How to Fix Water-damaged Drywall in Just 4 Steps
August 26, 2021
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How to Fix Water-damaged Drywall in Just 4 Steps
Regardless of how careful you are, your drywall will eventually get some defect that will require you to repair it. Drywall, popular known as sheetrock, is mainly made from gypsum, which makes it dry and absorbs water easily. This may make them a little tedious to repair when damaged by water, but you need not worry.
Tools you need to fix water-damaged drywall.
There may be others, but you will need these tools to fix your water damaged drywall:
- Spackle
- Drill
- Pencil
- Putty Knife
- Joint Tape(drywall tape/ mesh tape/ paper tape)
- Drywall Saw
- Sanding Sponge
- Drywall Screws
- Drywall Scraps
- Joint Compound
- Drywall Patch Kit (Including Self-Adhesive Mesh Patch)
- Furring Strips .75 “x 2″–1″ x 4”)
Steps in fixing your water damaged drywall
Before you start repairing your water-damaged drywall, you need to note the electrical, plumbing, and other fittings in the area. If there is an electrical fitting, you need to be cautious of it or just switch off the power of the house till you are done. And if the water-damaged drywall was due to a leak, you must fix it.
Step 1: Dry the drywall
Water-damaged drywall repair is different. Sometimes, the drywall bulges or sags as a result of the water that has accumulated behind it. In such cases, you have to puncture it to let the water out. After this, provided you have repaired the leak, you wait till the drywall dries, then you sandpaper the mold.
Step 2: Cut out the affected area
In some cases, the repair ends at step 1 if the drywall goes back to its flat shape and it is just painted to blend. Otherwise, the affected area is cut out. Make sure you cut out a rectangle or square that is slightly bigger than the water-damaged drywall area. This will make it easy to cut a drywall replacement fit and apply the joint compound and the paint to blend.
If the water-damaged drywall is part of your ceiling and the area is more than 12 inches, you should remove the entire section so the drywall replacement conveniently lays on the joists upon repair. This is because drywalls are quite heavy. However, anything less than 12 inches can be held in place with screws.
Step 3: Measure and cut replacement
Measure the equivalent of the size you cut out. Place the replacement drywall and make sure it has good support for the screws. Then, drill in the screws to hold it in place. Also, screw outside the replacement to the support to hold the replacement well.
Step 4: Fill seams, blend, and paint.
Place drywall tapes or mesh tapes over the seams and apply joint compound from the seams away up to 4 – 6 inches on both sides. Then, blend till it looks neat. Wait for 8 to 24 hours, then sandpaper. Clean away the dust and apply primer before you paint.
Conclusion
Water-damaged drywall repair is easier to do yourself when the affected area is small. Bigger areas are best done by experts. Therefore, it is best you inspect your home often for drywall damages.