Drywall Cracking Around Windows? (Movement, Caulk, and Corner Bead)
Check exterior caulk and sill pan first
Interior: caulk trim gaps, reinforce corners
Skim, texture match, prime
Materials for corner cracks that stay closed
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DAP Alex Plus Acrylic Latex Caulk, White, 10.1 oz
Window corners move with frame expansion — paint alone cracks. Paintable acrylic latex caulk bridges the trim-to-drywall gap so the joint flexes instead of telegraphing cracks back through the mud.
Peohud Reinforced Drywall Corner Tape, 2" × 100 ft
Diagonal cracks at the header often mean the corner bead shifted — metal-reinforced corner tape re-establishes a straight, crack-resistant edge before you skim coat.
Sheetrock All Purpose Joint Compound, Ready-Mixed, 1 Qt
After caulk and tape, thin skim coats feather the repair into the existing texture — all-purpose compound is the right body for narrow window-corner patches.
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