When you install drywall, you know that there is going to be a certain amount of upkeep required. A slightly more unusual problem that occurs is when the drywall seams start bulging, as though they cannot hold back the material behind them. This is an unsightly problem and can result in the drywall around the seams cracking and bending, making the problem worse. Before you have your drywall seams repaired by a drywall contractor, you will want to determine the exact reason why the drywall is bulging so that you can fix that problem.

1. Your House Has Experienced a Great Degree of Settling

It's very unlikely that the bulging drywall seams are a result of your house settling, unless you notice other signs around the home that your house has settled to a degree more quickly than the house was built to experience. If you have cracks in your ceilings or walls that seemed to appear overnight, you have drywall joints that seem to have been ripped in two, or other obvious problems, then there might be an issue with your foundation. Hire a professional inspector to come out and make sure that your foundation is still stable. 

2. There Was a Problem With the Drywall Installation

In order for a drywall seam to be invisible, the drywall needs to be applied in a very specific way. First, a small layer of compound needs to be added over the seam, with a larger layer on top of that layer, and a larger one on top of that. Each time, the drywall layer expands. This can be a very difficult process and often requires many days to set, which requires a drywall contractor to return to the house over a series of days. This might cause that contractor to use less layers and therefore make it more likely that the drywall seam will eventually show through. Have a different drywall contractor come out and tell you if this is the case.

3. Cut Drywall Was Used

When uncut drywall is used, the edges will taper down and form a slight trench where the tape and plaster can go so that they do not poke out over the actual drywall layer. When cut drywall is used, the edges aren't tapered. If tape or anything else is applied to this seam, then it will go above the plaster layer and look like a bulge, when it really just an excess of materials with nowhere else to go. You can figure out if this is the problem yourself by pushing on the drywall and seeing if it gives beneath your finger. If it does, then it's a bulge. If it doesn't, then it's excess material.

For more information, talk to a drywall contractor, like those at Zip Drywall.