Importance of Proper Drywall Repair

When something in your home needs repair and you do not have the time or expertise to properly complete the repair it can be tempting to do a “quick fix.” This quick fix may be haphazard or only solve the problem temporarily.

When something in your home needs repair and you do not have the time or expertise to properly complete the repair it can be tempting to do a “quick fix.”  This quick fix may be haphazard or only solve the problem temporarily.  But, as anyone who has done this knows, quick fixes do not often last long or completely solve the problem.  In fact, most of the time that same problem will, in short time, rear its ugly head again and by then the problem may have grown or become more complicated.  Drywall repair may seem fairly straight forward and, when holes or cracks are relatively minimal, people are often tempted by quick fixes and a touch up of paint.  But, drywall repair must be done properly to avoid future problems and to produce the best finished look possible.  If you delay drywall repair or do it incorrectly your home’s walls may literally begin to fall apart.  If your drywall was damaged by water the weight of the water that has been absorbed into the drywall could cause the walls to weaken and pull away from where they should be and, ultimately, it could become as extreme as the roof collapsing in.  Additionally, if you allow the water to damage drywall without properly remedying the situation it could lead to mold.  Two things that are pretty much every homeowner’s nightmare.

Depending on the size of the damage you may need to replace drywall rather than to simply patch it.  For small holes you can likely just patch the hole but for medium or large holes you will likely need to use some drywall metal patch or large piece of dry wall to patch the hole.  A small hole from a nail in the wall is likely easy for any homeowner to handle but larger holes are often out of the depth of knowledge for many homeowners.  When filling a hole in the drywall start by cleaning off rough and loose edges and sanding the area slightly before beginning.  Next, using a putty knife spread compound over the hole and smooth it out.  Allow it to completely dry.  If it shrinks at all when drying, apply a second coat and repeat the process until the hole has been completely filled.  Next, with fine sandpaper, sand the area to create a completely smooth surface.  Now that everything has dried and been properly smoothed it is time to prime and paint.  If you have a paint that has a primer built in then there is no need to prime.  For larger holes the shape of the hole must be traced and then a piece of drywall cut to size and placed in the hole.  Then you will smooth compound in around the seams and apply drywall tape until the seams have completely dried.  Once dry the tape can be removed and then finish and repair as previously discussed with sandpaper and paint.  If you feel uncomfortable with repairing large holes in the wall or want to ensure the structural integrity of yoru home it is best to hire a professional handyman who is experienced and knowledgeable so that the repair can be done right, the first time.