Replies

1. 
   Ralph_Wicklund | Jan 13, 2002 12:18am | #1

   *
   Worst case scenerios -

   1. Your house is settling and eventually the doors will bind in their openings and the rock cracks will continue to expand. I've seen this on houses with inadaquate footings, especially pier construction. Are ALL the cracks on exterior wall penetrations? You might also want to check below to see how mid-span walls (if you have them) are supported from below. Undersized or butt supported joists without hangers (nails only) could allow deflection.

   2. Your framing was wet through and through when the rock was hung and is now shrinking as it dries, stressing and cracking the rock. When the process stabilizes you get to make your repairs.

   If these had been vertical or horizontal cracks I would say that the rock had been pieced around the openings.

   Certainly get the builder back in there and maybe even an independent home inspector to get an accurate assessment.

   A last observation: Some rockers try to cut their openings before they hang the drywall and when lifted into place the rock will flex and break at a corner of the cutout. They go ahead and hang the piece anyway and you have a built-in weak spot that can crack with the slightest movement.

1. 
   ken_hill | Jan 13, 2002 12:21am | #2

   *Steve- Don't know if I can shed any light on this. The only thing I have seen similar is in the historic building that I work on, which is all plaster walls. We had a sizeable earthquake here (Olympia, Wa.) in Feb. 2001, and I'm still repairing damage. Anyway, one of the most common areas to find cracks is around windows and doors. The diagonal crack that you describe is what I find at the corners of door openings. I can only surmise that the cause is unequal wall movement and that the 45deg. crack is the 'hinge'. Some kind of buiding movement must have/be taking place. Could it be an earthquake(s)? Perhaps there is some some settlement of the foundation going on, which is not at all uncommon in new construction. It's also possible that the wall framing is substandard or loose (although since it's happening in more than one place, I doubt it's because of missing nails). Yes, if it were me I would consider this a big deal. I would demand satisfaction under the warranty. New buildings DO settle, but it shouldn't be uneven or of a magnitude to show up in the drywall. Good luck.

1. 
   Mike_Smith | Jan 13, 2002 12:52am | #3

   *most of them are seasonal cracks and have more to do with interior humidity changes...as the seasons change.. the framing shrinks or swells... the relief point is always the openings at windows and doors.. thus the hairline cracks radiating out from the openings.. the worst case is usually in any wall on top of the main bearing beam.. and interior walls more than exterior walls...sometimes it is more prevalent if the framer was not consistent in his horizontal stacks.... like a change of grade.. they might have stacked 3 or 4 flat 2x4's to make up the change in elevation... causing uneven shrinkage.. both permanent and seasonal...shrinkage can be minimized if you maintain a RElative Humidity of apx . 40% ... your framing , furniture, and respiratory systems will all be happier... some of it can be avoided as ralph said .. by hanging the rock in one piece and then cutting out the opening...if the movement exceeds the strength of materials.. the result is the crack...no known fix that i know of..you can try to maintanin a steady humididty state.. usually caulk with a flexible caulk and hope for the best... if this sounds bogus .. it might be because you don't have the RH swings that we do.... but radiating cracks at openings are pretty prevalent in New England.....

1. 
   calvin_ | Jan 13, 2002 06:02am | #4

   *You mention the house being on a crawl. This could be helping to provide the mitigating circumstances regarding moisture being introduced into the house. Higher in the summer and then drying out a month after the heat goes on. If you caulk or repair the board now, it might stay closed next fall if you cover the crawl floor w/visqueen if it hasn't been done already.

1. 
   Wayne_Law | Jan 15, 2002 01:49am | #5

   *A 45° crack can be a clue to a couple of things. One would be differential settling of the foundation or shrinkage in height of the walls. For example, the part of the wall beside the door can be dropping in elevation relative to the wall at the door. It could be the foundation moving, or the rim joists shrinking more in one place than another.Another type of movement that can cause 45° cracks is side to side motion of the building greater than what it is braced for. It's common in earthquakes to see 45° cracks. They usually begin at a weak point such as a door or window opening. Assuming you haven't had an earthquake, this could also be caused by significantly lacking diagonal bracing. If the house was sheathed with something soft like insulation board instead of something stiff like plywood or OSB, then high winds could make the house rock. This would be more pronounced with a taller house.If it is differential settling, like a corner dropping, I'd expect to see cracks more in one direction on one wall and in the opposite direction on the adjoining wall. If it's lateral movement, I'd expect to see cracks in both directions on all the cracked walls.It would be worth a look from an building inspector with a good deal of experience, or by an engineer. A few hours of a licensed engineer is not that expensive. It could be a big deal, and if it is, few contractors are going to make expensive repairs unless the facts are supported by credentialed professional. You are at a disadvantage without help on your side. If it's not a big deal, then the money would give you more piece of mind than if you spent it on a weekend getaway.