Drywall
Repair
One of my
favorite trades is Drywall Repair, I find it quite enjoyable and relaxing.
However, as with any job, there are always some parts that I could do without.
These are some techniques I’ve devised and learned over the years to make even
the most unpleasant parts of Drywall Repair faster, easier and less of a mess.
Sanding
Drywall
I think
most people who have tried it will agree that sanding drywall compound is one
of the more unpleasant jobs in the industry. I certainly agree. That’s why I
love many of the new products now available for drywall. At the top of the list
is Drywall Compound (mud) with dust control. This product goes on smoother,
sands off very easy, and best of all, the dust is very heavy and drops straight
to the ground. It produces little airborne dust floating everywhere, as in the
past. While this is still a very unpleasant job, Drywall Compound with dust
control does make Drywall Repairs faster and easier.
Patching
a hole in Drywall and painting it the same day
Here is
something I used to dread. Patching a hole in drywall is easy; the hard part is
waiting for it to dry. It takes multiple trips and multiple days with
traditional drywall compound. The trick is to use Setting Type Drywall
Compound, which has a very fast dry time. This is mud that you mix yourself. It comes in 5, 20, 45 and 90. These numbers represent the number of minutes that it is still workable.
Don't set a timer for 20 minutes and expect it to be dry and ready to sand. There are a lot of variables that go into actual dry time. For a small patch use the 5-minute compound and mix it with hot water for an extra fast drying batch. Move quickly so it doesn't harden before you finish. Then take a heat gun (a fan or a hair dryer will do) and blow air gently across the patch. When the mud turns from dark to light in color it is ready to add another coat or sand, prime, and paint as needed.
Don't set a timer for 20 minutes and expect it to be dry and ready to sand. There are a lot of variables that go into actual dry time. For a small patch use the 5-minute compound and mix it with hot water for an extra fast drying batch. Move quickly so it doesn't harden before you finish. Then take a heat gun (a fan or a hair dryer will do) and blow air gently across the patch. When the mud turns from dark to light in color it is ready to add another coat or sand, prime, and paint as needed.
 |
| Setting type joint compound and spray on shellac |
Another
nagging problem can be stain blocking. Whether it’s pinesap bleeding through on
a piece of trim, lipstick or crayon on a wall, or a water stain from an old
leak, stains can be pesky. With several light coats of spray on shellac these stains
will be blocked almost instantly with no future bleeding.
