Drywall Repair: How to Prepare and Patch Drywall

Information technology'south easier than yous might call up to do your ain drywall repair. Nosotros'll show you how to set up drywall and other damaged walls.

Time

A full day

Complication

Beginner

Cost

Less than $xx

Introduction

Gear up damaged drywall with these DIY repairs you can do. Don't cook downwardly if a doorknob, misguided chair or an impromptu hockey game knocks a big hole in your drywall. With a little patience, a piddling joint chemical compound and a few dabs of paint even a novice tin complete a near invisible wall repair.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Drywall
  • Drywall screws
  • Drywall tape
  • Articulation compound

How to patch a large pigsty in drywall: Overview

Measure the thickness of the drywall (most probable 1/2 in.), and look for a large enough scrap from a damaged piece at a home center every bit you come across how to ready a hole in drywall, rather than buy a full four ten eight-ft. sheet. Cut it to size and screw it into place, spacing the screws every 6 in. Taping the edges of the patch drywall to make information technology invisible is the trickiest function of the how to fix drywall job. Purchase a gallon tub of drywall compound and a roll of paper tape. You can employ mesh tape, but it isn't as strong. If yous have a lot of repairs, also buy a sack of 20-infinitesimal setting compound. It hardens quickly and doesn't compress, so it'due south platonic for filling cracks and gaps earlier applying the joint tape. For smoothest results, as well pick up flexible 6- and 10-in. taping knives.

Utilize a coat of chemical compound and tape to each joint. Sparse the compound a flake with h2o to help embed the record. Smooth the record with the 6-in. knife, pulling out from the center toward each terminate. Squeeze some, only not all, of the compound out from under the tape so you don't create a big hump on the wall. Immediately apply a light coating to the topside of the record, tapering information technology out onto the wall.

The second and third coats are to blend and smooth the taped joints and then they'll be invisible when painted. After each coat is dry, set up a straightedge against the wall to check for obvious dips and bumps. Knock off bumps and ridges with your taping knife. Add more coats every bit needed. Then sand, prime number and pigment. The post-obit volition walk you through more of import tips and steps for how to set a hole in the wall.

Project stride-past-step (12)

Pace 1

How to repair a large hole in drywall: Check for wires

how to fix drywall

Earlier cut out the damaged area of this how to fix drywall project, check the wall for obstructions. Often you lot'll find a wire, pipe or duct. If so, work advisedly around them with a drywall or keyhole saw. Or brand a shallow cut by repeatedly scoring the line with a sharp utility pocketknife to begin a hole patch. It'due south easier to add together backer board than to attempt to cutting the drywall over studs as you learn how to fix drywall. Then cut out the section with a drywall saw or utility knife.

Replacing drywall section tip:

When learning how to fix a hole in the wall, leave a few inches of drywall at corners so you won't have to spread taping compound onto adjacent walls or ceilings and repaint them as well! Try to avoid common drywall installation mistakes.

Step two

How to patch a hole: Insert backer boards

how to fix drywall

Cutting the backer boards about 4 in. longer than the meridian of the hole. Pine or other soft forest works well. Hold them tight to the backside of the drywall when fastening them. Hold the boards carefully so the screw points won't prick your fingers if they pop out the backside. The drywall screws will draw the boards in tight. Sink the screwheads slightly below the drywall surface.

Step 3

Tape the joints

how to fix drywall

Lay a 1/eight-in.-thick bed of patch drywall chemical compound over the joints and press paper record into the compound with a flexible half-dozen-in. knife. Immediately use a sparse layer of compound on top of the tape. Allow to dry equally you piece of work your fashion through this how to patch drywall project.

Step 4

Utilize a 2nd and 3rd coat

how to fix drywall

Utilize a second coat of compound, drawing it at to the lowest degree 6 in. across the border of the first coat to taper the edges of the repair. Allow dry out, and so add a third coat to smooth any remaining uneven areas.

Footstep 5

Sand the dry compound

how to fix drywall

The terminal steps in how to gear up a hole in the wall are to sand the dry out compound lightly with 100-grit sandpaper to remove ridges and alloy edges. Prime and paint.

Step 6

How to fix a hole in the wall: Small Holes

Small holes acquired by screws or hooks, wall fasteners or drywall fasteners that popular upwardly are simple to repair, only once again time consuming because you nearly e'er have to repaint the walls. Nail pops are common and especially irritating, because yous're likely to have more than 1. But drywall screws sometimes popular up also, equally a effect of clammy framing that dries out and shrinks during the first year or two in new construction.

The offset stride of how to patch a pocket-sized hole in the wall is to bulldoze nails back downward using a nail set. If yous have screws, dig the drywall compound from their heads with a utility knife and turn them in tight with a screwdriver.

Then dimple the hole slightly concave with a hammer to indent any raised edges. But take care non to shell the drywall cadre. In addition, cutting away any paper tears with a sharp utility knife. This is a proficient technique to utilise with old wall fasteners besides. Information technology's usually easier to tap them into the wall slightly rather than pull them out.

Two coats of drywall compound, applied with two swipes of the knife in a "+" pattern, should fill up the holes. The beginning coat will shrink a fleck, leaving a slightly smaller dent to be filled past the second coat. Scrape the excess off the surrounding wall so you don't build up a hump. Sand lightly to blend with the surrounding wall. Be sure to prime the spot. Otherwise the topcoat will absorb into the patch and make the surface area look dissimilar from the surrounding paint. And use a roller when priming to assistance raise the surface texture to match the surrounding wall.

How to set up a pigsty in the wall fast: 20-Minute Setting Chemical compound

Twenty-minute setting chemical compound is a great product for filling deep holes and gaps and for your first taping coat because, unlike regular joint compound, it hardens quickly without shrinking. That means less time spent filling. And you can apply a second coat of chemical compound every bit shortly as the get-go hardens. Y'all don't have to wait for it to dry completely every bit you complete a how to gear up drywall projection.

For most uses, buy the lightweight type. It comes as a powder in sacks. Mix only what yous can apply in about 10 minutes. It hardens speedily, often in your pan if yous're too slow! Completely make clean your pan and knife before mixing a new batch in your how to prepare drywall task. Otherwise it'll harden even faster! To avoid clogging the sink bleed, throw leftover compound into the trash.

Drive a popped nail below the surface

how to fix drywall

Drive a popped nail below the surface of the drywall with a hammer and a nail set up. Cut abroad loose joint chemical compound and paper shreds.

Step 7

Drive in drywall screws

how to fix drywall

Bulldoze drywall screws almost 1-1/ii in. to a higher place and below the popped nail. Sink the screwhead simply beneath the surface of the drywall.

Stride 8

Fill the holes

how to fix drywall

Fill the holes with joint chemical compound, swiping commencement across the holes, then down. Let dry out, use a second coat, then sand, prime and paint.

Stride 9

Croaky corners sheetrock repair

Every home settles unevenly as information technology ages. This sometimes causes within corners to cleft or ripple. Often the fissure volition run from flooring to ceiling. Once you spot this trouble, sentinel information technology for ii to 3 months for continued movement and fix information technology later on all movement stops.

The key to renewing the strength of the corner is to remove all loose tape and drywall compound. If the drywall below has crumbled, cutting it abroad with your utility pocketknife and fill the gap with setting compound.

Retape the joint following the techniques shown in below of this how to fix drywall article. Crease the paper tape down the middle so it fits into the corner easily. It's difficult to spread chemical compound smoothly on i side of the corner without marring the other side. The trick is to apply compound for the second and tertiary coats but on one side at a time. Let the one side dry, then exercise the other side.

Finally, buy a fine-grit sanding sponge to shine the corners. It'll do a overnice chore without gouging.

Cut through the record

how to fix drywall

Cut through the record at the ends of the cracked area and slice, scrape and tear away all loose tape and compound.

Step 10

Apply joint compound

how to fix drywall

Use a 1/8-in. layer of joint compound, then fold and press paper tape into information technology. Stroke the length of the tape, squeezing compound out on both sides. Let dry.

Pace 11

Utilize second and third coats

how to fix drywall

Apply second and third coats to shine the articulation, tapering the compound about 6 in. out. Let one side dry earlier applying compound to the other side.