Drywall Repairs
Drywalls can be easily damaged. A door flung open with too much force can produce a doorknob-size hole in the wall, or a careless mover may accidentally run a table/chair leg into your wall. This kind of damage looks bad, but fixing a drywall be farily easy, even large holes.
Repairing with simple tools
For a small 1 inch damage :
Get some fibreglass mesh tape (self-adhesive type) and tape it over the damaged area (make sure it covers a little over 2-3 inch longer than the damaged area). Spread joint compound evenly over the taped area with spatula/putty knife. Spread it evenly and remove any bubbles. Let the compound dry, and then sand it. After it has been allowed to thoroughly dry, skim another layer over it (with wider radius, feathering out the edges which will hide the small bump made from the first layer). Let the second coat dry then sand and prime it.
To make a repair to a small drywall hole without a kit, follow these directions:
What You\’ll Need
- Clean tin can lid
- Tape measure
- Keyhole saw
- Awl
- Thin wire or string
- Scissors or wire cutters
- Scrap wood
- Putty knife
- Drywall patching compound
- Sandpaper
- Primer and paint
- Paintbrushes
Step 1: Use a keyhole saw and cut out a narrow horizontal slit in the wall on each side of the damaged area. Punch two holes in the center of the tin can lid and thread 12 inch piece of wire or string through the holes. Insert the lid through the narrow horizontal slit.
Step 2: Pull lid towards you until it\’s flat against inside of wall. Set a stick through the string/wire and twist it until the tin lid is firmly secured flat against the back of the wall board.
Step 3: Apply premixed drywall patching compound over the patch (Don\’t use spackling compound because it shrinks as it dries), or mix plaster of paris with water to make thick paste. Pack compound or plaster into hole against backing and behind stick. Keep compound inside hole, cover backing, and fill slits, but don\’t spread it on wall surface. Leave patch slightly low, and don\’t try to level it. Let patch dry for at least 24 hours. When dry, cut string or wire and remove stick.
Step 4: Fill it completely with more plaster of paris or drywall patching compound to make patch level with wall surface. Let dry, lightly sand area, prime, and paint.
Repairing Drywall with kits
What you’ll need :
- Keyhole saw/utility knife
- Metal mounting clips
- Needlenose pliers
- Self-adhesive fiberglass mesh tape
- Joint compound
- Spatula
- Orbital sander/sandpaper
Step 1: Cut out the damaged portion with a utility knife/keyhole saw and even out broken pieces around the cutout area.
Step 2: Install four metal mounting clips onto the edge of the cutout, making sure the two spring tabs on each clip face out.
Step 3: Cut a new drywall patch to fit the cutout and secure it with two screws driven into each of the metal clips.
Step 4: Grab onto the metal spring tab with needlenose pliers and snap them off below the drywall surface.
Step 5: Cover the seams around the drywall patch with strips of self-adhesive, fiberglass-mesh tape.
Step 6: Spread a coat of joint compound over the whole patch, not just the taped seams. When it\’s dry, sand it smooth and repeat 2 times. Prime then paint.
