Saving Homeowners Money: How to Do Your Own Home Repairs
In this piece I will demonstrate different types of drywall repairs. The most common issue with drywall is screw pops or nails. As a house settles you will notice from time to time an area on your wall where a screw or nail has popped. Sometimes the compound will flake off and sometimes a screw or nail will be protruding out. The easiest way to fix this problem is to scrape the area clean of any loose material and tap the nail in with a hammer. If it were a screw I would recommend using a Phillips screw driver and tighten the screw securely. Keeping in mind you want the screw or nail just below the paper surface of the drywall. I would recommend using Durabond 90 for your first application; this will reduce shrinking.
With a six-inch compound knife and a pan mix a little of the Durabond with water until a good dough like consistency is reached. Durabond can be purchased at most construction supply stores. On your first move apply some compound to your six-inch knife and smooth it on the affected area of the wall. Now wipe your knife clean on both sides using the edge of your pan and proceed to cleaning up the affected area. Allow this application to dry for ninety minutes and it should be solid to the touch. Once it is dry, lightly scrape the area using the six-inch knife. Applying the second coat is much the same process, but choose a different compound such as light weight easy sand or an all purpose compound. It is possible for this to be the final coat but make sure it is clean of debris and scratches. Once this has dried you are ready for some light sanding. Make sure that you sand any edges or high areas down to a consistent level with the wall. Your ready for paint!
Another issue often encountered is stress cracks. These are cracks in the drywall generally located above doorways or in areas where the mitered edges of trim come together. Stress cracks can happen anywhere this is just the most common. A lot of times on tray ceilings if the drywall was not properly installed you end up with a crack right at the ninety degree point where it all comes together. In diagnosing these cracks and preparing for repair there are a few observations one should make. First of all, in the area of the crack push on the drywall testing to see if it’s loose. If it is loose and you are confident there is more movement than should be it may be necessary to apply some screws or nails. Once the area is clear of loose materials I recommend taking a razor knife and widening the crack. I do this by cutting each side of the crack forming a V or deep channel.
Using a ten inch knife or trowel gauge the crack by this I am meaning place the knife against the wall where the crack is right in the middle of your knife. Now is the knife rocking back and forth or can you see a clear void in the middle? This should tell you where you need to apply your compound to bring the wall up to a level status and will also be hidden best when painted. You are now ready to apply the mesh tape. This is a fiberglass tape with an adhesive side on one. Once again I would recommend using Durabond 90 for this procedure’s first step. This procedure could take several coats. Something to keep in mind when applying coats: your re-application of coats should always cover the coat previously applied. Once you have the wall sufficiently leveled you may apply a thinner coat called the skim coat. You should always allow ample time between coats. This will ensure your previous application is dry. You should always use an easy sand able compound for your final coat and the Durabond should have had at least 16 hours to fully cure, otherwise you could end up with little air bubbles in your final coat. A little light sanding and you are once again ready for paint!
In this paragraph we are going to discuss ways of fixing corner bead issues. The corner bead used in your home should be a flexible type of metal found on the outside corners of walls, soffits, windows, and tray ceilings. Sometimes do to settling and age these corners will have very fine line cracks. These cracks should be prepared the same way as a stress crack. Once you have the tape on you should once again use your Durabond 90 and coat in your affected area. The size of knife you will use for different procedures varies. It’s always very important to gauge your crack or corner bead to determine where a high side is and a low side is. Applying the compounds to the right area is essential for the best finish. Even the best finishers sometimes don’t apply the proper amounts of compound to hide the damaged area. Once you feel you have the wall leveled out its time for a tight skim coat and when it’s dried a little light sanding.
The next area we are going to cover is water damage. This can happen for many reasons such examples are a leaking pipe behind the drywall, a leaking roof, floods, and other natural disasters. Depending how extent the damage is this may be an area that an expert may be needed. Lets just concentrate on a leaking pipe. First of all the drywall that is damaged needs to be removed. I recommend doing this with a handsaw and the use of a chalk box. You should make measurements keeping in mind most wall framing runs sixteen inches on center. Make your measurements and remove the drywall as a square piece. Once this is accomplished we must first determine where and what is causing the moisture. Be sure you allow enough time to allow areas to dry out.
Repair the leak and in preparation to replace the drywall if any wood support or framing is needed add that now. Once that is complete get your measurements for the drywall and proceed to install the wallboard. You may begin applying drywall paper faced tape to your patch. After taping is completed apply first coat, using Durabond 90. In order to achieve high results on your finished product several coats may be necessary. When you feel confident that the surface is ready for paint, lightly sand your work. The nice thing about doing drywall repairs if your walls or ceilings are not up to your standards you can spot the trouble areas and rework them until satisfied.
