Drywall is considered an ideal material for leveling walls. However, during repairs, as well as during the operation of the premises, the gypsum board can be damaged. Let's find out how to fix a hole in drywall and repair other damage so that you don't waste your time and money replacing the whole sheet.
Assessment of the extent of damage and remedies
Any building material has its weaknesses. Drywall in this case is no exception, its weak point is fragility. The most common problems encountered during operation are:
- cracks;
- chips;
- holes.
Crack repair
Most often, cracking of drywall sheets is observed in new apartments. The reason is shrinkage of walls and load-bearing structures. You can solve the problem in the following way:
- If the crack is small, then deepen it a little.
- Special putty for drywallused for processing seams, cover the recess.
Important! In the case of deep cracks, fiberglass is used as a reinforcing material.
- The surface is then sanded and finished.
Chip removal
If chips appear on the gypsum board, the problem area must be fastened with a special plaster tape. The damage is cleaned, the tape is fixed and puttied. The dried surface is ground and the necessary finishing is carried out.
Repairing a hole in drywall with your own hands
A hole in drywall can be formed from impact or getting wet. The largest damage requires major repairs. Regardless of the cause of the hole, it is necessary to start repairing it immediately.
Work materials
Pre-prepared tools and materials will allow you to fix the problem quickly, without being distracted by trifles. You will need:
- Pencil and ruler.
- Knife for cutting drywall.
- Self-tapping screws and screwdriver.
- Putty (for seams and finishing) and a spatula for its application.
- Fiberglass mesh tape and PVA glue.
- Finishing material.
In addition, you need to stock up on wooden blocks or slats of small length and a piece of drywall.
Stages of work
Despite some complexity of the process, following the sequence in the work allows you to close the hole in the drywall with your own hands.
[smartcontrol_youtube_shortcode key="how to fix a hole in drywall" cnt="4" col="2" shls="true"]Stage number 1. We put a patch
At the first stage, it is necessary to determine the area of damage to drywall and assess its condition. If the hole was formed as a result of getting wet, then you need to identify limp places. When a hole appears as a result of an impact, the region of crack propagation is determined.
- Finding weak spots around the hole, they are removed. To do this, using a ruler and a pencil, a rectangle is drawn around the hole, within the boundaries of which there is a cracked or wet area.
- Using a knife, cut out the damaged GKL element.
- The perimeter of the cut hole is ground at an angle of 45 °.
- Next, a rectangle is drawn on the drywall blank, corresponding to the size of the cut piece. Its edges are also cut off at 45 °.
- Using a knife or a special file, a patch is cut out exactly along the contour.
- Measure out wooden blocks. Their length should be 4–5 centimeters longer than the hole on the drywall.
- The bars are inserted into the hole, fitted to the back of the drywall and attached to it with self-tapping screws. The bar must be attached both at the top and at the bottom. For ease of use, the bars are held by hand from the back. The result should be a kind of crate.
- A prepared patch from a piece of drywall is drilled to a crate of bars.
It is desirable that the screws that secure the patch are located in its corners.
Stage number 2. We strengthen the surface
Now it is necessary to give the repaired surface an aesthetic appearance and strengthen it. To do this, you need a fiberglass mesh tape. It is glued to a pre-primed and dried patch using PVA glue. Wait for the glue to dry before continuing.
Stage number 3. We prepare the site for finishing
At this stage, puttying of the repaired area begins.
- The surface is primed, waiting for drying.
- The prepared putty is applied to the surface with a spatula. First, the seams are carefully covered, and then the putty is applied to the entire treated area.
- The treated surface remains until the putty is completely dry.
- Using sandpaper, grind and level the repaired surface. It is important to remove all unnecessary strokes of putty, achieving smoothness.
After re-priming, the surface is ready for finishing.
Tips & Tricks
In order not to be disappointed in the work done, before closing a hole in drywall, you need to remember a few important points:
- To evenly cut off the GKL, you need to make deep cuts on cardboard on both sides of it. Then, sharply pressing on the material, break the plaster base.
- The drywall hole and patch can be cut into a triangle or circle shape. The main thing is not to create unnecessary problems in the work.
- Self-tapping screws used to fasten the patch must be made of stainless steel. This will prevent the appearance of rust spots on the surface, which are very difficult to disguise.
- You can fix the patch on the bars or slats using special glue. The result of the work will remain unchanged.
- A piece of plastic or a piece of metal profile can replace wooden bars or slats.
Now you know how to fix a hole in drywall yourself. This process is within the power of any novice master, the main thing is timely and high-quality work.
