Temperature fluctuations: Expanding and contracting drywall can lead to small vertical cracks over time. Foundation Settlement: As homes naturally settle, walls and ceilings can shift slightly, ...

Other than dings with the vacuum, moving things around, or mounting art and fixtures, drywall damage will occur. Water damage, stress cracks, and settling also cause drywall damage. Stress cracks are ...

Q: I just read an article on repairing drywall at the joints, which I have a lot of. But in one room the wall is cracked in a diagonal -- sort of zigzag -- all the way down the wall. It really looks ...

Spackling paste or joint compound (drywall mud) Fine-grit Sandpaper or fine-grit sanding sponge Putty knife (aka joint knife, drywall knife) 6-inch drywall knife or 12-inch drywall taping knife (for ...

Something has shifted (like the house), come loose or has bent if it's not along a joint. Sheets of drywall shouldn't break like that. I'd take down the wall and redo it. It's going to break again.

Dear James: I have an old house with plaster walls and many cracks that need to be repaired. How can I fix these so they stay fixed and are invisible? — Julianne T. Dear Julianne: Many older houses ...

Do you have a crack that goes across your wall, maybe over a doorway or a corner of your room? You might have tried to fix it, but it returns just a few months later. Perhaps you even had a ...

I once saw union carpenters cutting perfect pieces of drywall with only a tape measure and a utility knife. How do I do that?—Jarett R., Oakland, California First thing you should do is watch the ...