Why Does Drywall Mud Crack?

Drywall mud is a gypsum-based compound used to join pieces of drywall together. Thus, drywall mudding is the process used to join individual pieces of drywall together in order to form a whole wall. Tapping the drywall is also a part of this process, and is done after the first coat of drywall has been applied to the drywall seams and over the drywall fasteners. Unfortunately, drywall mud can sometimes crack, which can be a pain to cover. 

Why Does Drywall Mud Crack?

There are a few reasons that drywall mud may crack after it finishes drying. One of the main reasons is that the coat of drywall mud was applied too thickly. Another reason for cracking could be due to the type of drywall mud that was used. For example, premixed drywall mud dries through evaporation. This can result in shrinkage cracks that form as the mud dries. Powdered drywall mud dries through curing, not evaporation. Thus, the likelihood of cracked drywall mud is much less with powdered drywall mud. Moreover, some types of drywall mud may be used just for specific applications, such as applying top coats. Thus, it is important to check what type of drywall mud you need. 

Can Drywall Mud Cracking be Prevented?

One way to prevent drywall mud from cracking is by applying the mud in thinner coats. Moreover, properly following the instructions for each type of drywall mud will also help to prevent cracks. Different types of drywall have different drying times and densities; thus, you will need to take this into account when applying the mud. If the first coat is too thick and dries incorrectly, then it will likely be best to scrape that layer off and simply start over. 

Can Drywall Mud Cracking be Fixed?

In order to repair drywall mud cracks, you must first assess whether or not the drywall mudding process needs to be started over. This may need to be done if the drywall mud layer(s) are too thick to add any more drywall mud on top of. If you do not need to start over, then make sure you allow the drywall mud to dry completely before doing anything else to it. Next, sand over the cracked drywall mud in order to remove any loose pieces. After sanding, place a thin layer of drywall mud over the cracks, place drywall tape over the new layer, then place another thin layer of drywall mud on top of that. Be sure to let this dry completely before doing anything more to it. Once dry, you can sand this layer until it is smooth. 

In the end, sometimes perfectly applied drywall mud can still crack; however, this problem can typically be fixed by simply sanding down the area and applying another thin coat of drywall mud on top. Nevertheless, there are some ways to help lower the possibility of your drywall cracking. Just be sure that your drywall coats are not too heavy in order to avoid any damage to the wall itself. For more information on drywall mudding and repair, get in touch with our team of experts.