Wallboard Repair

Wallboard is a popular building material which is found on the interior walls of several modern homes. It is also a synonym for gypsum board, drywall or sheetrock. It consists of a layer of gypsum sandwiched between two thick layers of paper. There are so many advantages associated with wallboard. Like, it is a fire resistant material, the wall paints adhere to the wallboard really well and so on. The problem with wallboard is that even though it is durable it tends to get holes and dents on its surface very easily. The only solution to such problems is wallboard repair.

How to Repair Wallboard

When you are repairing the wallboard on your own, you have to ensure that it is done in such a way that it blends well with the rest of the board. In order to obtain this kind of professional finish, you have to purchase a wallboard repair kit. It consists of all essential tools that are needed for the wallboard repair job. They are: a set of finishing knives, drywall hammer, wallboard nails and screws, hacksaw, trowel, mud pan, all purpose joint compound, sanding tools, etc.

Repairing Dents on Wallboard
This is the simplest repair job. First of all, sand the dented surface with the help of a medium grit sandpaper. Next, you have to cover up the dent with joint compound or mud. Prepare the joint compound as per the guidelines provided on its label. The consistency of the mud should neither be too tight nor thin. Take some joint compound in a trowel and apply it on the dented wallboard in the form of thin layer. Allow this first coat to cure thoroughly before you apply the second coat. This way you have to apply multiple layers of the compound until the dent is concealed. Finally, sand down the repaired area with a sandpaper to make its surface smooth.

Repairing Small Holes on Wallboard
Small holes on wallboard tend to accumulate a lot of dust and dirt. Therefore, before you repair the hole, you must clean up the area. Use a brush to remove all loose dirt and debris from the hole. Then you have to seal it up with joint compound. Prepare the mud in the same way as discussed in the previous section. Use a putty knife to fill the mud inside the hole. Wait until the filler is completely dry. Then sand the area with a gentle hand to smoothen up the surface.

Repairing Large Holes on Wallboard
The difficulty level of repairing a large hole of diameter 3 inches or more is quite high. It involves patching up the damaged portion with a new piece of wallboard. Take a T-square to mark a rectangle around the hole. Now, cut this marked portion of the wallboard with the help of a drywall saw. Measure the width of the opening of the wallboard thus formed. Take two wood strips slightly longer than the width of this opening and install them at the back of the wallboard using wallboard screws. These strips will act as support for the repair patch. Cut a wallboard patch whose dimension is one-eighth inch smaller than the rectangular opening of the wallboard. Apply wallboard glue at the back of the wallboard piece and on the front of the wood strips. Place the patch on the opening and press it gently so that it fits well into the gap. Secure it to the wall studs with screws. Then cover up the joints of the patch with the help of mesh tape. Apply a number of thin layers of joint compound over the tape. Allow the joint compound to dry up properly for the next 24 hours and then sand its surface.

If you implement all these drywall and wallboard repair tips, you can finish off this home improvement project in a matter of few hours. After the applied compound is dried and sanded, you should apply a primer and paint on the repaired portion or on the entire board so that the repair work becomes completely invisible. If you are painting only a small section of the wallboard, make sure that the color of the paint is the same as the rest of the wallboard.