cracks in drywall

[Konyoman]

I have several cracks in my bedroon walls that I need some advice on how to repair. There are 3 in particular that run from floor to ceiling in a relatively straight line. It is almost as if they are running along a seam.

2 of the cracks are behind our bed and directly behind where we lean our heads when reading in bed. (no headboard). I am worried that if I simply run some drywall compound along these cracks and re-paint, the slighest bit of pressure from our heads will open the cracks up again.

Is the alternative to use drywall tape and compound? I am BRUTAL with tape and when I have tried before, it is very visible..would have to call in a pro! Thanks for your help,

[George Elkins]

If you apply pressure to the wall, does the drywall flex at all? If not, with framing underneath the crack or nearby, you could just apply compound and repaint.

[AJScott]

Unless you and your wife have really big heads that you bang again the wall whilst reading or have some of the most piss-poor support known to mankind in that wall (i.e. drywall over paneling to disguise the fact that some cheap-ass previous owner set your studs, like 5 feet apart when he remodeled the room a few decades back), I'd be inclined to think the problem isn't as terrible as you imagine, and is indeed just a seam crack from settling, age, or whatever over the years. And on any normal wall, just setting your head back will not cause new cracks. Other certain activities could, but simple reading won't.

First, push on the wall. Does it move/bow inward when you do? If not, no problem. You really don't have to tape. Just lay on a layer of joint compound (mud), sand, and paint. But then again, once you put new paint over that, you'll probably end up repainting the whole room, and then the hallway because you can't just have new paint in one room and have the halls look shitty, and then before you know it, you're repainting the whole house. Sigh ... it just never ends, does it?

If the wall does move/bow inward, then you have some fairly significant problems that call for a contractor and/or a fairly decent DIY project.

AJS

[xymergy]

"reading"? Nice euphemism for "having sex"! :)