Sunday, September 15, 2013

Patching Drywall Made Easy

By Brian Winters


Seeing holes, bumps and dents in your drywall is normal since it is the most common material used in covering walls and ceilings. Taking immediate action prevents you from encountering unnecessary disasters in the future. Contact your local drywall specialist if you think you cannot handle repairing it on your own.

It is important to take safety precautions before performing drywall repairs. Wear protective goggles, gloves, footwear and dust mask before repairing your drywall. Use plastic sheets or cloth to cover all the furniture inside the room to protect them from dust particles. Secure the area and do not allow anyone to enter the room until the repair is finished.

With a utility knife, scrape the remaining plaster and panel edges of the hole for an even surface. Once the edges are removed, fill the hole with a generous amount of joint compound until it sets. This will serve as your base coating before applying a finishing compound. If the consistency of the mud is too loose, use a newspaper to support the compound temporarily.

Lay a fiberglass tape over the hole and around its edges. Mesh tapes are self-adhesive while paper tapes require drywall mud for sticking. Apply a new layer of base coating to conceal all the tape pieces. Thin coating is required to be able to blend it with the existing drywall. Once dry, use a sanding block to flush the repaired area with the drywall. Use a damp cloth to wipe the dust particles accumulating.

If you think the surface area is not that smooth, apply a new layer of joint compound until it blends with the existing drywall. You may have to apply layers of drywall mud if you over sand the drywall panel. For a smooth and even surface, experts recommend leaving the mud overnight for it to dry properly.

You can now start finishing the panel by applying a premixed finishing compound. Make sure to flush it with your old drywall to conceal the repair. Before painting, sand the surface area for the last time to lessen the texture. Wipe the dust particles before painting the drywall patch.

It is important to prime the repaired area with a coat of one or two before painting it since drywall compounds can dry up the paint easily. Make sure to choose the exact paint color of your existing drywall to match the patched drywall naturally. Conceal the drywall patch as much as possible to avoid making it look bumpy or unnatural.

You can always ask a specialist for help when it's time to repair and patch your drywall. Attempting to repair it on your own can worsen the problem and lead to costly drywall repairs. Call your local technicians and let them handle your drywall concerns right away.




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