A local job showed me how to stop door frame cracks

I saw a bunch of new properties in my neighborhood with cracks over doors. I found out putting more screws in the header helps a lot. How do you guys handle this?

4 comments

4 Comments

casey_grant5d ago

Check if the wall framing is straight before you add more screws. Crooked studs can make the header twist, so screws might not help. Also, think about wood movement from weather changes over the year. A good fix mixes solid framing with flexible caulk at the corners. Don't forget that some cracks are just the drywall, not the frame itself.

fiona_hunt715d ago

Actually, Casey makes a good point about wood movement messing with the header over the seasons. But how do you tell if the gap is from a warped stud or just the wood shrinking and swelling? Eric Craig mentioned Lily's tip working better than checking studs first, but doesn't that depend on finding the actual cause? If you just throw screws at it without knowing, you might crack the drywall even more.

ericcraig5d ago

Lily's header tip works better than checking studs first.

lily_perry5d ago

Honestly, have you checked the gap above the door itself first? Casey_grant is right about the studs, but I've fixed a few where the header had actually pulled away from the top plate. Throwing some long construction screws in there at an angle usually locks it down solid.