Save Some Dollars By DIY’ing Your Drywall Repair
Don’t call a so-called expert when it’s just a hole in the wall that needs to be fixed. This repair is an easy one – one that you can fix yourself. The following advice will help you to repair the small or large hole in your wall.
Just a little bit of preparation needs to be done before you start fixing that hole in the wall. Firstly, gather all the tools you will require to make the repair. This will include coarse and fine grit sandpaper, compound and putty knives. If the hole is bigger in size, then you will probably need drywall, drywall nails and screws as well as a trowel. Ensure the area around the hold is clean before beginning so the compound will stick to the wall..
Smaller holes like the ones made by nails and screws can be easily filled in with putty and a putty knife. Filling in a hole where a switch plate used to be takes a little more work. Put some crumpled up newspaper into the hole so the putty has something to adhere to and then smooth it over with a putty knife that is bigger than the hole. After thoroughly drying out, then you can sand off the rough spots to ensure a perfect finish before painting.
When you have a medium size hole which can be defined as no larger than 10 inches, a hot patch is required. This is done by cutting a piece of drywall about the size and shape of the hole, then applying drywall tape to the edges folded up like a tab so it can adhere to the wall. Then apply drywall compound to the whole area and repeat three or four times until it is smooth and even.
When you have a medium size hole, you are pretty well rebuilding a full piece of wall. Start off by taking away the damaged drywall. Remove it from one stud to the other. Now cut another piece of drywall approximately the same size as the new opening. Attach this to the studs with drywall nails or screws. Try to keep the seams as little as possible to avoid trying to fill in gaps later. Apply drywall tape to the seams and then apply putty with a putty knife or trowel. Let the area dry for atleast 24 hours before sanding down the bumps and rough spots on the surface. Repeat this procedure once or twice more to ensure that the new part of the wall is flush with the old part of the wall.
Be easy on the spackling. Do not apply large amounts of compound thinking it will save you from applying more coats when it is dry. Apply compound in small amounts three or four times and let dry between applications. This is how your work can look like it was done by a professional. Don’t get frustrated if you still having trouble with your DIY drywall project – just hire a local handyman to help you – cheaper then higher a professional drywall contractor.
