How To Properly Repair Damaged Drywall
There certainly are a number of different things that can go wrong with your existing walls so it is important for you to understand how to repair damaged drywall. For the most part, fixing drywall is not going to be a difficult task as most homeowners are only going to be dealing with small holes or dents in the wall. There may also be times whenever larger problems come into play, and you will generally find that, although it does take a little bit more work, the same general principles will apply. Here is how to repair damaged drywall for most of the smaller problems that will exist around the home.
If you have a dent in the drywall, or perhaps a small hole that was left whenever you move the picture, the process of repairing it is quite simple. The first thing that is necessary is for you to make sure that the entire area isn't dented and that there are no areas of the drywall that stick out above the existing drywall surface. If there are, you will need to use a hammer and lightly push them back into the wall so that they can be repaired properly.
Using a small putty knife, begin applying drywall compound or spackling to the area in thin layers. For most small jobs, you will be able to do this in one swipe but if the damage is a little bit deeper, two or three layers may be preferable. Be cautious that you do not overdo it, as it will take more sanding once the spackling dries.
Instead of using sandpaper, which will cause a lot of dust, use a lightly damp sponge in order to smooth the area. Be cautious that you don't overdo it, as the drywall compound will be removed very quickly.
If you have a more difficult problem, such as bubbles in drywall tape, this can also be repaired in a similar fashion. Fixing drywall problems and ceiling drywall repair like this may require that you cut a small area out, particularly if the joint compound is already dry. Apply the spackling or joint compound to the area in a similar manner that was described above. You can then do any sanding that is necessary in order to prepare the drywall for painting. That really is all that there is too repair damaged drywall, and you might find that it is easy enough that you would be comfortable tackling the larger job as well.
The final step in the process when you repair damaged drywall is to paint it. Fixing drywall will often leave a noticeable spot where the paint is not quite the same as the rest of the wall. This is not always because of the older paint fading, but it is often because it was just not applied properly. After priming the spot with the drywall compound, use the tips of your brush to gently dab the area and continue to do so in an increasingly large circle. This will help you to get the same texture and fan the paint out into a larger area so that it will be much less noticeable.
