Whether you’ve accidentally knocked a doorknob against the wall, a chair leg dented your drywall, or water damaged your home, fixing drywall damage is relatively easy and cheap. The first step to repairing drywall is sanding. This helps prevent a sloppy repair by removing any excess dust from the patching compound.
If you have a hole in your wall, it can be unsightly and could pose a health risk for you or anyone in your home. It also could be a resting place for insects or other critters. To avoid these problems, you should fix a hole in the drywall as soon as possible. You can also contact professionals like Handyman Naperville IL to do the job for you.
The type of repair you need to do depends on the size and location of the hole. Small holes are easy to patch, but large ones require a different method.
Fortunately, there are many techniques for fixing a hole in your drywall. The key is to determine the extent of the damage before you start the project.
For holes that are 1 to 2 inches in diameter, you can bridge them with joint paper tape. If the hole is bigger, you may have to use fiberglass mesh joint tape. It is a bit stronger, but it can be more difficult to finish down smoothly.
Once you have taped the hole, fill it with drywall compound. It is important to make sure that the edges of the hole are smooth so the patch will sit flush against the wall. Once the drywall compound is dry, you can apply a coat of primer and paint the area.
You can also use a piece of scrap wood to provide support for the patch. This can be any material you have around the house, but scrap pine works well. Then you can screw it into the drywall behind the hole using drywall screws every 6 inches or so.
Another option is to install a wood backer support inside the wall behind the hole. This can be a single piece of wood or two pieces, one on each side.
This technique provides extra support for the patching compound and prevents the drywall from crumbling as it dries. Just make sure that the backer is long enough to extend beyond the hole’s edge.
Very small holes that are less than 1 inch across can be fixed with a simple application of drywall compound and a putty knife. Then, you can cover the hole with an adhesive patch. If you choose to use an adhesive patch, make sure to apply pressure evenly across the entire patch to ensure that it is securely attached.
The walls of a home will often develop cracks over time. These can range from the minor (e.g., a crack in the wall caused by a slight temperature fluctuation or seasonal humidity change) to the major (e.g., a crack resulting from severe foundation settlement or framing deterioration due to rot or wood destroying insects).
Drywall cracks can also be caused by water damage from a leaky roof, window, or chimney. This can cause the drywall to soften and saturate, which then leads to the formation of cracks.
If you have a minor crack, you can easily fix it yourself with drywall compound or spackling paste. However, if the crack is large enough to require a larger tool or materials, call a professional drywall contractor.
Most drywall repair jobs involve scraping away the loose drywall mud and tape, sanding down the surface, and filling the crack with a new drywall compound. The compound will provide a structurally reinforced surface, and the sanding process can ensure that the repair will last long.
One common place to find drywall cracks is at the seams where two pieces of drywall come together. These joints get a layer of drywall tape before the drywall is layered with drywall mud. If the mud is not properly cured or if the tape is lifting, some cracks may occur in these areas as well.
Another place to look for drywall cracks is in the corners of doors and windows. These corners are the most likely places to develop a crack because of the added stress they face when opening and closing.
