although you may have to repaint a wall if you have numerous cracks to repair, it's relatively simple to fill the cracks and nail pops. Use joint compound or spackling and a putty knife to fill them, let them dry completely and then sand smooth with the wall surface.
Call a contractor to fix large gaps between the walls and the ceiling caused by roof truss movement.
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