DIY

1/2 inch drywall that was duck taped to the wall. What now?

1/2 inch drywall that was duck taped to the wall. What now?
1/2 inch drywall that was duck taped to the wall. What now?
1/2 inch drywall that was duck taped to the wall. What now?

This patch was cut out and replaced by the previous homeowners, but we want to repaint the entire house so this needs fixed. It was attached using duck tape so that tore up the paper a bit.

I plan to put wood behind to secure the patch to and use drywall screws. I also have some drywall tape and primer.

What’s the correct process to get this fixed?

https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1lviuh9
Reddit

Discussion

ngjb

Cover the cut area first with some joint compound (plaster) and then joint tape (paper) followed by another layer of joint compound and let it dry. Then lightly sand it down (as necessary) and put another thin layer until you have a smooth finish.

13 hours ago
Ex-maven

Adding:  When ready to paint, apply primer/sealer to the freshly repaired surfaces before painting.  If you don't, you may experience paint adhesion problems 

13 hours ago
John_Bot_ OP

I have a gallon of Killz Primer for this reason, and to prime other spots where I patched small nail holes. Thank you!

13 hours ago
PhilpotBlevins

Prime the paper with this before joint compound.

12 hours ago
bears-eat-beets

I've never heard of doing this. Is this a thing? I've just worked the drywall until it's as smooth as I want, and then slap up primer feathering out to the clean painted parts.

8 hours ago
PhilpotBlevins

Just the damaged paper part. Can cause adhesion issues, but you do what makes you happy. It is a thing by the way.

7 hours ago
bears-eat-beets

Interesting! I didn't mean to come off sounding condescending, I had never heard of it. Today I Learned....

7 hours ago
PhilpotBlevins

You didn't and same here. Sometimes advice against what's worked forever is avoided. Painting the damaged paper is just a finer point of the craft, and I've done many repairs without doing it. It seemed like the damaged area from OP was extensive relative to the patch, and they already have the primer, so thought it was a good idea.

7 hours ago
bears-eat-beets

That spot will definitely take 2 gallons.

/s (it will take about a tablespoon)

8 hours ago
Putrid_Try_5751

Is that primer and sealer or is it primer or sealer? Or is it a combo primer-sealer?

11 hours ago
Circuit_Guy

One more... It was duct taped. Make sure it's actually attached before the next step. If it's just floating it'll be easy to knock out.

Common methods are screwed into a stud (just one screw is fine for this small patch) or sometimes glued with a paint stir stick glued to adjacent sides and the back of the repair piece.

9 hours ago
infiniZii

Ugh. No dont apply joint compound directly to exposed paper like this. You need to prime the paper first. Preferably after sanding the paper as smooth as you can get it.

Sand the paper, prime the paper then apply joint compound. If you dont prime the paper the joint compound will not properly bond to the surface.

12 hours ago
laraa237

THIS!! Get an oil-based primer spray (like Kilz) and spray the exposed paper generously. This will prevent the paper from bubbling. Once the primer dries you can proceed as normal and use joint compound and tape.

11 hours ago
turymtz

How does one prime paper?

12 hours ago
infiniZii

You put primer on it.

11 hours ago
JelloKittie

11 hours ago
RealTimeKodi

Jumping in to add: that third coat should be wide. Like wider than you think it should be. 8-10 inches past the tape on all sides feathered down.

11 hours ago
John_Bot_ OP

Thanks for the info! No need to prime the torn paper to prevent bubbles with the plaster?

13 hours ago
aircooledJenkins

Absolutely prime the torn paper.

13 hours ago
YinzJagoffs

Absolutely. I always use this spray. It’s available at most home centers

https://a.co/d/fxj4Fg5

12 hours ago
aircooledJenkins

Oil based spray on primer. That's the right stuff.

12 hours ago
CinephileNC25

You’ll be wanting to put a coat of compound over the whole thing. That’s the only way to make it blend in.

12 hours ago
Imaginary_Dingo_

You should also apply primer sealer to the brown drywall paper before the joint compound. The brown paper will absorb moisture from the mud and likely bubble without it.

12 hours ago
shifty_coder

Use a razor blade to scrape off any loose paper first.

12 hours ago
TailRudder

No no no no. Primer the paper first.

40 minutes ago
mogrifier4783

Vancouver Carpenter: How to patch drywall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQRSatFQfK8

13 hours ago
unalivezombie

This man is a drywall artist.

11 hours ago
jstndgaf

This is the best drywall guy on YouTube.

13 hours ago
CrazyLegsRyan

13 hours ago
superman859

once secured with wood I would apply pro-999 or similar sealer to the paper, tape sides and mud. sand and paint. The standard process except most DIY folk including myself not too far in the past may forget to seal paper properly and then be struggling against bubbles for the rest of the process popping through the finish

13 hours ago
StackAttack12

White duct tape

13 hours ago
John_Bot_ OP

I shit you not that’s what was there before! Haha I found the actual roll of tape in the garage in some drawers.

12 hours ago
tubbleman

Along similar lines, hang a picture/art overtop, lol.

10 hours ago
StackAttack12

Hahaha, good old landlord special!

12 hours ago
feldoneq2wire

Poor duck.

12 hours ago
catnip-catnap

In addition to the tip about Vancouver Carpenter youtube videos, look into "Zinsser Gardz Problem Surface Sealer" - it's for sealing the torn paper, which can otherwise suck the moisture out of the drywall mud too quickly and prevent it from adhering properly.

12 hours ago
CandyCamel8485

Skim sand prime paint

10 hours ago
aMazingMikey

Is it held in place by anything or just loosely sitting in place? If it's held in place you can just mud it and paint over it. If it's not, you need to look into methods for holding it in place - there are several. Check YouTube for 'drywall patching'.

13 hours ago
thats_Rad_man

Mud 😎👍

11 hours ago
RobinsonCruiseOh

California patch:
https://youtube.com/shorts/MYyN_h-X5vE?si=uyOb72ldz5T02dJ7

12 hours ago
zanhecht

No need to buy new drywall when there's already perfectly cut drywall filling the holes. Just mud and tape it.

6 hours ago
RobinsonCruiseOh

yes very true. I was just thinking of how to tape over the joints. So either you get some tape and mud, or you get just some mud and a patch of drywall. I'm sure hope supply stores sell 2ft x 2ft sections.

4 hours ago
EndOfTheCourt

Find the white duct tape.

12 hours ago
John_Bot_ OP

It was in a drawer in the garage!

12 hours ago
talljerseyguy

Mesh tape( unpopular opinion) or tape mud smooth and paint it’s straight forward

12 hours ago
MyLegsX2CantFeelThem

I’d be concerned about what is behind those pieces that were taped back on. It’s almost as if the person who did this, meant to be able to get back behind there again in a hurry.

Eeeks

12 hours ago
XXAshkoreXX

Shellac based primer won't cause the exposed drywall paper to blister.

12 hours ago
dafuzzydragon

M U D

11 hours ago
Few-Surround1261

Lol well, probably going to need to tear down the house.....fix that shit and move on.

12 hours ago
Tom-Dibble

They cut drywall and taped it. Just count yourself lucky they didn’t get around to mudding it!

13 hours ago
regreddit

Check YouTube for a channel named "Vancouver Carpenter", he's a great carpenter that does a lot of drywall repair videos and his patching videos are spot on.

13 hours ago
jd3marco

Pop those off and see what’s there. My guess is they ran new wires to the panel and you might not have a lot of room to work. Use short screw and wood to secure the patch to the rest of the drywall. Turn off the breakers but if it seems close and like you might screw into wires, I would call in a pro. Or skip the screws and slap something together by liquid nailing the patches in. In either case, tape, spackle and sand after.

12 hours ago
sheenfartling

White duct tape would probably work.........

Edit: I am unoriginal and everyone made this joke already.

10 hours ago
3BODYPRBLM

I say leave it the way it is actually take the pieces of sheet rock that are there. Fabricate yourself a couple of access doors and put access doors over the holes. If Power is ever need to be pulled out of that box or you ever need to expand for anything like an electric vehicle or something like that, you can access the bottom of the panel and easily pull a new copper.

4 hours ago
tired_and_fed_up

That was structural duct tape.

Seriously though, mud + drywall tape + mud + paint. If you want to be fancy, use a mesh instead of drywall tape.

1 hour ago
Mental_Intercourse

Please stop writing "duck tape".

1 hour ago
Archanir

How is this held in place? Gravity? I would fasten a piece of wood behind each piece and fasten the pieces to the wood to give it a solid structure, then drywall tape and mud. Mud further than the seams, and sand down. Then prime and paint.

1 hour ago
j3ppr3y
  1. Make sure patch pieces are mounted securely with some sort of "backer board". Bonus points since you will have them out, trace them onto a new piece of 1/2" drywall scrap and make new inserts.
  2. Attach inserts and primer everything.
  3. "Spackle" the cracks with your favorite mud/putty
  4. Sand and paint to match
12 hours ago
N0thingman

The word i think you're looking for is duct. Duct tape. For air-conditioning ducts.

13 hours ago
DallasInDC

There is a brand of tape called duck tape. Most duct tape people buy is not rated for nor intended to be used with AC ducts. It was originally canvas tape, and used for sealing ammo boxes. The canvas they used to make the tape was called “Duck” canvas, so duck tape is not entirely wrong. Just letting you know. Not trying to be a jerk.

12 hours ago
TakeThreeFourFive

Also, it was called "duck tape" before it was called "duct tape"

11 hours ago
lilomar2525

Well, yes, but also, no. 

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61t+M6maKyL.jpg

12 hours ago
planx_constant

It was originally "duck tape" because it was made from strips of cloth called cotton duck. The consonant shifted words in a process called junctural metanalysis or rebracketing. One of the worst uses for duck tape was sealing ducts, because it wasn't airtight and didn't cope with temperature fluctuations well. The first major commercial brand, Duck Tape, changed the adhesive formula because people kept using it on ducts.

Incidentally, metanalysis is how "a napron" became "an apron" and how "an ewt" became "a newt" and how "naranja" ultimately wound up in English as "orange" (courtesy of Italian then French).

12 hours ago
Frederf220

It's doek tape from the word doek.

11 hours ago
mustardmadman

Just fix it. It’s not a big deal

12 hours ago
Emergency-Pack-5497

are you asking how to mud and tape? Youtube

13 hours ago
CrazyLegsRyan

In this case prime to hold the brown paper down, then mud

13 hours ago
John_Bot_ OP

Oh sorry I thought I posted this on the DIY sub. Very helpful.

13 hours ago
Emergency-Pack-5497

It's just simply easier for you to watch a video than to have people describe the motions with text

13 hours ago
Githyerazi

It's also nice to have someone link the best video for it rather than wade through the 100's of crappy ones trying to figure it out.

13 hours ago
Emergency-Pack-5497

This is DIY isn't it?

12 hours ago
KoffieCreamer

Ah yeah. You want someone to type out a 20 step guide on how to do the most basic diy task. If you’re incapable of YouTubing something then I suggest you get a professional in to do this

12 hours ago
ElGranLechero

They really should change the name of this sub to GFY

12 hours ago
akera099

I used these metal clips in my home. They are insanely easy to use and enable you to make a professionnal looking repair very easily. Just add some mud over it, sand it and it'll look like new.

12 hours ago
flatterfurz_123

quack!

11 hours ago
OrnsteinAndSmough

If you find the duck try and catch him

11 hours ago
l8s9

You should’ve just painted over duct tape,

11 hours ago