If you’ve lived in a home long enough you know that eventually there are going to be some unsightly holes or cracks in the drywall that need to be repaired ASAP. Fortunately, sheetrock repair is not a difficult task to take on and can be done with a few simple tools. Here are the steps to follow to easily repair drywall at home.
- The first step when repairing your own sheetrock is to remove the damaged part of the wall. If you are dealing with a hole, you will need to cut around the entire hole with a utility knife to remove all the damaged material. For cracks, you can gouge out the crack with a putty or utility knife, removing any flaking or peeling sheetrock.
- For small holes less than 2 inches in diameter you may use a sheetrock adhesive-backed mesh tape to cover the hole. Using your putty knife, smooth the tape across the hole, overlapping slightly with 2 or 3 sections of tape. For larger holes, you will want to cut a piece of sheetrock to fit inside the hole. Then use drywall screws to secure it to the stud. If the hole is between studs you will need to slide two strips of plywood or scrap wood into the hole and secure it to the sheetrock. You can then screw the new piece of sheetrock into the wood strips. Once the new piece is secure you can cover the joints with the mesh tape. For wall cracks, simply smooth the mesh tape over crack without overlapping.
- Using a putty knife you will then smooth a layer of joint compound over the mesh tape. To avoid a lump in the wall spread the joint compound out at least double the area of the repair. Let the joint compound dry overnight for easy sanding.
- Once dry, lightly sand down the rough edges with 80-grit drywall sandpaper. Then apply a second coat of joint compound, spreading the mud as evenly and smoothly as possible while removing air bubbles. Let the compound dry overnight once again.
- Once the joint compound is dry you can give it a final sanding with 120-grit drywall sandpaper. Be careful to not sand too deeply and hit the tape or you will need to apply another coat of joint compound to cover the exposed tape. If you notice any air bubbles you should take a small amount of joint compound and fill in the holes, as they will be noticeable after you paint the wall.
Although it may take a little patience and practice, easy sheetrock repair can be performed in a weekend for the average homeowner.