Sand drywall repairs for a smooth finish.
Drywall panels provide a smooth wall surface for painting or wallpapering. The panels, which contain compressed gypsum particles, can break upon impact or can suffer dents and gouges. USG Corporation, located in Canada, manufactures drywall panels under the brand name of Sheetrock and sells them extensively in the United States. Fixing a hole in Sheetrock is the same as fixing a hole in other brands of drywall panels.
Instructions
Small Hole
1. Fix a small hole, less than three inches in diameter, by scraping away loose gypsum debris from the hole with a utility knife and cutting away any paper that extends into the hole.
2. Cut a strip of adhesive drywall tape two inches longer than the hole and press it firmly into place over the hole, covering all edges of the hole with the tape.
3. Scoop about ¼ cup of premixed joint compound out of the container with a six-inch taping knife and smooth it on top of the mesh drywall tape, pressing lightly to fill in the hole. Smooth the surface of the joint compound with the edge of the taping knife.
4. Let the joint compound dry and then sand off any large areas of joint compound that protrude with a drywall sanding pad.
5. Repeat the application of joint compound at least one more time, let it dry and sand it smooth before painting or wallpapering.
Large Hole
6. Cut out a rectangular section of Sheetrock surrounding the hole, extending the edges of your cut to the centers of the studs on each side of the hole. For example, if you have an eight-inch hole, you will cut out an area that extends all the way to the two adjacent studs, which are typically 16 inches apart.
7. Cut a new piece of Sheetrock, the same size as the hole you just cut, and slide it into place. The two outside edges must reach the middle of the studs.
8. Insert drywall nails along the edges, about 1/2 inch from the edge. Nail them into the studs beneath, and use a nail set to countersink the heads of the nails about 1/8 inch below the Sheetrock's surface.
9. Cut adhesive mesh drywall tape to fit over the raw edges where the Sheetrock panels meet and then continue with Steps 3, 4 and 5 for repairing a small hole.
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