Drywall Repair
Being the most used wall cover in America, drywall will inevitably need repairs and touch-ups from time to time. You want to avoid amateur work that results in lumps or hollow spaces on the wall. Unless you're a pro, you need a trusted expert who can make it look like the holes, punctures, cracks, or crumbling were never there at all.
You’ve always heard drywall repair was easy. It just takes skill, a steady hand, knowledge of techniques, some tools, and lots of time.
Okay, so it’s not that easy if you don’t have the experience or the patience. Drywall repair is time-consuming and methodical. It’s the perfect craft for the meticulous— someone who’s not satisfied until the surface is strong, smooth, and even.
Drywall repair is even more complicated if you’re doing ceilings.
You might need an extra pair of hands to replace a big piece of sheetrock on your wall. But imagine working at an odd angle that requires your neck and arms to be stretched for long amounts of time. You need to identify the cause of the problem, too, or else it will reoccur. An expert will easily identify that after inspection.
Another complication is if you’re living in an older home and your insulation might have asbestos in it. A big drywall repair job will require you to pull out the insulation that might contain it. If you have the smallest doubt, better have the experts check it out and do the work instead of you lest you expose yourself and your family to the carcinogen.
So yes, drywall repair is easy for the pro. That’s because we have procedures we follow and we hold ourselves to high standards. This ensures a safe environment for all and great results in your property.
Some Common DIY Mistakes in Drywall Repair
Simple drywall repair jobs like filling in nail holes are easy to do even for inexperienced homeowners. However, bigger repairs like water damage and long cracks should be left to the drywall repair experts. If not, you could fall victim to one of these usual drywall repair mistakes
- Doing butt joints improperly
Taping and mudding butt joints are a little more complicated than doing beveled joints. The butt joint is not tapered and it’s harder to smoothen out. It’s the least favorite to work on by a lot of workers but unavoidable especially for bigger drywall repair jobs.
Fortunately, we have several techniques to make the job easier and faster. What’s hard for some is just part of a day’s work with Rochester Hills Painting.
- Not mixing the mud properly
A lot of drywall mud brands come in pre-mixed form. But one secret that DIYers don’t know is that they have to add a little more water to the pre-mixed mud not just to even it out but to make sure that it’s wet enough to work through tape and drywall.
If there’s not enough moisture in the mud, there’s no good contact with the drywall. This will result in bubbles forming once the job is done. Instead of successfully repairing the drywall, that part would have to be redone.
As for us professionals, we don’t use pre-mixed mud for our jobs. We choose only the best products and work fast because most of these are quick dry compounds. We only mix what we need for the day so that there’s no waste and hardly any excess. Our crew knows the right consistency of joint compound for every layer to get the best results. - Dry tape
Another common mistake in drywall repair is the tape not getting enough moisture. Drywall tape should be wet enough by the mud not just for better contact but to avoid bubbles, creases, and inconsistencies. Mud viscosity is therefore crucial.
Our drywall repair team creates flawless finishes whether it be joints, inside corners, or outside corners. They will always be straight and sturdy even for high-stress joints.
- Protruding screws and bumps
Screw heads are pretty thin, but if they’re not driven deep enough into the drywall, they will be visible no matter how much mud you put on top of it.
On the other hand, bumps from nails or other material underneath the drywall are eyesores that need to be corrected before mudding. They will need to be evened out and patched properly. - Missing studs
Looks can be deceiving. Even if you think you’re following a straight line when screwing edges, you might miss the framing behind it and drive the screw into nothing. You’ll notice when this happens as the screw keeps on spinning long after it should’ve stopped. And when you make that mistake, you’ll have to realign the screw and patch up the wrong hole you made.
Professional drywall repair includes not playing the guessing game when screwing the panel onto the frame. We will always do it straight because we mark our target spots beforehand (and with the right intervals). This way, mistakes are minimized and time isn’t wasted.
- Oversanding
We know you listened to sound advice when you didn’t make that layer of mud too thick. However, you should be careful not to sand so much that you cut through the tape!
It happens often to the inexperienced, especially when power tools are used for sanding. This problem will necessitate rework, using up more of your time and budget.
- Messy work
Drywall repair is all about keeping it clean. This is how you hide those joints and holes. A worker has to make sure the resulting surface is smooth and those joints are unnoticeable. Otherwise, the repairs are obvious and the wall (or ceiling) will look ugly even if painted over.
A contributor to messy work is something as simple as wrong handling of tools, particularly the knife. A drywall repair expert knows the right knife angle to use to avoid getting bubbles or tape creases. An expert also knows the amount of pressure to apply to keep the right amount of mud on the drywall or to any adjacent wall. Each stroke is precise, making the work fast.
If you’re new to the craft, doing these little things wrong results in noticeable defects once the job is done. It will look messy and hurried, despite the amount of time and effort you put into it.
Get Your Free Drywall Repair Quote Now!
It takes experience and knowing the right techniques to accomplish a professional drywall repair result. And just like the name implies, the best way to go about this is to hire a reputable drywall repair professional.
Rochester Hills Painting works fast but with an eye for detail. Just because we’ve done it thousands of times before doesn’t mean we become careless with our succeeding jobs. We apply a high level of expertise as if we’re doing it for our own homes.
Get to know us and our drywall repair techniques more as we answer some questions below.
We know you have a lot of questions, so we answer some of them right here.
Do you use Drywall Repair patches?
Yes, we do, depending on the area to repair.
We like using drywall repair patches when applicable as they conveniently come in different shapes for different purposes. There are shapes specific for wall outlets, knob holes, or cracks. The mesh patching material or tape is made from fiberglass, perfect for reinforcing those holes.
We use only the most trusted brand and have reputable alternatives if those aren’t available.
What process of drywall repair do you specialize in?
We do it all! We are experts in installation, replacement, patching, sanding, finishing, painting… the whole nine yards.
You can count on us to fix any kind of damage of any size and magnitude. Expect only the best results!
Will I have to move out my family/workers during the drywall repair?
Not necessarily. It depends on the extent of the drywall repair job.
We do our best to minimize the disruption to your day-to-day life or business operations. We discuss with you what the job will entail: the amount of dust, noise, and time caused by the repair. Then we will work out a plan that works with you and the occupants.
Do you do botched drywall repair?
Yes, we will happily correct any work done by other contractors if you’re not satisfied with them. We have done many of these in the past and we always leave clients feeling relieved and content.
It would actually be easy if you called on us the first time to avoid rework, higher costs, and further damage to your property.
I hung the drywall myself. Can you finish it?
Yes, we can. Finishing is one of the hardest and most time-consuming parts of drywall repair. We’ll gladly continue the work even until painting it to match the rest of the room. It’s your choice.
And don’t worry, we have fairly priced packages for each type of job. All you need to do is relax and we’ll do the rest.
Are you insured?
Definitely! Rochester Hills Painting is licensed, bonded, and insured. We have general liability, property insurance, and builders’ risk coverage to protect both you and us.
So call now and leave the work to one of the most trusted drywall repair companies in Oakland County.
Talk To A Human
You're not going to hit a ridiculously long phone menu when you call us. Your email isn't going to the inbox abyss, never to be seen or heard from again. With Rochester Hills Painting, we provide the exceptional service we'd want to experience ourselves!
Rochester Hills Painting
(248) 609-1456
