Posted by: Greg Sparrow on December 26, 2001 at 23:20:15

In Reply to: Drywall Tape Popping Posted by: Lewis on December 28, 1999 at 11:10:00

On my second floor, the drywall tape has popped where the walls meet the ceiling. I have been told that this is due to the builder not nailing the trusses to the interior walls. There is also a gap that increases or decreases in size based upon the season? Is this correct? Can I fix this problem by just nailing the trusses to the interior walls? Is there anything else I can/need to do? Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Answer:
The crack in the drywall has nothing to do with whether the rafters were nailed to wall or not. It has to do with several things.
First trusses are made to span distances and will move independently of the interior walls. It is impossible to stop this movement. If the trusses are moving in the extreme then you may have a moisture problem in your attic.

Now the solution:
The drywall hangers nailed the edges of each sheet on the ceiling to the trusses. If you can locate these nails, (or screws), which are next to the wall, remove them. This will allow the edge of the drywall to float on the top of the sheetrock that is on the wall. It becomes independent of the movement of the truss and in almost all cases will flex and remain taped to the wall.