When to fix drying cracks in walls of newly built wooden house

[galaxenspresident]

Moved into a newly built wooden house around June-July, and drying cracks in the walls and around custom-painted moldings have started to appear in the past month. Heating with district heating and using FTX, which provides a relatively dry indoor environment that is likely to peak in January-February, I would imagine.

I assume using latex sealant and overpainting is the solution (I have opted out of all types of wallpaper initially, considering that drying cracks tend to appear quite quickly). It seemed like marine-latex was the most flexible option.

Should one fill the cracks when they are at their largest, or wait until they've shrunk halfway back (thinking that the sealant can handle both some stretching and some compression)?

Can this be done after just one season, or is it better to wait a few seasons? Will new cracks appear if done in the first season?

I would prefer to do it as soon as possible since I want to put up various bookshelves in places where I have cracks.

The largest cracks are about 4mm wide.

 

[galaxenspresident]

No one who bothers to fix drying cracks in newly built houses or is it just me who gets them?

 

[HusByggarTomten]

I received them and realized that the only thing that helps is microlit. The painter filled the walls and ceiling twice before we decided to apply microlit over the whole thing. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to put up microlit in the bedroom, so it looks as it does... I'll take care of it "when I get time"

 

[galaxenspresident]

You mean that microlit can withstand it?

The reason I chose against microlit was that I didn’t think it would hold against drying cracks and would mostly make it harder to repair if the kids made a dent in the wall.

I can understand that using regular filler doesn’t help. Do you know if your painter used flexible filler (it's only in the corners that it cracks, at least for me) and it still didn't work?

 

[HusByggarTomten]

If it's only in the corners, you should be glad. It's probably inevitable. You'll probably need to touch up those cracks 1 or 2 times in the first year before they stop moving. That's how it was in my extension on the old house. In the new house, the cracks are coming in the middle of the walls and ceilings, which is why I installed microlit.

 

[5.2 racing]

But wasn't any strip put on?

 

[galaxenspresident]

Not in the corners, I think, but in the other gypsum joints (I think, I must go back and see if I have any photos between plastering and the first coat)

 

[HusByggarTomten]

But wasn't a strip placed?

Do you mean between the plaster, then yes, of course.

 

[galaxenspresident]

Hmm now I'm not following?

The strips between the plaster crack for you but not the microlite?

 

[mångstekta]

He probably means that it cracked, so he put microlite everywhere instead and then got rid of them... if you have woven fabric, no strips are needed, you can also putty on the fabric (micron) if you get any marks, it can be a little tricky to hang though, but as long as you get the first one straight, it's fine!
If it only cracks in the corners, just apply a little more latex sealant and paint over, it's often because it's "poorly" plastered that it cracks. If you have about a 4mm gap, it's too much for it not to crack...

 

[5.2 racing]

The thread creator might want to explain once and for all where it has broken and also which methods have been used from the beginning...

 

[HusByggarTomten]

Now, it's not me who started the thread, but my walls cracked, despite the strips, yes. However, the microlite managed to hold up. Even though microlite appeared later, which mitigates because the movements become smaller over time, I wanted to be sure. Both gypsum joints in the ceiling and walls cracked. (not all, of course, but in some places) The reason in my case I guess might be due to a humid spring with a scorching hot summer, it was almost 50' inside the house when the large windows were installed. I don't think it's poorly plastered. I don't know if the fact that I have OSB behind the gypsum could be a cause as well since it tends to move more than plywood.

Joint between wall and ceiling has cracked but that's almost something to be expected. Painter's caulk and another round with paint after some time should almost be planned in advance...