DIY
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?
Discussion
Vancouver Carpenter: How to patch drywall: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQRSatFQfK8
This man is a drywall artist.
This is the best drywall guy on YouTube.
White duct tape
I shit you not that’s what was there before! Haha I found the actual roll of tape in the garage in some drawers.
Along similar lines, hang a picture/art overtop, lol.
Hahaha, good old landlord special!
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
Poor duck.
Skim sand prime paint
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.
Mud 😎👍
California patch:
https://youtube.com/shorts/MYyN_h-X5vE?si=uyOb72ldz5T02dJ7
No need to buy new drywall when there's already perfectly cut drywall filling the holes. Just mud and tape it.
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.
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'.
Find the white duct tape.
It was in a drawer in the garage!
Mesh tape( unpopular opinion) or tape mud smooth and paint it’s straight forward
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
Shellac based primer won't cause the exposed drywall paper to blister.
M U D
Lol well, probably going to need to tear down the house.....fix that shit and move on.
They cut drywall and taped it. Just count yourself lucky they didn’t get around to mudding it!
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.
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.
White duct tape would probably work.........
Edit: I am unoriginal and everyone made this joke already.
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.
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.
- 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.
- Attach inserts and primer everything.
- "Spackle" the cracks with your favorite mud/putty
- Sand and paint to match
The word i think you're looking for is duct. Duct tape. For air-conditioning ducts.
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.
Also, it was called "duck tape" before it was called "duct tape"
Well, yes, but also, no.
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).
It's doek tape from the word doek.
Just fix it. It’s not a big deal
are you asking how to mud and tape? Youtube
In this case prime to hold the brown paper down, then mud
Oh sorry I thought I posted this on the DIY sub. Very helpful.
It's just simply easier for you to watch a video than to have people describe the motions with text
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.
This is DIY isn't it?
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
They really should change the name of this sub to GFY
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.
quack!
If you find the duck try and catch him
You should’ve just painted over duct tape,
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.
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
I have a gallon of Killz Primer for this reason, and to prime other spots where I patched small nail holes. Thank you!
Prime the paper with this before joint compound.
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.
Just the damaged paper part. Can cause adhesion issues, but you do what makes you happy. It is a thing by the way.
Interesting! I didn't mean to come off sounding condescending, I had never heard of it. Today I Learned....
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.
That spot will definitely take 2 gallons.
/s (it will take about a tablespoon)
Is that primer and sealer or is it primer or sealer? Or is it a combo primer-sealer?
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.
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.
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.
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.
How does one prime paper?
You put primer on it.
Thanks for the info! No need to prime the torn paper to prevent bubbles with the plaster?
Absolutely prime the torn paper.
Absolutely. I always use this spray. It’s available at most home centers
https://a.co/d/fxj4Fg5
Oil based spray on primer. That's the right stuff.
You’ll be wanting to put a coat of compound over the whole thing. That’s the only way to make it blend in.
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.
Use a razor blade to scrape off any loose paper first.