The purpose of the following guide would be to help the beginner do-it-yourselfer accomplish his/her first drywall repair, with minimal steps, tools and materials. Since almost all of the homes I repair come in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area, I am going to focus this discussion toward conventional drywall, finished with a smooth texture. If your home’s walls are constructed of plaster, I wouldn’t recommend attempting a repair yourself. With plaster, it is best to leave it to a qualified professional.
Drywall repair is a straightforward process that just about any homeowner can figure out how to do. Given that homes today are built with lumber inferior compared to that of generations past, movement of drywall from warping and shrinking in the home’s framing causes a variety of drywall-related problems. Therefore, many homeowners will need to repair corners, cracks, screw pops, tape seams, and other drywall imperfections that accrue over time. In addition, damage from water intrusion, household accidents and normal wear and tear necessitate a periodic drywall repair to help keep the walls looking good, especially before they are painted.
Drywall Repair Tools and Materials
Go to your local home improvement store and buy:
(1) 4″ Drywall Knife
(1) 12″ Stainless Steel Mud Pan
(1-qt) All-Purpose Joint Compound
(1) Drywall Sanding Sponge
(1-qt) Latex-Based Drywall Primer
(1) 2″ Angle-Tipped Paint Brush
1. Depending on the amount of drywall repairs required, remove a proper quantity of joint compound (or “mud,” since it is commonly referred to) from the plastic tub making use of your 4″ drywall knife and scrape it off into your 12″ mud pan. The idea here is to keep the joint compound fresh so that is doesn’t dry out-so only take as much mud out as possible use within 10 minutes. Otherwise, “chunks” of drywall mud develop, making your drywall repair a lot more difficult.
2. Briefly work the drywall mud backwards and forwards in your pan several times-like you would knead bread dough. This removes air from the mud in reducing bubbles when you place it on the wall.
3. Apply parede de drywall em sao caetano do sul of drywall mud to the crack or dent. Use the knife to scrape the mud flush with the encompassing surface of the drywall. It is best to apply 2 or 3 3 thin coats of mud (allowing each coat to dry among applications) versus one thick coat. One of the most common mistakes I see with drywall repair is mud that is applied too thick. This rarely results in a good surface and makes for more time and mess through the sanding phase.
4. Allow the mud to dry. Dry time is highly influenced by type and brand of compound, thickness and quantity of mud application, and also ambient temperature and humidity of the area. In order to accelerate dry time, grab a hair dryer to dry the region (as observed in this picture of my craftsman Drew).
5. Once the drywall mud is totally dry, place a drop cloth below the region of drywall repair, as you are going to make a mess next! Use your sanding sponge to sand the region flush with the rest of the wall. Use lighter pressure as you finish in order to avoid gouging or scratching up your projects. Some people like to have a pal hold a shop vacuum up to the region to suck up all of the drywall dust while they work. If you opt to do this be sure you have a drywall dust or HEPA filter installed-otherwise you’ll just find yourself blowing the dust through the entire room.
6. Take a damp paper towel or cloth to wipe down the drywall repair to eliminate any remaining dust. You may also work with a wet cloth or sponge to “wet sand” the area to get an extra smooth effect, if desired.
7. Making use of your small paintbrush, apply a light coat of primer to the drywall repair. This will seal the joint compound, hide the repaired area, and prepare it to accept paint.
8. When painting the drywall repair, I recommend painting an entire section of the wall, if possible. Even if you have left over paint from when the wall was originally painted, or purchased new paint with same formula as the original, it is unlikely to complement. Walls age and collect dirt after a while, altering their appearance and color. Hence, when you can paint a whole portion of the wall, up to corner or seam, the difference of “new” versus “old” paint is less visible.