Fixing Drywall
GmDuggan
Gypsum board, rockwall, drywall, all are terms for the panel product that today is the most popular way of finishing a homes walls and ceilings. Textured and painted, drywall provides a beautiful flat surface. It is both rigid and easily accepts nails, screws and other various anchors for pictures, clocks, shelves, etc. However, drywall, in its duties as the homes interior surface, is subject to use and abuse that leaves holes of various sizes. Never fear! Drywall is malleable and forgiving, and there are ways to make all of those unsightly holes disappear.
The most common hole that appears in your walls are the small holes from thumb-tacks, screws and nails used to hold up pictures, notes, and other sundry small things that make a house a home. These small holes are the easiest to fix. Holes from thumbtacks and small nails can be spackled over using a prepared spackling paste from the hardware store or even just toothpaste to fill the holes just before repainting. To spackle you will need a minimum of tools and materials. Basically a small 1" drywall or spackling knife a tub of spackling paste, and maybe a can of aerosol texture is all that is needed. Taking a small amount of paste on the 1" knife, stand about 2-1/2' from the wall observing where the holes are located. Spread the paste thinly across the holes working the paste into the holes. Scrape excess paste from the wall. It is that simple. If the spackle leaves small visible flat areas across the texture you may want to touch up the texture. A knockdown texture probably will not need retouching but an orange peel or a sand finish will. Using an aerosol can of the appropriate texture, follow the directions on the can and spray a little over the flat area to match the surrounding area. Let the texture dry and then proceed with repainting the wall. Now you have a beautiful wall with no holes ready for the next round of thumbtacks, nails, or what have you.
Now that you have filled the smallest holes, there may be some that the spackle will not fill properly or that buckles and bubbles as the spackle dries and shrinks. These are holes from larger nails, screws, and anchors, both existing and failed. These holes require a little more attention and work to get back to the smooth wall ready for painting. Tools and materials needed are; a small 2" drywall knife, a hammer, a small tub of joint compound, a sanding block with 100 grit sandpaper or sanding screen, and a can of aerosol texture. For small holes, 1/8" to 1/4", take a hammer and lightly tap the drywall at the hole until you have a small depression, 1/16" to 1/8" deep. The spackle compound may work in this situation but most likely you will need to use drywall mud or joint compound. Using the drywall knife spread the mud across the hole and indentation, feathering the edges until you have a flat surface. The joint compound does shrink as it dries so you may have to repeat this procedure. After letting the joint compound dry sand the area using the sanding block to insure a smooth surface. Check for bubbles or indentations and repeat procedure if necessary. Now that you have a smooth wall surface, use the aerosol can of the appropriate texture, follow the directions on the can and spray a little over the flat area to match the surrounding area. Let the texture dry and then proceed with repainting the wall.
For holes 1/4" to 1" the fix is much the same but a little backing may be necessary. Tools and materials needed are; a 4" drywall knife, a hammer, a small tub of joint compound, a sanding block with 100 grit sandpaper or sanding screen, some paper such as drywall tape or newspaper and a can of aerosol texture. Using the hammer tap around the hole creating a depression, 1/16" to 1/8" deep, 2" -3" in diameter. Butter the depression with a little of the drywall mud and then press in a piece of tape or paper to cover the hole. Let the mud dry just a little bit so that the paper will not shift and then fill the depression with the joint compound feathering the edges to make a smooth transition. After letting the joint compound dry sand the area using the sanding block to insure a smooth surface. Check for bubbles or indentations and repeat procedure if necessary. Now that you have a smooth wall surface, use the aerosol can of the appropriate texture, follow the directions on the can and spray a little over the flat area to match the surrounding area. Let the texture dry and then proceed with repainting the wall.
Now you check behind the door and Ow! Isn't there supposed to be a doorstop there? Yes, after years of abuse the doorknob has knocked a fist-sized hole in the wall. Now there are two ways to go about fixing larger holes such as these. You can cut out a section around the hole and insert a plug of drywall or use a prefab patch screen from the hardware store, or if the hole is not to big, up to 4" in diameter, you can patch the hole with a screen backing such as fiberglass or aluminum window screen. Tools and materials needed are; a 6" to 10" drywall knife, a hammer, a small tub of joint compound, a sanding block with 100 grit sandpaper or sanding screen, some screen such as fiberglass or aluminum window screen and a can of aerosol texture. Using the hammer tap around the hole creating a depression, 1/16" to 1/8" deep, 2" in diameter larger than the hole to be patched. Butter the depression with a little of the drywall mud and then press in the screen to cover the hole. Let the mud dry just a little bit so that the screen will not shift and then fill the depression with the joint compound feathering the edges to make a smooth transition. After letting the joint compound dry sand the area using the sanding block to insure a smooth surface. Check for bubbles or indentations and repeat procedure if necessary. Now that you have a smooth wall surface, use the aerosol can of the appropriate texture, follow the directions on the can and spray a little over the flat area to match the surrounding area. Let the texture dry and then proceed with repainting the wall.
Another way of patching a doorknob or fist size hole in drywall is to use a prefabricated patch screen sometimes called a wall span. These screens come in 6"x6" and 8"x8" sizes with a shallow depression in the center intended to fit inside the repair hole you cut in the drywall. Tools and materials needed are; a utility knife with a fresh blade, or better a keyhole saw, a 6" to 10" drywall knife, a hammer, a screwdriver and some #6 drywall screws, a small tub of joint compound, a wall span screen, a sanding block with 100 grit sandpaper or sanding screen, and a can of aerosol texture. Carefully measure the size of the depression in the wall span screen and mark a square that size around the hole in the wall. Using the utility knife or keyhole saw, cut out the drywall to fit the patch screen. You might get away without doing this step but use the hammer to tap on the drywall around the hole to create a small depression to fit the repair screen so that it fits flush with surface or just below the surface. You may be able to just butter the hole and stick the screen onto the wall however; I would suggest that you screw the repair screen in place with the #6 drywall screws. After securing the repair screen in place, fill the depression with the joint compound feathering the edges to make a smooth transition. After letting the joint compound dry sand the area using the sanding block to insure a smooth surface. Check for bubbles or indentations and repeat procedure if necessary. Now that you have a smooth wall surface, use the aerosol can of the appropriate texture, follow the directions on the can and spray a little over the flat area to match the surrounding area. Let the texture dry and then proceed with repainting the wall.
To repair large holes in drywall the broken and/or weakened drywall must be removed. A piece of drywall must be then cut to fit the opening. It is always best if the repair opening is cut to fit from reinforcing backer to reinforcing backer, such as; stud to stud or rafter to rafter. If the repair hole is to be cut this way, remember to cut from halfway on a reinforcing backer to halfway on a reinforcing backer, as the existing drywall panel will have to be reattached also. If one opts to cut a repair hole not utilizing the existing framing, then sort of attachment, backer must be provided. The backing material may be any scrap of wood capable of spanning the joint and being screwed into. Tools and materials needed are; a utility knife with a fresh blade, or better a keyhole saw, a 4"and 12" drywall knife, a hammer, a screwgun and some #6 drywall screws, backing material such as; 1x4, paint stirrers or wood shims, joint compound, a mudpan, a roll of drywall tape, a sanding block with 100 grit sandpaper or sanding screen, and a can of aerosol texture. Mark and cut the desired size repair hole using the utility knife or keyhole saw. Mark and cut the repair plug of matching thickness drywall panel. Position the backing material behind the existing drywall and attach using #6 drywall screws, leaving half of the backers width exposed. Insert repair plug and attach using #6 drywall screws. The next step is optional but I find it easier to finish the joint if utilized. Use the hammer and create a small depression, 1/16" to 1/8" deep, on both sides of all joints. Or use the utility knife and cut a wide shallow groove. This is to facilitate feathering and flatness in the final sanded mud joint. Using the 4" drywall knife spread a thin layer of the joint compound along both sides of one of the joints an inch or two bigger than the drywall tape. Then roll the drywall tape out, centering it on and along the length of the joint sticking the tape to the mud with the knife and cutting it off at the other end of the joint. Go back and squeegee the tape tightly to drywall using the 4" knife. Repeat the process for all other joints in the repair, making sure the tape and the tape ends are secure. Now, using a 10" or 12" taping knife, apply a thick layer of joint compound to the joints spreading the mud out wide and flat, and feathering the mud at the edges. Wait for the joint compound to dry and using the sanding block to sand the mud joint to achieve flatness. If pits, bubbles, or other imperfections are present, repeat mudding procedure with the large taping knife and sanding until you have a flat reasonably unnoticeable joint. Now that you have a smooth wall surface, use the aerosol can of the appropriate texture, follow the directions on the can and spray a little over the flat area to match the surrounding area. Let the texture dry and then proceed with repainting the wall.
Well, that is the basics to repairing drywall. It is not that hard, but it is messy, dusty and requires some patience. Remember to have drop cloths and a shop vacuum handy.
Written by: Geoffrey M. Duggan
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