Thread: corner tape bunching

Hello all, Has anyone seen corner tape that appears to be bunching or buckling? I don't mean just poor tape job full of bubbles but more prominent surface bunching. Sorry no picture, uploading wasn't working for me, reduced picture pixels to "Web Small" but upload pathetically long, advice on upload appreciated as well.

Resize pics to 640 X 480 works well. 800 X 600 works, but that is max, AFAIK.

The only time I can recall seeing what you describe is when there has been a water intrusion of some sort. Kind of makes the paper tape wrinkle and pucker.

I've seen what I think you are referring to - kind like a wrinkle in the corner?

That is usually a result of vertical movement between the two walls. Sometimes caused by one wall moving laterally along the other wall (this shows as a long vertical wrinkle or tear.

I agree with Jerry, it sounds like movement. Look at the miter joints in any wood trim or molding that is in the area. If it is pulling or separating then you most likely have some type of structural movement going on.

I see this frequently with our active soils. Jerry is correct. Walls next to garages seem to be most vulnerable to this differential shift, but it rarely rises to the level or needing structural remedy. Even 1/8" can make for a big wrinkle.

Wouldn't rule out bad tape job, trapped air, not enough compound used to adhere tape.

Originally Posted by michael brown

Hello all, Has anyone seen corner tape that appears to be bunching or buckling? I don't mean just poor tape job full of bubbles but more prominent surface bunching.

Originally Posted by Raymond Wand

Wouldn't rule out bad tape job, trapped air, not enough compound used to adhere tape.

Raymond,

What you describe would be compatible with what Michael described as it not being.

While I wouldn't entirely rule bad tape job out, ruling out the look by the person who was there and saw it would be sufficient to putting a bad tape job at the end of my reporting on it - like this: The wrinkled/buldging/buckling in the tape may very well be caused by and indicative of movement. Typically, if it was just a bad tape job it would look like ... (describe what a bad tape job typically looks like).

Then look around for any evidence which may help confirm movement or which may help dispel movement as a cause.

But I certainly would not imply that it's cause was likely a bad tape job as the leading cause.

I have seen this several times and it was the result of wall movement in every case. Most of the time it occurred where an interior wall intersects an exterior wall. The diagram below show the three basic cases I see, 1.) One of the two intersecting walls was racked sideways. 2.) One of the two walls was racked vertically. 3.) Localized vertical movement due to a rotted floor joist or termites.

Then through in the possibility of a bad framing job and floating corners.