- You can't patch a loose or dusty surface. Remove bits of drywall, backing paper and dust. A handheld vacuum is useful. Use a utility knife to cut rough edges of the drywall backing paper. If you try to tear it, it may cause more damage by tearing off the surrounding top layer of paint.
- Cover the wall first with a mesh surface, and then apply joint compound which will dry to a solid surface. Use mesh adhesive tape, available in the drywall section of hardware stores. Mesh tape sticks directly to the walls and is stronger than traditional drywall paper tape. Cover the hole with a layer of mesh tape that extends an inch beyond the edge of the hole. Make sure the tape is taunt. Loose tape will sag when you cover it with compound and will take longer to dry.
Use joint compound and a putty knife to cover the tape. Stir the compound before you apply it to get rid of lumps. Spread compound past the edge of the tape. It should be thick enough to hide the mesh, but no thicker than that. The goal is to leave a smooth wall, and too much compound will require extra sanding to avoid leaving a bump in the wall. - It will take about 24 hours until the joint compound dries completely. Make sure all the compound has dried to the same color. Damp compound will be darker than the surrounding areas. Sand the repaired area until it is smooth. Drywall dust is a very fine powder and can be difficult to eliminate. Before you sand, spread drop cloths and turn off fans. Vacuum as soon as you finish sanding.
Apply a second, thinner layer of compound. Extend this layer beyond the edges of the repair to hide the seams. Sand when it dries, and repeat with a third layer if the wall isn't smooth.
The final step in patching a hole is to hide the repair. Dust the wall thoroughly after the final sanding. Apply a primer to the treated area, allow it to dry and paint the surface.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -