How to Repair Drywall Damage

It’s only a matter of time until your drywall gets damaged in some way. And if the damage is severe enough (i.e. water damage behind the wall), your best bet is to call drywall repair professionals to amend the issue. But when it comes to standard forms of drywall damage, like scratches, dents, and minor holes, you can probably tackle the repairs on your own. You might be surprised at how simple it can be. Let’s go over how to go about repairing drywall damage in seven easy steps.

1. Diagnose the Damage

First, inspect the problem at hand, as this will inform the rest of the repair process and the tools you’ll need. If you’re looking at a scuff or scratch, you might be able to fix the problem by sanding, cleaning, and/or painting over the mark. Stress cracks from a shifting foundation can be repaired by spraying them with a crack repair solution. These are the most minor forms of drywall damage, of course. For everything else, you’ll need to use additional tools and techniques. To cover your bases, you should have at your disposal:

• Dropcloth
• Sandpaper
• Utility knife
• Putty knife
• Joint compound/spackling paste/putty
• Drywall patch kit
• Drywall/joint tape
• Extra drywall material
• Hammer
• Screws
• Drywall saw
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Drywall screws
• Primer and paint
• Paintbrush/roller

2. Fill in Dents with Spackle

Small dents can be fixed easily. Using your putty knife, scrape away any loose debris and apply your joint compound or spackle to fill the hole. After the paste has dried, go over it with more spackle if necessary and let that dry as well.

3. Patch Up Small Holes with a Kit

Holes in your drywall that are about the size of a doorknob are relatively easy to fix, too. All you need is a drywall patch kit, which should contain the materials you need, including a patch, small putty knife, joint compound, and sandpaper. Of course, it’s always good to have extra materials on hand. Place the adhesive patch over the hole, coat it with spackle in a criss-cross pattern, feather the edges, and let it dry as before.

4. Replace Larger Holes with New Drywall

Much of the process outlined above applies to larger drywall holes, too. The main difference is that instead of using a simple patch found inside a kit, you’ll want to fill the hole with a new piece of drywall. This process is commonly known as the California Patch. You’ll want to cut out a piece of drywall about two inches larger than the hole in question and score the back evenly so there’s excess paper backing. Then, hold the piece over the hole, trace around the gypsum with a pencil, cut around the hole with a drywall saw, and insert the new piece of drywall after covering the paper backing with joint compound. Once the new piece of drywall is secure, the rest of the process is the same as for a small patch job.

5. Reinforce the New Drywall if Necessary

In some instances, typically if a drywall hole is particularly large or deep, you may need to reinforce the new piece of drywall with some furring strips, which should be placed inside the cut hole on both sides and secured with screws. The patch should then be secured to the furring strips with more screws. To cover up the screws, cover them with strips of joint tape before going over the whole patch with joint compound.

6. Sand Smooth

After you’ve filled your dent and/or patched your holes of various sizes, you want to make sure the repair is smooth and flush with the rest of the wall. It’s a good idea to sand in between coats of compound if more than one coat is needed. For this intermittent sanding, use an 80-100 grit sandpaper. When sanding the final coat, use a 100-120 grit sandpaper for a smoother finish.

7. Properly Prime and Paint the Repair

Your drywall repair job isn’t complete until no trace of a repair remains. As such, you or your interior painting services should prime and paint the area in question, using the exact same brand, color, and sheen of paint as before so the repaired areas match the rest of the wall. If you don’t have extra paint on hand, or you can’t remember what type was used previously, seek help from professional interior house painters or a local hardware store that offer color matching services.

Get the Job Done Right

By following the seven steps above, just about anyone can make their drywall look good as new. Still, certain repair jobs are more challenging than others, and even the simplest ones can seem intimidating. So, if you need help repairing and/or painting your drywall, don’t hesitate to hire a reliable Nashville painting company that offers these services and more. Nash Painting is committed to enhancing, restoring, and transforming homes and businesses in every way possible. To learn more about us, our services, and our values, call us at 615-829-6858 today!