How to Fix Water Damage in Drywall

Drywall is simple to repair or replace if it ever becomes damaged. Even water damage can be easily fixed, without replacing an entire wall. You can remove and replace the damaged part of a wall.

Things You'll Need

• Putty knife
• Hammer
• Screwdriver
• Saw
• Drill
• Drywall compound
• Mesh tape
• Drywall nails
• Drywall screws

Instructions

1. Nail the drywall back to the studs in the wall or the beams in the ceiling if possible. Sometimes water damage causes the drywall to sag but not break. This drywall can be salvaged by nailing it back into place and working over the top of it.

2. Remove the drywall if it is broken. Cut just enough of the drywall away with a drywall saw to get rid of the damaged portion.

3. Cover large holes with a panel of drywall. The panel should be cut just large enough to cover the entire hole and fit snugly with the existing drywall, not overlapping. Use drywall screws to attach the panel to the studs behind the wall.

4. Place mesh tape around the panel. Center the tape over the seams where the panel meets the wall to make a nice smooth transition.

5. Apply primer. A layer of primer should be used whether you have salvaged the old drywall or added a new panel. Primer will prevent the water stains from showing through and will help the drywall compound stick to the surface.

6. Apply drywall compound over the old drywall or the new drywall panel. Add one layer of compound at a time, lightly sanding after the first layer. Use a coarse sandpaper and sand just until the surface becomes rough to the touch. Add two to three more layers of compound and sand over the last layer until the surface is rough to the touch and the layer is nearly even with the surrounding wall.

7. Paint over the compound. Use a paint that is the same color as the rest of the room. If you don't have any paint on hand, take a piece of the old drywall or chip off a small piece of the paint in the area you will be covering and take it to a paint store to have it matched. Once the new drywall is painted, it should blend in near perfectly with the rest of the wall.

References

• Vertri For Do-It-Yourself Homeowners