Holes & cracks · Calgary, AB
Repairing holes and cracks in drywall
Every size of hole has its own repair, and cracks need re-taping rather than filling. Here is what each one takes, and why some cracks come back after a quick fix.
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Common requests
- Doorknob holes behind doors
- Holes left by TV mounts and anchors
- Impact holes from furniture or moving day
- Cracks above doors and windows
- Cracks along ceiling seams
- Cracks in corners that open every winter
- Small holes
- Filled and sanded. Often part of a larger visit.
- Large holes
- A new piece of drywall, fastened to backing, taped and finished.
- Cracks
- Opened, re-taped and feathered. Filling alone usually re-cracks.
The short answer
Small holes are filled; large holes get a new piece of drywall; cracks get re-taped. Filling a crack without tape is the most common reason it reappears, because the wall behind it is still moving. Cracks that keep growing, or appear with sticking doors or sloping floors, should be checked for a cause first.
Holes by size
What each size of hole needs
The repair is chosen by size and by what is behind the hole. All of them finish the same way: thin coats, feathered wide, sanded and primed.
| Hole | Typical cause | Usual repair |
|---|---|---|
| Nail and screw holes | Typical causePictures, shelves, old fasteners | Usual repairFilled flush with lightweight compound, sanded, spot-primed. |
| Anchor and mount holes | Typical causeTV mounts, curtain rods, shelving | Usual repairAnchors pulled or set in, holes filled and built up in two or three coats. |
| Doorknob-sized holes | Typical causeA door swung into the wall | Usual repairBacked or patched with a new piece, taped and feathered. A door stop prevents a repeat. |
| Fist-sized to larger | Typical causeImpact, moving furniture, cut-outs for trades | Usual repairCut square, backing added, new drywall fitted, taped and finished. |
| Across a stud or most of a sheet | Typical causeLarge impacts, old access openings | Usual repairSection cut back to framing and replaced, then finished. |
Cracks
Where cracks appear, and what they usually mean
Location says a lot about cause. Most are cosmetic, but they return unless the repair allows for movement.
Above doors and windows
Movement concentrates at the corners of openings, especially where a joint lands at the corner.
Straight along a seam
Tape that was not fully bedded, or a joint that flexes. Re-taped after the loose tape is cut out.
Where a ceiling meets a wall
Often seasonal movement of the roof structure in cold weather. May open in winter and close in summer.
Hairline cracks in a new home
Framing drying and shrinking in the first few years. Usually cosmetic; best repaired once things settle.
Spider cracks in compound
Compound applied too thick in one coat, or dried too fast. Sanded back and re-coated thinly.
Wide, growing or diagonal
Worth checking for a cause, especially with sticking doors, sloping floors or foundation cracks.
A crack that keeps coming back?
Say so in your request, and mention how long ago the last repair was. It changes how the contractor will approach it.
The repair
How a lasting crack repair is done
Step 1: Open it up
Loose tape and cracked compound are cut out so the repair bonds to sound material, not to the crack.
Step 2: Secure the board
Screws added where the drywall has pulled away from the framing, so the joint stops flexing.
Step 3: Re-tape
New tape bedded in compound. Filling a crack without tape usually lets it reopen along the same line.
Step 4: Feather, sand, prime
Coats spread wider than the crack so no ridge shows, then sanded and primed before paint.
Cracks and your foundation
Drywall cracks on their own are rarely a sign of a structural problem. If you also see cracks in the foundation or basement slab, doors that suddenly stick, or floors that slope, have that looked at by a qualified professional first. Repairing drywall over ongoing movement will not last. For the finish that follows, see drywall finishing.
In Calgary, the dry winter air and big temperature swings are part of why seams and corners move over the year. That does not mean every crack is seasonal, but it is one reason a repair done in summer can show a hairline again by the next winter if it was only filled.
Common questions
Hole and crack questions
Question not answered here? Ask it in your estimate request.
Why does the crack above my door keep coming back?
Can I fix a small hole myself?
Do cracks in drywall mean there is a structural problem?
How big a hole can be patched?
Related
Also worth reading
- ServiceDrywall repair overviewAll the other common repairs: nail pops, corners, seams and visible patches.
- ServiceCeiling crack and hole repairCracks and holes overhead, and when a ceiling crack signals something else.
- ServiceHow drywall taping and mudding worksHow tape and compound are built up, which is what a lasting crack repair relies on.
- GuideDrywall repair cost factorsWhy several small repairs cost less per hole than one on its own.
Free, no-obligation estimate
Get a free estimate for holes and cracks
Count up every hole and crack you want fixed, even small ones. A photo of each, with something for scale, helps a lot.
Useful to include
- How many holes or cracks, and roughly how big
- Where they are: walls, ceilings, corners, above doors
- Whether cracks have come back after an earlier repair
- Smooth or textured surface
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