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How
To Patch a Hole In Your Wall
It’s easy to make a hole in a wall, but how
easy is it to fix one? It’s easier than you might think to
fix any size hole in your wall. Here are five easy tips to
follow.
1. Determine the Size of Your Hole
Different size holes require slightly different repair methods.
If you have a nail or small hole all you need to do is patch
it with compound. After it has dried; sand the spot for a smooth
finish.
If you’re hall is slightly larger (about the size of a switch
box opening), you can fill the hole with newspaper before applying
the compound so provide more stability and so you can use less
compound.
For medium size holes (those approximately 30” x 30”), you
will need to use a technique called the “hot patch.” In this
case, you will need to fill the hole with some drywall with
a flap on each edge.
For really large holes you will need to treat them as entirely
new areas to be covered. You should remove any nails or screws
that are showing in the framing and then cut a brand new piece
of drywall. You will need to secure the drywall and then tape,
sand and finish the new wall.
Measure your hole and then go from there. You want to make
sure you are using the proper patching technique for the size
hole you have.
2. Preparation
Once you’ve decided on the technique you need to use to fill
your hole, make sure that you have all the supplies you need
at your disposal. It will save you precious time later on making
sure you have enough compound mixed and the right tools to
apply it. You will need to work somewhat quickly once the compound
is mixed and ready so you don’t want to risk it drying because
you forgot to lay out all of the tools you need.
If you are filling a larger hole, make sure that you have
the drywall cut and ready before you even think about mixing
compound. At this stage it might be good to double check the
size of your hole so you are absolutely sure that the technique
you’ve decided to use is the correct one for a hole of that
size. You don’t want to get halfway through filling the hole
and then decide that you need backing material like newspaper
to hold the compound in place.
3. Don’t Over Spackle
Though you many assume that applying enough of your compound
will solve all of your problems, that won’t necessarily be
the case. If you have a medium or large hole, only using compound
won’t be effective because it has nothing to grip onto to.
The result will be a very unstable patching that will likely
crack or fall apart. Even on small patch-ups, you don’t want
to apply too much compound. The secret with compound application
is to apply as little as possible and as smoothly as possible.
If you apply too much compound or it is applied unevenly, you
will have a fair bit of sanding work ahead of you and in some
cases the compound can still be seen once painted over. Remember
that moderation is the key.
4. Have a little patience
When trying to complete a new home project, you are often
anxious to get moving. In this case, you do need to take your
time and make sure that your compound is completely dry before
moving on to the sanding and finishing stages. If you try to
sand before the compound is dry you may make more of a mess
than you had at the start or you may need to start from scratch.
Follow the directions on the compound you are using, particularly
in terms of drying time. Take a bit of time away from the project
– remember a watched pot never boils. This is a really good
time to clean all of your tools so the compound doesn’t have
a chance to dry on them.
5. Sanding and Finishing
Even though your hole may seem smooth, you don’t want to skip
the sanding process. There may be little ridges that you cannot
see, but which will become more obvious once you begin painting.
Sand the area lightly so that you do not take off too much
compound. Clean the area of all dust from the sanding and then
proceed to the painting stage. # # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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