DIY Drywall Repair Part 2

  • Posted on October 5, 2016
  • /Under blog

In our last blog we covered how to make small patches and small repairs to your drywall. In this blog we will be talking about how to tackle larger projects.  First a quick recap of what you will need a basic tips:
If you’re planning to attempt these repairs yourself, you should take care to make sure you have the right tools and technique on hand before attempting any repairs:

Tools

  • Utility Knife
  • Box Cutter
  • Sandpaper (150-grit)
  • Putty Knife
  • pencil

Materials

  • Joint Compound
  • Spackle
  • Drywall
  • Tape – Fiberglass Mesh Drywall Tape and/or Paper Drywall Tape

Quick tips:

Be sure to check your blueprints to make sure there are no electrical wires running behind the area of the wall that is being cut. If there are, be careful not to cut too deep with the drywall knife.
After applying joint compound, use mesh tape versus drywall tape to cover the seams. It is harder to conceal a seam with tape. Plus, mesh creates a stronger bond between the old and existing drywall pieces.

Bigger Projects: Removing and Replacing Large Sections of Damaged Drywall

Begin by using a framing square and a pencil to mark a perfect square on the wall around the damaged area. It doesn’t matter how large the square is as long as it completely encompasses the entire damaged or cracked area. Then use a utility knife to score along the outline and the remove the drywall square with all damaged areas.
If the damage to the wall is more than one hole, it is better to replace the entire drywall sheet than to replace several sections. This will give more structural integrity to the wall, as well as hide any repair seams.

Add Framing to Attach the Drywall

There are generally two ways to correctly marry two pieces of drywall together. The first is to bisect the undamaged piece of drywall at the stud, leaving half the stud exposed, then butt the new drywall up to the undamaged piece on that stud. This method takes time and a steady hand. A lot more time-efficient way is to simply add a new stud to the existing stud. This way we eliminate the need to cut the existing drywall in a straight line while at the same time we give the new drywall its own strong anchor. To do this, just cut a 2”x4” board to size, then nail it to the existing stud.

Creating a Drywall Patch

After combining the new and old studs, use the removed damaged piece of drywall as a guide to trace (with a pencil) an identical shape of fresh drywall. When cutting drywall, score the drywall with a box cutter, bend and pop. Then cut the strays and remnants off the back. Place the drywall ends in the center of the new stud as discussed above. Use drywall screws about every 8 to 12 inches to attach the drywall to the studs.

Installing the Patch

Using a putty knife, add a layer of joint compound around the seams of the patch, making sure to fill the gaps. Let dry overnight.

Sanding and Painting

The last two steps are the sanding and painting of the patch. First you need to sand the joint compound until it is level and flush with existing drywall. If the compound shrank as it dried or is uneven, it may be necessary to apply another coat of compound, and wait for it to dry overnight again. When the patch is finally dry, sanded and smooth, it is time to paint the drywall. Be sure to feather the paint into the existing paint so you do not end up with a glaring square that screams “I patched my wall!”

We hope these tips will help you with your drywall repair project, however, if after reading this it sounds like a bigger project than you want to take on, we would be happy to take care of it for you. Andy onCall’s expert Handymen have been installing and repairing drywall for years and would be more than happy to help you with any drywall issues you may be having. Our expert drywall handymen will ensure that your project is completed quickly and efficiently. And the Andy onCall handymen can help you with any and all the other projects on your home “To-Do” list too as well. So if you want to have more time to relax and enjoy your home while this nice summer weather lasts, call Andy onCall!