Drywall Repair Considerations

There are numerous reasons why someone would be looking for drywall repairs. Just today I was getting a sandwich at a local eatery and a group of teenagers were bragging about how they had just finished repairing the walls from a party that got out of hand and were hoping that their parents wouldn’t notice when they returned; I wonder who will be more surprised.

Doors are notorious for having a grudge against drywall. People have been known to poke, punch or even fall through sheetrock at various stages of life. If you have decided to rent a property, you may be getting a tough education in just how many odd and sundry damages can occur to walls. Perhaps you have purchased your first home and are noticing some cracking or nail pops – check your contract, a good portion of that should be covered in your initial warranty.

Regardless of the source of the damage to your drywall, you now have to decide whether it is worth spending your time to repair these areas or if you will hire someone else to complete the task for you. Whether you are doing the repairs yourself or discussing the cost with contractors, you may find these points helpful:

1) Nothing is perfect, primarily you are creating the perception of perfection, when repairing even a small damage you will want to flare your repair area so as to get a greater surface absorbing the repair. This will help to divert the eye from inconsistencies that even the best repair can leave behind.

2) If the sheetrock is broken, heavily cracked or noticeably uneven you most likely will need to remove and re-inforce a section behind the wall board. I have found that 1″x3″ pine is a great resource in providing a firm backing and plenty of room to fasten the repaired section to existing drywall. There are some re-inforced surface patching materials, but unless you are used to working with these they can be difficult to texture.

3) Hot muds (joint compounds that have a set drying time) and aerosol textures are great for smaller areas. When working with hot mud, check the label and give yourself plenty of time before the material hardens because they tend to be a little harder to tool and difficult to sand. The aerosol textures are great for small repairs as they save you from having to get your texturing equipment out and dry much faster than conventional texture.