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How
To Repair Your Damaged Drywall/Sheetrock Yourself in the
Shreveport and Bossier, La.
by Donald
Thomas |
After World War II
soldiers returning home took advantage of the G I Bill and a
massive home building program was under way. Prior to the mid 1940s plaster
was the wall and ceiling finish that dominated both housing and
commercial buildings. Plaster
had
adorned the walls and ceilings of
cathedrals, monuments, and mansions for centuries, but
plaster
was slow to installed and only skilled craftsmen could install it.
Plaster contractors couldn't begin to keep up with the huge demand for
wall and ceiling finishes that the new housing boom had created;
something had to be done.
Although drywall
(sheetrock is
really a trade name) had been
invented
in the early 20th century it wasn't until after the housing boom of
returning soldiers in 1945-46 that really gave the drywall industry a
big, big lift. The demand for quick, cheap wall and ceiling finish was
astronomical and drywall cost, installation, and finishing was the
ideal choice. Drywall reached it's zenith during this period and
through the years it has dominated both residential and commercial
sectors as the interior wall/ceiling finish most often used.
However, with all the good qualities that drywall have; nevertheless,
there is a down side to it all. Unlike plaster, drywall can easily be
damaged, even by a kid. Drywall is susceptible to getting holes, dents,
cracks, crevices as well as becoming warped, mildewed, and moldy.
It can be quickly and severely damaged by water/moisture, and
it
can also be a food source for fungi and many different types of
insects.. With all it's vulnerability drywall is still by far the
number one finish for interior walls and ceilings today. But drywall
may need to be repaired over and over again in the course of
its life span.
Hiring a drywall/sheetrock
repair contractor every time
there is a hole
or crack in your walls and/or ceilings can get to be quite expensive
over a long period of time. Leaving holes and/or cracks left unrepaired
not only looks bad but it can prove to be unsafe for many reasons.
Getting your damaged walls and ceilings repaired can be done by the
average homeowner with a few instructions, and like with things
"practice make perfect"
When it comes to repairing
drywall/sheetrock the key to a
successful
job is patience. Yes, patience is a virtue when it comes to repairing
drywall too. Taking your time to do the job correctly is paramount to
even being a skilled craftsman that has years and years of
experience repairing drywall. Remember throughout the drywall
repairing process to take your
time and don't allow yourself to
become
agitated to the point where you lose all of your patience!
First of all we will start with repairing superficial drywall
repairs
that don't require a lot of skill to do. Repairs like small hariline
cracks that are short and not very noticeable but still visible. You
will need a drywall tray and a taping knife to begin with. Okay? Okay.
You are free to choose a plastic tray or a more expensive metal tray
but either one is sufficient. Both will do the job and both
has
the same function; however, my overwhelmong choice is the metal tray. I
love working out of a metal tray although I have worked out of a
plastic tray before. The tray will hold the drywall joint compound that
you will use to cover the crack and drywall tape.
Joint compound or mud as it is often referred to by trade people is
used to seal joints or seams as well as cover cracks and holes. There
are several types of joint compound and each one is more suited for a
particular application than the other. It can come pre mixed or in
powder form that must be mixed with water. In order to apply the joint
compound you will need a drywall taping knife.
Drywall
taping knives comes in serveral
different widths ranging from 4
inches to 6 inches (you free to use a smaller knife or a wider knife if
it feels more comfortable to you). In general, drywall knives can range
from as small as 2 inches to as wide as 24 inches and possibly wider.
But for the sake of simplicity we will focus on the basic tools needed
to repair drywall., and that brings us to selecting a taping knife to
apply the joint compound. I recommend a 4" inch taping knife but you're
welcome to use a 3" inch or a 5 or 6" inch knife. Whatever is more
comfortable for you is the best choice. You really need to be as
comfortable as possible in order to do the best you can do.
When it comes to repairing a hariline crack first of all make sure
there is no bebris around the area; in other words, make sure the area
to be repaired is clean. Apply a liberal amount of joint compound over
the hairline crack before you apply the drywall tape. Applying mud over
the crack or cracks without using drywall tape with almost certainly
guarantee that the crack(s) will surely reappear again. That's why it
is so important to apply the tape over the crack(s) after you have
applied the joint compound over the crack(s).
Once the tape has been embedded into the joint compound press down
firmly with the taping knife on the drywall tape and run the taping
knife up and down the length of the drywall tape. Do this
several
times making sure that all the excess drywall joint compound
is
squeezed from underneathe the tape in order to form a tight bond
between the drywall tape, joint compound, and the hairline
crack/substrate it is covering.
Remove all excess joint compound around the drywall tape with your
taping knife. After the joint compound has dried (usually from 10 to 24
hours) you will be ready to begin bedding down the drywall tape, or
phase two of repairing a hariline crack(s). This should be done with a
wider drywall knife; for example, I prefer to bed down the tape with a
10" inch knife or in some cases an 8" inch drywall knife will suffice.
In this particular step I want to make sure that the drywall tape is
adequately covered.
Again, spread the joint compound liberally then clean the edges with
your drywall knife. After the joint compound has dried you probably
will need to sand the bedded area to get it smooth and flat with the
surrounding drywall. The objective is to make the repair look totally
invisible; sure, this take time and practice but you have to begin
somewhere.
In order to sand the joint compound you will need a drywall sanding (or
drywall hand sander) pad and/or a drywall sanding pole that will allow
you to reach the ceilings and/or give you leaverage when sanding a
wall. Drywall sanding tools and material can be picked up at
practically any home improvement center, hardware store, and paint
stores.
In my opinion, sanding is an art form in and of itself; however, again,
there is a starting point for every thing so take your time and be
patient and try not to sand all the joint compound from covering the
tape. But at the same time try and remove the joint compound build up
that make the repair(s) stand out. Once you have finished sanding
you're ready for the final step.
The final step in repairing hairline cracks is floating out the repair
area. What does floating out mean? It means to spread the joint
compound over the repair area just like before but this time make it
even wider. That's right. This time you will need a wider drywall
knife. You will need a 12" inch drywall knife or wider, but a 12"
drywall finishing knife is sufficient to give you a wider coverage.
Here again, the objective is to conceal the immediate repair area by
spreading the joint compound over a wider area. You can continue to
increase the width of the float by using a wider drywall knife (14"
inch or larger) and/or using your 12" inch in such a way that it
creates a wider float.
After you have done this; again, wait until the joint compound
completely dries and repeat sanding. When you finish sanding, the
repaired area should be almost invisible--even to you. Now for sure, it
takes time to become really proficient at this type of craft but you
can do a decent job the first time around. I have seen it done so I
know for a fact the first time can be a success!
Continue to follow this unique series on giving an in depth
tutorial "How To Repair
Damaged Drywall in
Shreveport and
Bossier City, La" Thanks,
and we look forward to your return.
II
If
you reside in
the Baton Rouge area feel free to contact us Call American
Painting and
Pressure Cleaning, Inc. (318)
746-1810
or (318)
677-9055 for all your
drywall/sheetrock repair projects. We also offer carpentry
repairs; kitchen
cabinets staining and varnishing; kitchen cabinets painting; exterior
(doors) staining and varnishing; deck restoration and rejuvenation;
drywall (sheetrock) finishing; drywall (sheetrock) installation;
drywall (sheetrock) texturing; popcorn
ceiling removal; plaster restoration and plaster repairs; historic home
restoration and repairs plus flooring.
We are also interior residential
(house) painters as well as exterior residential (house) painters and
so much more. For almost thirty years we have been providing homeowners
and commercial property owners with quality craftsmanship along with
down home friendly service. Thanks Shreveport. Thanks Bossier City.
Thanks Minden and all the surrounding areas. If you reside in the
Minden area feel free to contact us at (318)
371-1005.Again, thanks.
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| American Painting
and Pressure
Cleaning, Inc. provide quality craftsmanship alond with down home
friendly service to the following areas also: Keithville, Frierson,
Stonewall, Blanchard, Caddo Parish, Mansfield, DeRidder, Benton,
Haughton, Bossier Parish, Sarepta, Springhill,
Cotton Valley, Shongaloo, Webster Parish, Haynesville, Homer, Lisbon,
Claiborne Parish, Athens, Arcadia,
Ringgold,
Gibsland, Beinville Parish, Ruston, Simmboro,Grambling, Heflin,
Doyline, Sibley, and all throughout Lincoln Parish. |
Disclaimer:
The author
of this article assumes no responsibility for any and all injuries that
might occur due to the content of this article or any other article
written by him. This article is for the sole purpose of informing and
entertaining. Please contact a reputable contractor in your area. Thank
you.
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American Painting
and Pressure Cleaning, Inc.
"Where
Quality Is Not An Option"
Call
(318) 746-1810 or
(318) 677-9055
In Minden call us (318) 371-1005
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drywall/sheetrock
repairs
plaster repairs
carpentry repairs
deck restoration
flooring (ceramic tile, porcelain, travertine, marble, engineered wood
and laminate) installation
interior/exterior painting
complete
drywall/sheetrock repairs |
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