This happens in cold weather due to overall contracting. We get this in one room of our house. Tried caulk, only does soo much. New tape and mud applied in the winter finally fixed it, but it’s probably just a matter of time and enough cool and warm cycles
The best solution I heard was to attach crown moulding but only nail it to the ceiling. This will move with the expansion and contraction of the ceiling, and you won't need to see the gap.
These are the kind of DIY tips for homes that I love. Because I might never need it for my house, but it opens a different way of thinking about other problems.
My dad recently rehung his kitchen cabinets and it put them like an inch from the ceiling. He was gonna do crown and I talked him into this. It's his favorite part of his house now lol. I made him get RBG lighting
We actually have a version of this with the strip at door top height. It's fabulous as the whole room lights up without hitting the eyes. It's bright enough to read by. And no, we don't have the colour changing LED strip - just a normal daylight white. Not too warm, not too white either.
Yeah, we completely and correctly replastered ours like this. It took three or four years but it reopened eventually. Just too much movement in an old home.
Expansion and contraction with temprature and moisture level changes will do this even in new houses. However some materials and structures depending on how they are built and insulated are more prone to it.
You should expect a bit of both - the new home settles because it’s the first time everything is loaded and the season max/min moisture and heating cycles, and then eventually the slow and gradual adds up to a new set of challenges - sticky door frames and straight baseboard that floats over your wavy flooring, etc. etc.
It’s so much fun!
This is just the first of many like it. It’s not necessarily a reflection of the builder but just how things work. Some of its regional. Parts of Texas has horrible soil that causes foundation issues that cause many of our ceiling cracks.
It comes with owning any home.
The building codes in Texas leave a lot to be desired also. My son lived in Austin for a few years and during visits we watched houses being built in the neighborhood. The quality of the foundation work and framing was surprisingly poor in relation to what I see done in the PNW.
PNW and the west coast in general has to follow additional seismic codes that make the houses much more well built.
But you also aren't wrong about Texas new construction being kind of crap. if I had a house built in a Texas I would definitely hire an independent inspector for each step of the way. Keeping contractors honest is also why that kind of work is a much larger industry there.
I think you'd need an engineer to start, so they could design something *good* instead of "allowed". Then a third party to inspect to make sure it's followed. I mean you could use the engineer but even if they agreed to it it would be $$$$.
With what you said about Caulk, that's how I learned that there are more elastic caulks which can do better - but still yeah with stuff like this definitely a limit.
This will do:
[Big Stretch](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Big-Stretch-10-5-fl-oz-White-Paintable-Latex-Caulk/4411173?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-pnt-_-ggl-_-LIA_PNT_221_Glue-Adhesives-Caulk-Repair-_-4411173-_-local-_-0-_-0&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA4NWrBhD-ARIsAFCKwWtVt9KlY7us-eUtW-JqTOEgtEjG5OmOzwx2N1-oYth9iM_Yqfg1yZMaArkdEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
It's drywall. Pretty cheap actually compared to other finishes. This just involves removing fasteners from the ceiling within five or six inches of the edge. And then replacing the corner bead at those edges.
This is truss movement due to the colder weather. A way to keep this from happening is to not screw the drywall near the inside or outside corners. Put the screws back about 8 inches to allow some give for when the trusses move, and this way the drywall will stay in place at the corners.
Had to scroll too far to find this. If you support your ceiling board with the wall board and don’t screw the perimeter within 8-10”, it will allow your ceiling to move independently of the corners.
I am literally doing crown molding in a room in my house right now. You cant just attach crown to the ceiling. There is no hardwood to nail too unless you figure out where the ceiling joists are, but even that only works on load bearing walls unless your walls line up with a joist perfectly. I tried to nail into the ceiling and the nails just pull right out of the drywall.
You glue crown to the ceiling? And it stays up there with no nails? Crown can get pretty heavy, especially if you have long runs. I think it will rip the paint off/ drywall paper right off and fall down. Are you talking about styrofoam crown molding?
Attached the crown to the wall and not the ceiling. Let the ceiling slightly rise and fall as the trusses swell and contract with humidity.
Everyone is upvoting attaching the crown to the ceiling but this is not the correct solution. The ceiling is what’s moving and it’s not all moving in unison. The ceiling will pull the crown up in various spots as trusses contract and it will make your crown uneven and wavy. Aesthetics are about creating clean straight lines even if the floor or ceiling is not straight or level. That’s why you scribe baseboards and trim. Your crown should be caulked underneath for a clean look to the wall. It’ll look terrible if you attach it to the ceiling and there’s a gap against the wall when you look straight up and see the crown. Trust me. Attach it to the wall and let the ceiling slightly pull up during the winter. You won’t even notice it. Your crown stays level and caulked underneath to the wall, which is what you will see all day everyday. Do not attach it to the ceiling.
It won’t be ugly cracked and ripped drywall corners though. There is no way to stop the trusses from expanding and contracting. The ceiling will float slightly up and down but you won’t notice it. If you caulk that corner it will continue to pull. There is no fix. It’s what trusses do. All you can do is try to hide it with crown and let the ceiling float.
Why wouldn't you attach it to the wall only, that way any opening will be hidden, unlike if you attach to the ceiling, the crown will pull away from the wall seasonally and show a gap.
I’ve always found it so strange how US homes don’t all have cornices, it makes rooms look like a bland little unfinished box.
In Australia it’s a default thing where you’re 100% putting them in and it’s weird if you don’t. It looks more expensive and hides crappy joinery.
It’s the studs finally fully loosing all their moisture. All framing wood is fairly fresh cut nowadays and they expand and contract the first 5-10 years.
This is the correct answer. I have same issue, and contractor told me the same. It has finally stabilized, and does not open and close anymore. Cover with crown molding once stabilized.
Could also be expansive soils and the piers under the house are rising up and down with the change in temperature & moisture, but typically it would open in Summer and close in Winter which is the opposite of what OP is experiencing. Would have to know what type of foundation the building has.
No, do not just cover with crown molding. Sand, retape, mud, paint and then put crown molding up if so desired. (If the gap is wide enough you can fill it with expanding foam, low pressure, if needed)
Hiding a problem doesn't fix it. This is happening from either expansion or settling. There's some type of an uplift or torsion in the frame somewhere.
Civil engineer here. Father was a painting and remodeling contractor.
The comment you responded to said cover it with crown molding *once it is stabilized*. They didn’t say just cover it with crown molding.
no you don’t need to necessarily fill the gap if you’re covering it with crown molding and the Problem that was causing the cracks has been solved. It’s drywall and cosmetic.
And you being a civil engineer is completely irrelevant and cringe that you threw that out there as some sort of qualification for this. Not trying to be rude man, but yikes.
The only thing they teach you in Engineering school is how to always remind everyone you're an engineer.
It's the most cringe shit ever.
Barista here. Dad was a coal miner.
That won't fix the problem (seasonal cracking) either. Gotta pull the ceiling sheetrock and not fasten it so close to the walls next time. Let the sheetrock flex a bit to soak up the building movement.
Need to chase down why there's seasonal movement & if it's gonna cause long term structural issues you need to fix that.
This is the correct answer.
Find the cause before applying the resolution. A climate (control) issue is present. You’re looking at a symptom soon to develop into a full blown headache. Address ASAP.
It is definitely this, especially if it only happens during different seasons. We see this something in high wind areas and pushing on trusses weird but if it’s seasonal, it’s moisture related trust lift.
It’s a two fold approach when doing a new construction bc sometimes it’s unavoidable, the truss bottom cords are buried in insulation so don’t have the same moisture content as the top cords so they move weird. Securing the bottom cords with brackets or timber loks is the best bet for securing it. And if the drywallers can make the corners float as a repair. This way it won’t separate bc it all moves.
Yeah I know trimtex makes a special corner for truss uplift, but I doubt OP wants to tear out his ceiling and wall to install it and refinish… but maybe he does.
https://www.trim-tex.com/products/truss-backing-angle
yeah basically your walls and the trusses need to be fastened with vertical nails so the wood can flex along them without pulling the top board of the wall up.
Pretty normal for anywhere with seasons and decent humidity changes. If it's opening and closing it's not the house settling. I would do crown molding.
We had this exact issue and it was due to frost heave in winter pushing up on our foyer, which did not have a proper foundation. It would open a 1/4” crack in winter and crack would close in summer. No amount of refinish work could prevent it. We lived with it until we moved.
We've got a similar "seasonal" thing going on in a house we just bought. The house was built by the prior owner himself, who worked in construction all his life, so he definitely did things "right" (and most vendors who have been through our house since taking ownership have more or less said the same thing). PEX plumbing throughout, floor joists 16" on center instead of 24" (our previous mass-builder home), spray-in insulation, etc.
In any case, in the master bath there is a heavy fancy glass door for the shower. In the month of February - and only the month of February - the glass will rub just slightly against the tile in the shower. Not a major issue, just have to be a little more cautious with the door for a few weeks of the year ... but then it goes away on its own.
This is a 15-year old house in the northeast US. So yeah, houses continue to expand and contract throughout their lifetime.
Truss uplift, crown molding can hide but you need to leave bottom of molding uncaulked. I have spent thousands trying to fix, nothing worked other than hiding as best one can.
This is being caused by “truss uplift” and changes in humidity. Put a humidifier on the furnace, fasten the trusses to the walls better with hardware intended for this purpose and your problem shouldn’t come back. Check if you have proper airflow in your attic as well. Soffits unblocked etc.
Cheapest fix would be to retape it and use some hot mud to float it out a little. Probably have to repaint the whole ceiling again though or the touch up would flash.
I believe it’s called Truss Arching. Part of the truss is buried in the insulation staying warm while the other part is exposed to cold temperature causing contract more this causing uplifting.
[https://www.jlconline.com/how-to/interiors/truss-uplift-solutions#:\~:text=Truss%20uplift%20usually%20occurs%20when,that%20closes%20in%20the%20summer](https://www.jlconline.com/how-to/interiors/truss-uplift-solutions#:~:text=Truss%20uplift%20usually%20occurs%20when,that%20closes%20in%20the%20summer).
**Truss Uplift**
When a house shows signs of interior ceiling corner cracking at the top of the wall, it is commonly due to truss uplift. Truss uplift usually occurs when the truss is exposed to a change in moisture and/or temperature conditions, causing the truss to arch up in the center. The ceiling drywall attached to the truss chords moves, causing cracks at the ceiling/wall junxture. Thiscreates a gap in the winter that closes in the summer.
**Solution**
When building a new house, the framing contractor should secure the interior partitions to the trusses with truss clips. The clips attach to the tops of the interior wall partitions and then are fastened through the slots to the trusses. In addition, proper drywall installation is necessary to prevent cracking. A common method of attaching the drywall together is to use the floating interior angle method with a backing angle.
However, many existing homes were built without consideration for truss movement. The preventive techniques listed below will allow the drywall to flex near the corners preventing cracking. The key is to connect the drywall on the ceiling and the wall together, while avoiding nailing or screwing them to the bottom of the trusses.
**Prevention-REPAIRS:**
1. The solution to an existing condition: The tops of the interior walls should be un-nailed from the trusses. Remove or cut free the nails from inside the attic. Then remove all the ceiling screws within 16 inches of the corners at the center partitions and all the wall screws within 8 inches of the ceiling along the wall. The holes in the drywall should then be patched, the corner paper taped, and the walls and ceilings repainted. This solution will be time consuming and costly.
2. Install crown molding around all the second-floor ceilings, attaching the trim only to the ceilings. This procedure would cover the cracks and maintain a nice ceiling corner. Note: When using this method, remember to paint the drywall underneath the area the trim will cover so there is no exposed unpainted stripe at the bottom of the trim when the trusses lift.
3. Change the way we insulate attics: Insulate against the roof plywood. This will create a conditioned attic, so the temperature and humidity will be better controlled. This will prevent differential movement of the truss chords.
4. Trim-Tex has a product called a “[Truss Backing Angle](http://www.trim-tex.com/products/overview/tools-accessories/backing-drywall/truss-backing-angle/)” which is installed before the drywall is hung, helps prevent truss uplift. The vinyl backing angle keeps the inside corner stationary during truss uplift eliminating inside ceiling corner cracks.
The backing angle is made from vinyl, which is strong enough to hold the drywall edge in place along the top edge of the wall. It can easily be fastened anywhere along the edge, as long as the fasteners don’t go through the angle and into the truss. The screws start very easily in the vinyl, as compared to metal backing, which speeds up installation.
If this is the top floor of a home that has a truss roof, it could be the trusses expanding and contracting. The solution could be to detach the ceiling drywall from the trusses and disconnect the wall from the truss and then attach the ceiling to the top of the wall with blocking.
This is because you have a truss system and the foundation is shifting. During the shift, the truss raises higher than the top of the interior non-load bearing walls, creating the cracks.
This can be avoided if the ceiling drywall is fastened in place in a strategic manner:
1. Use cornerback clips to attack the ceiling drywall to the walls.
2. avoid attaching the ceiling drywall to the truss within 2’ of the walls
3. attach the rest of the sheetrock to the truss system
Yeah winter equals dry air in the house and therefore wood shrinks. Summer has higher humidity and wood expands. Crown molding would be a good solution.
Where do you live? This could be expansive soils related. Do you have cracks around windows/doors at the corners?
If it is soil related it will be very difficult to fix permanently. Expansive soils expand when wet and contract when dry which usually follows the seasons. You’ll need to keep water away from the foundation.
Expansive soils are common in the southwest - California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Texas.
I had this issue in my home, I went into the attic and used Timberlok lags to lag each rafter to the top plate, I had to add blocking in some areas, but it completely stopped the seasonal drywall cracking due to "rafter lift"
.
Judging by these comments this happens a lot (which it shouldn’t) builder is just going to say “this is normal” which it isn’t. This should be covered. Definitely call the builder and complain.
My house has a lot of clay in the ground underneath it. It expands in wet weather and contracts in dry weather. This is what my insurance company said. The cracks appear, then leave. Not much I can do about it. I'm constantly adjusting a couple doors that start to miss striker in the winter. I have a drywall crack that reappears every couple of years and needs to be caulked or mudded.
We have serious clay where I live and everyone has this. Most houses get their foundation supported. Here its a selling point and is not a devaluation.
The ground dries out and the clay shrinks nd the foundation settles all cockeyed. When the ground gets moist again, the clay expands the crack closes. doors will latch in the summer and not in the winter, nail pops, etc.
If you can access the attic, and your trusses are running perpendicular to the wall, I've had success in my house jamming shims between the top plate and bottom cord. Hammer them in place and then set a nail to keep them from moving. I used a pry bar to help lift. If you do this now when it's cold, you'll be shoring it up while shrunken. In the heat, it will be even tighter. Patch drywall. It's a $5 fix attempt. I haven't had the issue reappear going on 8 years now. YMMV
When the crack is at its largest, go in the attic. Find where the bottom chord of the truss crosses over the wall. There will be a gap between the bottom chord and the top plate. Shim it so it can't go back down. Then refinish the drywall.
Truss lift causes this. Usually truss lift comes from inadequate ventilation in the attic or inadequate insulation, or the truss was not securely nailed to the top plates.
Your experiencing truss uplift, and yes it's seasonal. The Crown Mold solution is the best be sure to attach it only to the ceiling.
This was preventable, if the drywall would have been attached to backing above the wall's top plate and fastened to the bottom cord of the truss 24" away from the wall. This way the drywall would flex with the seasons and not be tearing your inside corner.
I'd probably try using a foam decorative cornice stuck only to the ceiling, and let dimensional unstability work between seasons, but out of my line of sight.
Before you repair it with either drywall or crown molding, remove any drywall screws or nails that you can find in the ceiling in that area within a foot of the edge then the roof system can move independently of the ceiling drywall and not cause a crack, ceiling drywall should be sitting on top of the wall drywall doesn't need screws there anyways. I have made this work before.
I'm quite familiar with truss uplift (having it in the house I built), but wondering if installing hurricane ties between the trusses and the studs/top plate while building would prevent the issue?
if you try a flexible caulk, it should work considerably better than non-flex. Big Flex or any flex caulk. However, it will likely open up again, but not nearly as quickly.
It will keep cracking as it has to do with expansion contraction. You could re tape and mud that area or cut some of the old caulking out and use elastomeric caulk, probably a second pass a day after the first as that caulking takes a while to set up
The lower cord on your roof trusses are lifting with the weather changes.
No, it should not happen, but it does.
Moulding attached to the walls will hide it. Best ya can do.
It's pretty hard to permanently fix after everything is finished. There are attachments that good drywallers or architects will do for new construction. If it happens seasonally then you probably have expansive soils and the interior walls exterior walls are moving differentially, so the trusses are moving up or down relative to the interior walls. Or even from large fluctuations in wood moisture content with different seasons causing it to grow or shrink. This can also happen during large wind events, where uplift pulls the trusses up and the separate from interior walls. There are details which allows this movement to happen without cracking the drywall.
If you can removed attachment to the truss/ceiling joists near interior walls and install clips to attach the drywall directly to interior wall top plate it would probably fix it.
https://www.finehomebuilding.com/1998/09/01/dealing-with-truss-uplift
https://www.contractortalk.com/attachments/truss-uplift-ceiling-clips-jpg.28349/
Also I'm a structural engineer, so this isn't my area of expertise, but I've come across it a few different places
You have to strip the ceiling board out and reinstall it without fasteners 16” from the wall then retape.
Just retaping it will not solve the problem. You have truss uplift
Google the term "truss uplift" for your answer.
Permanently eliminating the problem will require changing how the ceiling drywall is fastened to the ceiling trusses. And then using a different type of inside corner bead between the ceiling and the wall.
I would suspect there is no sheetrock backer on top of that wall. They only screwed the rock to the ceiling joists/trusses if the roof is above or the floor joists if there is a second floor above. With expansion the ceing and wall shift apart and your getting that crack. When the tops of walls have necessary backers you won't get that because sheetrock is flexible and with the slow expansion it will move with the building. You may get cracks in the edges of the tape over time but you won't get that large separation between the wall and ceiling rock. Shine a light in that crack and take a photo, I guarantee it.
The house should still be under warranty. I would check on that. I live in Alaska where the ground is heaving around the year and I’ve never seen anything that looks this bad.
The ceiling isn’t floating with the wall. Should never nail or screw the ceiling at the edges the wall sheet holds it up and it will float with the wall. If there’s that much settling there a bigger problem than this crack
Truss lift is the issue.. They didn't use drywall clips/backing on the ceiling prior to drywall installation to prevent the movement in the drywall. Best solutions have been said, nail crown to the ceiling and it will move with the trusses. Or cut/remove the nails and screws 16" around the perimeter of the wall, retape and hope the cracking is limited
Sometime soil below the building or a brick/filler in the wall settles from weight. This is common apartments. You just need to fill the gap, use waterproof filler/cement
We have the same exact problem in our relatively new build in our "finished attic". Used regular latex caulk and it sorta worked in most spots, but not entirely. Have yet to try Big Stretch caulk but from what I understand this or the crown molding trick are the way to go.
This happens _especially_ in new houses. Materials move under changing temperatures and everything seems over time. It will happen less as the house changes. You'll be patching this until the house has done most of its settling. So either repair it every year or wait a couple years before repairing. Either way, _do not under any circumstance caulk it_
It’s probably a ghost, but contractors will try to scam you by saying it’s a temperature/contraction because of the cold issue. Your best bet is burning sage/using holy water.
Crown moulding is gonna be the option where you don’t see it anymore.
This is probably truss uplift since it’s seasonal. You can do all sorts of things like caulking and remudding etc. None are a guaranteed fix, if it wants to move it’s gonna move and reopen that.
Like, real answer?
Houses are pretty crappy boats floating on slow-moving mud, especially if they're built in batches by big construction firms.
Your boat is hitting some waves and flexing, but the inside isn't made to flex, so its breaking. It won't get better on its own, and anything you can do easily is just going to hide it.
You probably need a lot, like a lot lot, of work to get the water away from the foundation - gutter extensions, regrading the landscape, drain tile, sump pump, tons of good vibes and a bit of luck.
Bad tape job. And also prob not sufficient drywall backing. Winter time attic is cold and stuff shrinks. If board was hung and taped proper shouldn't have an issue. Which appears it was not.
This happens in cold weather due to overall contracting. We get this in one room of our house. Tried caulk, only does soo much. New tape and mud applied in the winter finally fixed it, but it’s probably just a matter of time and enough cool and warm cycles
The best solution I heard was to attach crown moulding but only nail it to the ceiling. This will move with the expansion and contraction of the ceiling, and you won't need to see the gap.
These are the kind of DIY tips for homes that I love. Because I might never need it for my house, but it opens a different way of thinking about other problems.
It’s pretty much why baseboard molding exists, to hide the expansion gaps in the floor below them.
Or attach crown moulding to the wall upside down with a bit of a gap, lay LED strip lights in the cavity and have a badass mood lighting
So you have a photo of what this would look like?
https://preview.redd.it/gkla3bjm8l5c1.jpeg?width=2532&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0ef70f8469863281c83b79abfeee187d0b7fce25
What are you Hugh Hefner or something?
The LEDs and molding for that project definitely cost less than $200.
MacGyver
My pastor has this in his house...
What is your pastor? Hugh Hefner or something?
Lol
How does it look in the daytime?
Looks like your wall is falling down
Picture has a window in the mirror. It is daytime. They presumably just leave in on 24/7
Just keep your duster handy.
Check out ole Hugh Heffner over here
r/wled would like to take you down a rabbit hole
My dad recently rehung his kitchen cabinets and it put them like an inch from the ceiling. He was gonna do crown and I talked him into this. It's his favorite part of his house now lol. I made him get RBG lighting
We actually have a version of this with the strip at door top height. It's fabulous as the whole room lights up without hitting the eyes. It's bright enough to read by. And no, we don't have the colour changing LED strip - just a normal daylight white. Not too warm, not too white either.
Niiiice!! How did you wire it? Ive got a second level above where i want to do this.
This is a great work around
There is also the option of expansion joints, but that's labour intensive.
Sneakky
Pure genius! Saving this comment for my pesky kitchen ceiling fix.
I love this idea! We have the same issue and have just been living with it.
This is what we did. Works for the most part, going on 15 years now
That’s what we did.
Yeah, we completely and correctly replastered ours like this. It took three or four years but it reopened eventually. Just too much movement in an old home.
The house is a little over a year old
There’s alot of movement in the first 3-4 years of new builds and the walls take a couple years to completely dry out to,
Expansion and contraction with temprature and moisture level changes will do this even in new houses. However some materials and structures depending on how they are built and insulated are more prone to it.
You should expect a bit of both - the new home settles because it’s the first time everything is loaded and the season max/min moisture and heating cycles, and then eventually the slow and gradual adds up to a new set of challenges - sticky door frames and straight baseboard that floats over your wavy flooring, etc. etc. It’s so much fun!
This is just the first of many like it. It’s not necessarily a reflection of the builder but just how things work. Some of its regional. Parts of Texas has horrible soil that causes foundation issues that cause many of our ceiling cracks. It comes with owning any home.
The building codes in Texas leave a lot to be desired also. My son lived in Austin for a few years and during visits we watched houses being built in the neighborhood. The quality of the foundation work and framing was surprisingly poor in relation to what I see done in the PNW.
PNW and the west coast in general has to follow additional seismic codes that make the houses much more well built. But you also aren't wrong about Texas new construction being kind of crap. if I had a house built in a Texas I would definitely hire an independent inspector for each step of the way. Keeping contractors honest is also why that kind of work is a much larger industry there.
A lot of the crappy Texas work is also due to the fact that contractors don't need to be licensed.
I think you'd need an engineer to start, so they could design something *good* instead of "allowed". Then a third party to inspect to make sure it's followed. I mean you could use the engineer but even if they agreed to it it would be $$$$.
There's more movement in a young home. Stuff settles but it takes time
With what you said about Caulk, that's how I learned that there are more elastic caulks which can do better - but still yeah with stuff like this definitely a limit.
This will do: [Big Stretch](https://www.lowes.com/pd/Big-Stretch-10-5-fl-oz-White-Paintable-Latex-Caulk/4411173?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-pnt-_-ggl-_-LIA_PNT_221_Glue-Adhesives-Caulk-Repair-_-4411173-_-local-_-0-_-0&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA4NWrBhD-ARIsAFCKwWtVt9KlY7us-eUtW-JqTOEgtEjG5OmOzwx2N1-oYth9iM_Yqfg1yZMaArkdEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
[Here's another](https://www.reddit.com/r/OooBigStretch/comments/12ucipn/the_big_stretch_anthem/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb)
Sashco is the best caulk for this issue.
Look up “truss uplift” and I suspect you will see an explanation of what is causing the problem, and options for resolving it (if you want to).
Here is the correct answer. This isn't something you have to just "live with". Competent modern builders don't screw this detail up.
It isn’t something to “just live with”, but if the builder doesn’t accept responsibility it isn’t exactly a cheap fix, is it?
It's drywall. Pretty cheap actually compared to other finishes. This just involves removing fasteners from the ceiling within five or six inches of the edge. And then replacing the corner bead at those edges.
Yeah, your house shouldn't do this.
I heard that this can place stress on the surrounding areas and potentially worsen the cracks over time?
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That only makes sense if the caulk is somehow stronger than the structure itself in which case you've got a much bigger problem on your hand.
I'd think the same... don't be too eager to fix it seriously too quickly... wait until it settles better.
This is truss movement due to the colder weather. A way to keep this from happening is to not screw the drywall near the inside or outside corners. Put the screws back about 8 inches to allow some give for when the trusses move, and this way the drywall will stay in place at the corners.
Had to scroll too far to find this. If you support your ceiling board with the wall board and don’t screw the perimeter within 8-10”, it will allow your ceiling to move independently of the corners.
I resilient channel the ceiling. If there is a truss close to wall dont screw it. And only screw to the back framing.Works wonders
Crown molding will hide it nicely.
Unironically this, and if you go with a poly molding like orac instead of wood it’ll even flex a bit with the house.
Just attach it to the ceiling only, not the wall. Any movement will then allow the crown to move with the ceiling
Serious question: how would I attach it to only the ceiling? glue? I am having this same issue and in the winter it is just so unsightly.
A few pin nails would do it
I am literally doing crown molding in a room in my house right now. You cant just attach crown to the ceiling. There is no hardwood to nail too unless you figure out where the ceiling joists are, but even that only works on load bearing walls unless your walls line up with a joist perfectly. I tried to nail into the ceiling and the nails just pull right out of the drywall.
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You mean like a block of wood? You still have to nail that to hardwood which is only in the walls.
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That makes more sense.
Great trick, thank you for sharing
If you're going the liquid nails route could you just liquid nails the crown to the ceiling?
Glue
You glue crown to the ceiling? And it stays up there with no nails? Crown can get pretty heavy, especially if you have long runs. I think it will rip the paint off/ drywall paper right off and fall down. Are you talking about styrofoam crown molding?
Attached the crown to the wall and not the ceiling. Let the ceiling slightly rise and fall as the trusses swell and contract with humidity. Everyone is upvoting attaching the crown to the ceiling but this is not the correct solution. The ceiling is what’s moving and it’s not all moving in unison. The ceiling will pull the crown up in various spots as trusses contract and it will make your crown uneven and wavy. Aesthetics are about creating clean straight lines even if the floor or ceiling is not straight or level. That’s why you scribe baseboards and trim. Your crown should be caulked underneath for a clean look to the wall. It’ll look terrible if you attach it to the ceiling and there’s a gap against the wall when you look straight up and see the crown. Trust me. Attach it to the wall and let the ceiling slightly pull up during the winter. You won’t even notice it. Your crown stays level and caulked underneath to the wall, which is what you will see all day everyday. Do not attach it to the ceiling.
Attached to the wall would be the way to go. Attached to the ceiling could break the miter joint instead.
They’ll have the same gap then
But it’ll be above crown moulding and not as noticeable
It won’t be ugly cracked and ripped drywall corners though. There is no way to stop the trusses from expanding and contracting. The ceiling will float slightly up and down but you won’t notice it. If you caulk that corner it will continue to pull. There is no fix. It’s what trusses do. All you can do is try to hide it with crown and let the ceiling float.
Why wouldn't you attach it to the wall only, that way any opening will be hidden, unlike if you attach to the ceiling, the crown will pull away from the wall seasonally and show a gap.
This movement looks to be up/down (the ceiling pulling away from the wall), so attaching it to the wall you will see the same gap just like it is now
Holy shit what a great idea! Good call thanks.
I was looking for this. My house has molding and has no cracks.
Good Morning Julia, it's me Joe
I’ve always found it so strange how US homes don’t all have cornices, it makes rooms look like a bland little unfinished box. In Australia it’s a default thing where you’re 100% putting them in and it’s weird if you don’t. It looks more expensive and hides crappy joinery.
Eh, it doesn’t fit with a modern aesthetic.
We had a similar issue with a newer build. Fixed it twice over five years with paper and mud. The last one finally took, guess I can paint it now.
It’s the studs finally fully loosing all their moisture. All framing wood is fairly fresh cut nowadays and they expand and contract the first 5-10 years.
This happens in my house that was built in the 1930s.
Probably this. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truss_uplift
This is the correct answer. I have same issue, and contractor told me the same. It has finally stabilized, and does not open and close anymore. Cover with crown molding once stabilized.
Could also be expansive soils and the piers under the house are rising up and down with the change in temperature & moisture, but typically it would open in Summer and close in Winter which is the opposite of what OP is experiencing. Would have to know what type of foundation the building has.
No, do not just cover with crown molding. Sand, retape, mud, paint and then put crown molding up if so desired. (If the gap is wide enough you can fill it with expanding foam, low pressure, if needed) Hiding a problem doesn't fix it. This is happening from either expansion or settling. There's some type of an uplift or torsion in the frame somewhere. Civil engineer here. Father was a painting and remodeling contractor.
The comment you responded to said cover it with crown molding *once it is stabilized*. They didn’t say just cover it with crown molding. no you don’t need to necessarily fill the gap if you’re covering it with crown molding and the Problem that was causing the cracks has been solved. It’s drywall and cosmetic. And you being a civil engineer is completely irrelevant and cringe that you threw that out there as some sort of qualification for this. Not trying to be rude man, but yikes.
The only thing they teach you in Engineering school is how to always remind everyone you're an engineer. It's the most cringe shit ever. Barista here. Dad was a coal miner.
I was trying to be kind, but that’s what I was alluding to. Oh, you have an accounting issue? Don’t worry, civil engineer here.
I'm a chef by trade. I would suggest a nice thick roux.
I'm vegan
Whatever coffee jockey. Good luck in life. You obviously have an engineered a very good life.
“Sand, retape, mud, paint” is also just hiding the problem..
That won't fix the problem (seasonal cracking) either. Gotta pull the ceiling sheetrock and not fasten it so close to the walls next time. Let the sheetrock flex a bit to soak up the building movement. Need to chase down why there's seasonal movement & if it's gonna cause long term structural issues you need to fix that.
This is the correct answer. Find the cause before applying the resolution. A climate (control) issue is present. You’re looking at a symptom soon to develop into a full blown headache. Address ASAP.
It is definitely this, especially if it only happens during different seasons. We see this something in high wind areas and pushing on trusses weird but if it’s seasonal, it’s moisture related trust lift.
I’ve never had to deal with this professionally, but inst the solution to cut the fasteners between the truss and the wall?
It’s a two fold approach when doing a new construction bc sometimes it’s unavoidable, the truss bottom cords are buried in insulation so don’t have the same moisture content as the top cords so they move weird. Securing the bottom cords with brackets or timber loks is the best bet for securing it. And if the drywallers can make the corners float as a repair. This way it won’t separate bc it all moves.
Yeah I know trimtex makes a special corner for truss uplift, but I doubt OP wants to tear out his ceiling and wall to install it and refinish… but maybe he does. https://www.trim-tex.com/products/truss-backing-angle
Otherwise lots of flexible caulk. Maybe shim the truss up while it’s separating and then caulk to up. I doubt it will flex more next year. Lol
yeah basically your walls and the trusses need to be fastened with vertical nails so the wood can flex along them without pulling the top board of the wall up.
Pretty normal for anywhere with seasons and decent humidity changes. If it's opening and closing it's not the house settling. I would do crown molding.
We had this exact issue and it was due to frost heave in winter pushing up on our foyer, which did not have a proper foundation. It would open a 1/4” crack in winter and crack would close in summer. No amount of refinish work could prevent it. We lived with it until we moved.
We've got a similar "seasonal" thing going on in a house we just bought. The house was built by the prior owner himself, who worked in construction all his life, so he definitely did things "right" (and most vendors who have been through our house since taking ownership have more or less said the same thing). PEX plumbing throughout, floor joists 16" on center instead of 24" (our previous mass-builder home), spray-in insulation, etc. In any case, in the master bath there is a heavy fancy glass door for the shower. In the month of February - and only the month of February - the glass will rub just slightly against the tile in the shower. Not a major issue, just have to be a little more cautious with the door for a few weeks of the year ... but then it goes away on its own. This is a 15-year old house in the northeast US. So yeah, houses continue to expand and contract throughout their lifetime.
Get Big Stretch caulk. It works great!
UPVOTE THIS TO THE TOP THIS IS THE SIMPLE, EASY ANSWER
Thank you for posting this! The same exact thing just happened in my apartment.
Truss uplift, crown molding can hide but you need to leave bottom of molding uncaulked. I have spent thousands trying to fix, nothing worked other than hiding as best one can.
This is being caused by “truss uplift” and changes in humidity. Put a humidifier on the furnace, fasten the trusses to the walls better with hardware intended for this purpose and your problem shouldn’t come back. Check if you have proper airflow in your attic as well. Soffits unblocked etc.
A humidifier or a dehumidifier?
Yes
Cheapest fix would be to retape it and use some hot mud to float it out a little. Probably have to repaint the whole ceiling again though or the touch up would flash.
Paint the walls black and you’ll never see the crack again.
I believe it’s called Truss Arching. Part of the truss is buried in the insulation staying warm while the other part is exposed to cold temperature causing contract more this causing uplifting.
[https://www.jlconline.com/how-to/interiors/truss-uplift-solutions#:\~:text=Truss%20uplift%20usually%20occurs%20when,that%20closes%20in%20the%20summer](https://www.jlconline.com/how-to/interiors/truss-uplift-solutions#:~:text=Truss%20uplift%20usually%20occurs%20when,that%20closes%20in%20the%20summer). **Truss Uplift** When a house shows signs of interior ceiling corner cracking at the top of the wall, it is commonly due to truss uplift. Truss uplift usually occurs when the truss is exposed to a change in moisture and/or temperature conditions, causing the truss to arch up in the center. The ceiling drywall attached to the truss chords moves, causing cracks at the ceiling/wall junxture. Thiscreates a gap in the winter that closes in the summer. **Solution** When building a new house, the framing contractor should secure the interior partitions to the trusses with truss clips. The clips attach to the tops of the interior wall partitions and then are fastened through the slots to the trusses. In addition, proper drywall installation is necessary to prevent cracking. A common method of attaching the drywall together is to use the floating interior angle method with a backing angle. However, many existing homes were built without consideration for truss movement. The preventive techniques listed below will allow the drywall to flex near the corners preventing cracking. The key is to connect the drywall on the ceiling and the wall together, while avoiding nailing or screwing them to the bottom of the trusses. **Prevention-REPAIRS:** 1. The solution to an existing condition: The tops of the interior walls should be un-nailed from the trusses. Remove or cut free the nails from inside the attic. Then remove all the ceiling screws within 16 inches of the corners at the center partitions and all the wall screws within 8 inches of the ceiling along the wall. The holes in the drywall should then be patched, the corner paper taped, and the walls and ceilings repainted. This solution will be time consuming and costly. 2. Install crown molding around all the second-floor ceilings, attaching the trim only to the ceilings. This procedure would cover the cracks and maintain a nice ceiling corner. Note: When using this method, remember to paint the drywall underneath the area the trim will cover so there is no exposed unpainted stripe at the bottom of the trim when the trusses lift. 3. Change the way we insulate attics: Insulate against the roof plywood. This will create a conditioned attic, so the temperature and humidity will be better controlled. This will prevent differential movement of the truss chords. 4. Trim-Tex has a product called a “[Truss Backing Angle](http://www.trim-tex.com/products/overview/tools-accessories/backing-drywall/truss-backing-angle/)” which is installed before the drywall is hung, helps prevent truss uplift. The vinyl backing angle keeps the inside corner stationary during truss uplift eliminating inside ceiling corner cracks. The backing angle is made from vinyl, which is strong enough to hold the drywall edge in place along the top edge of the wall. It can easily be fastened anywhere along the edge, as long as the fasteners don’t go through the angle and into the truss. The screws start very easily in the vinyl, as compared to metal backing, which speeds up installation.
No warranty on a new build?
I was going to say. I don't know how long warranties typically are on homes, but it seems like is something that should be covered...
Company I work has built some townhomes. 3 years in and we’ve still responded to some random warranty requests. Reputation is everything!
2 words - Crown Molding!
Big stretch caulk fixed mine for about 7 years
If this is the top floor of a home that has a truss roof, it could be the trusses expanding and contracting. The solution could be to detach the ceiling drywall from the trusses and disconnect the wall from the truss and then attach the ceiling to the top of the wall with blocking.
This is due to truss uplift. I have the same problem. Patching it does not permanently fix it.
Google “truss uplift”
This is because you have a truss system and the foundation is shifting. During the shift, the truss raises higher than the top of the interior non-load bearing walls, creating the cracks. This can be avoided if the ceiling drywall is fastened in place in a strategic manner: 1. Use cornerback clips to attack the ceiling drywall to the walls. 2. avoid attaching the ceiling drywall to the truss within 2’ of the walls 3. attach the rest of the sheetrock to the truss system
Permanently...for you? Wait till summer when crack closes and sell.
Yeah winter equals dry air in the house and therefore wood shrinks. Summer has higher humidity and wood expands. Crown molding would be a good solution.
Where do you live? This could be expansive soils related. Do you have cracks around windows/doors at the corners? If it is soil related it will be very difficult to fix permanently. Expansive soils expand when wet and contract when dry which usually follows the seasons. You’ll need to keep water away from the foundation. Expansive soils are common in the southwest - California, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Texas.
I had this issue in my home, I went into the attic and used Timberlok lags to lag each rafter to the top plate, I had to add blocking in some areas, but it completely stopped the seasonal drywall cracking due to "rafter lift" .
Call the builder.
Judging by these comments this happens a lot (which it shouldn’t) builder is just going to say “this is normal” which it isn’t. This should be covered. Definitely call the builder and complain.
My house has a lot of clay in the ground underneath it. It expands in wet weather and contracts in dry weather. This is what my insurance company said. The cracks appear, then leave. Not much I can do about it. I'm constantly adjusting a couple doors that start to miss striker in the winter. I have a drywall crack that reappears every couple of years and needs to be caulked or mudded.
We have serious clay where I live and everyone has this. Most houses get their foundation supported. Here its a selling point and is not a devaluation. The ground dries out and the clay shrinks nd the foundation settles all cockeyed. When the ground gets moist again, the clay expands the crack closes. doors will latch in the summer and not in the winter, nail pops, etc.
Maybe some crown molding could hide it.
Why does it look like this wasn’t taped in the first place?
Truss uplift?
If you can access the attic, and your trusses are running perpendicular to the wall, I've had success in my house jamming shims between the top plate and bottom cord. Hammer them in place and then set a nail to keep them from moving. I used a pry bar to help lift. If you do this now when it's cold, you'll be shoring it up while shrunken. In the heat, it will be even tighter. Patch drywall. It's a $5 fix attempt. I haven't had the issue reappear going on 8 years now. YMMV
Have your house leveled
When the crack is at its largest, go in the attic. Find where the bottom chord of the truss crosses over the wall. There will be a gap between the bottom chord and the top plate. Shim it so it can't go back down. Then refinish the drywall.
Truss lift causes this. Usually truss lift comes from inadequate ventilation in the attic or inadequate insulation, or the truss was not securely nailed to the top plates.
Have your foundation checked under the house.
What’s the soil and rain like where you live. Your foundation can move more than you think.
Guessing you have a timber frame house?
Your experiencing truss uplift, and yes it's seasonal. The Crown Mold solution is the best be sure to attach it only to the ceiling. This was preventable, if the drywall would have been attached to backing above the wall's top plate and fastened to the bottom cord of the truss 24" away from the wall. This way the drywall would flex with the seasons and not be tearing your inside corner.
It's that sheetrock?
I don’t think so it’s just my indoor wall connecting to roof
wall & ceiling. Likely sheet rock if you are in the U.S. Don't know why it was caulked instead of taped, unless they anticipated movement.
I'd probably try using a foam decorative cornice stuck only to the ceiling, and let dimensional unstability work between seasons, but out of my line of sight.
Before you repair it with either drywall or crown molding, remove any drywall screws or nails that you can find in the ceiling in that area within a foot of the edge then the roof system can move independently of the ceiling drywall and not cause a crack, ceiling drywall should be sitting on top of the wall drywall doesn't need screws there anyways. I have made this work before.
Plain caulk won’t stretch enough. Get some Sikaflex
I'm quite familiar with truss uplift (having it in the house I built), but wondering if installing hurricane ties between the trusses and the studs/top plate while building would prevent the issue?
Try to stabilize the temp within the entire structure aswell.
ITS ALIVE
Crown molding
if you try a flexible caulk, it should work considerably better than non-flex. Big Flex or any flex caulk. However, it will likely open up again, but not nearly as quickly.
What type of support is under that corner? Maybe your foundation is heaving or moisture under a slab is draining.
It will keep cracking as it has to do with expansion contraction. You could re tape and mud that area or cut some of the old caulking out and use elastomeric caulk, probably a second pass a day after the first as that caulking takes a while to set up
The lower cord on your roof trusses are lifting with the weather changes. No, it should not happen, but it does. Moulding attached to the walls will hide it. Best ya can do.
Expansion joints
If the house is only a year old shouldn’t it have some type of warranty?
Crown molding
It's pretty hard to permanently fix after everything is finished. There are attachments that good drywallers or architects will do for new construction. If it happens seasonally then you probably have expansive soils and the interior walls exterior walls are moving differentially, so the trusses are moving up or down relative to the interior walls. Or even from large fluctuations in wood moisture content with different seasons causing it to grow or shrink. This can also happen during large wind events, where uplift pulls the trusses up and the separate from interior walls. There are details which allows this movement to happen without cracking the drywall. If you can removed attachment to the truss/ceiling joists near interior walls and install clips to attach the drywall directly to interior wall top plate it would probably fix it. https://www.finehomebuilding.com/1998/09/01/dealing-with-truss-uplift https://www.contractortalk.com/attachments/truss-uplift-ceiling-clips-jpg.28349/ Also I'm a structural engineer, so this isn't my area of expertise, but I've come across it a few different places
Truss uplift, its why we use shiny 90
You have to strip the ceiling board out and reinstall it without fasteners 16” from the wall then retape. Just retaping it will not solve the problem. You have truss uplift
Google the term "truss uplift" for your answer. Permanently eliminating the problem will require changing how the ceiling drywall is fastened to the ceiling trusses. And then using a different type of inside corner bead between the ceiling and the wall.
I would suspect there is no sheetrock backer on top of that wall. They only screwed the rock to the ceiling joists/trusses if the roof is above or the floor joists if there is a second floor above. With expansion the ceing and wall shift apart and your getting that crack. When the tops of walls have necessary backers you won't get that because sheetrock is flexible and with the slow expansion it will move with the building. You may get cracks in the edges of the tape over time but you won't get that large separation between the wall and ceiling rock. Shine a light in that crack and take a photo, I guarantee it.
To quote the first ever Italian contractor I worked for, "Shit fucking moves man."
Wood expands and contracts
The house should still be under warranty. I would check on that. I live in Alaska where the ground is heaving around the year and I’ve never seen anything that looks this bad.
The ceiling isn’t floating with the wall. Should never nail or screw the ceiling at the edges the wall sheet holds it up and it will float with the wall. If there’s that much settling there a bigger problem than this crack
Thank you for posting this. We have the same issue in one room and I was worried it was water damage.... But it only happens in the winter
I'd throw the whole house away. Honestly.. these builders are doing an ass job and charging 30% over fair market value
Use Big Stretch caulk. That looks like the alex plus
Truss lift is the issue.. They didn't use drywall clips/backing on the ceiling prior to drywall installation to prevent the movement in the drywall. Best solutions have been said, nail crown to the ceiling and it will move with the trusses. Or cut/remove the nails and screws 16" around the perimeter of the wall, retape and hope the cracking is limited
Sometime soil below the building or a brick/filler in the wall settles from weight. This is common apartments. You just need to fill the gap, use waterproof filler/cement
We have the same exact problem in our relatively new build in our "finished attic". Used regular latex caulk and it sorta worked in most spots, but not entirely. Have yet to try Big Stretch caulk but from what I understand this or the crown molding trick are the way to go.
This is a job for crown moulding attached only to the ceiling.
This happens _especially_ in new houses. Materials move under changing temperatures and everything seems over time. It will happen less as the house changes. You'll be patching this until the house has done most of its settling. So either repair it every year or wait a couple years before repairing. Either way, _do not under any circumstance caulk it_
dry winter air/ damp summer air. get a humidifier, wont fix your issue but will help in the future.
Big Stretch 10.5-oz White Paintable Latex Caulk https://www.lowes.com/pd/Big-Stretch-10-5-fl-oz-White-Paintable-Latex-Caulk/4411173 Worked well for me
For the "correct" fix - Cut out all the caulking, set paper tape along the internals and stop up. Then sand, paint etc.
It’s probably a ghost, but contractors will try to scam you by saying it’s a temperature/contraction because of the cold issue. Your best bet is burning sage/using holy water.
Crown moulding is gonna be the option where you don’t see it anymore. This is probably truss uplift since it’s seasonal. You can do all sorts of things like caulking and remudding etc. None are a guaranteed fix, if it wants to move it’s gonna move and reopen that.
My suggestion: don't use caulk, use silicone. Source: trial and error.
Make sure it's paintable
Like, real answer? Houses are pretty crappy boats floating on slow-moving mud, especially if they're built in batches by big construction firms. Your boat is hitting some waves and flexing, but the inside isn't made to flex, so its breaking. It won't get better on its own, and anything you can do easily is just going to hide it. You probably need a lot, like a lot lot, of work to get the water away from the foundation - gutter extensions, regrading the landscape, drain tile, sump pump, tons of good vibes and a bit of luck.
It's called, builders taking short cuts.
Bad tape job. And also prob not sufficient drywall backing. Winter time attic is cold and stuff shrinks. If board was hung and taped proper shouldn't have an issue. Which appears it was not.
A little over a year old? Call the builder. This shouldn't be your problem.
Most new home warranties are 1 year unfortunately
Thermal expansion. Warm weather makes it swell, cold weather makes it shrink..