Drywall that has been repeatedly damaged by furniture, door knobs, and picture hanging can only be repaired so much before it will need to be replaced. Drywall that has been wet, and then dried out, will be crumbly on the inside and the paper facing will separate. This drywall needs to be replaced since it will continue to degrade. It should also be replaced because it can pose a health hazard. Even if there is no mold growing on the exposed side, it may be growing on the inside of the wall cavity.
Instructions
1. Locate the nearest wall-framing members on either side of the damaged area. These will be running vertically in the wall and will be studs, or they will be framing members, called trimmers, at the sides of windows and doors.
2. Remove baseboard and other trim where it is closer than 12 inches to the drywall to be removed.
3. Mark out a rectangle that runs to the centers of the studs and trimmers, and extends horizontally in both directions so that it includes all drywall to be replaced. Make the horizontal marks level, and the vertical marks plumb to create corners of the opening that are square. Extend marks to the floor or to windows and doors where trim was removed in Step 2.
4. Cut the drywall along the lines marked out in Step 3.
5. Remove the old drywall within the boundaries of the cuts.
6. Remove old drywall screws and nails in the edges of the exposed studs and trimmers.
7. Cut a new piece of drywall the same size as the opening.
8. Set the drywall in place and secure it with screws to the framing members.
9. Apply drywall tape along the four sides of the repair, centering it on the seams.
10. Using a drywall knife, apply a series of coats of drywall mud over the tape, extending each coat outward from the center of the tape until the repair appears to be flush. The idea here is to cause the wall to appear plumb by making the raised, taped part gradually fade to the same plane of the surrounding walls.
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