No. 06 · Walls and ceilings
Drywall, hung and repaired. The patch you won’t find.
New walls and ceilings hung, taped and finished. Holes, cracks, popped screws and water damage cut out and repaired, framing included, then painted until the wall reads as one again.
About drywall installation & repair
Drywall work comes in two kinds. New work: a kitchen opened up, a basement finished, a ceiling taken down and put back. And repair: the hole behind a door, the crack above a window, the stain on the ceiling below a bath.
Both end the same way. Board is screwed tight to the framing, joints are taped and built up in coats, and the surface is finished to the level the room calls for, up to Level 5 where the light is strong.
A repair isn’t finished until it can’t be found. That means making sure the cause is fixed, cutting back to sound material, and carrying the finish, texture and paint past the patch into the wall around it.
When it’s called for
When drywall needs work
Water damage
A leak from a bath, a roof or a radiator. Board that dried quickly and is still firm can often be sealed and repainted; board that is soft, sagging or moldy is cut out.
Holes and dents
A doorknob through the wall, anchors pulled out, a corner caught on moving day. Small holes are filled; larger ones get new board, backed and taped.
Cracks and popped screws
Cracks at the corners of doors and windows, and fastener heads pushing through as framing lumber shrinks or the board works loose.
Damaged framing
Where water or impact has reached the studs, the wall is opened so they can be replaced before it is closed up and finished.
New walls and ceilings
Renovations, basements, new openings, or a ceiling replaced after a leak, hung and finished to match the rooms around them.
The work
How the work goes
Look at the cause
Randy looks at the damage with you and explains what it will take. Where water is involved, the leak has to be fixed and the framing dry before anything is closed up. The walkthrough and written estimate are complimentary.
Cut back to sound material
Damaged board is cut out to clean, square edges, often back to the framing, so the new piece has something solid to fasten to. Damaged studs are replaced while the wall is open.
Hang it tight and flush
New board is cut to fit and screwed to the framing with its edges level with the old, because a high edge leaves no room for tape and compound. Wide gaps are filled with setting-type compound before taping.
Tape and coat
Joints are taped and built up in thin coats, feathered wide. Torn paper is sealed with an oil- or shellac-based primer first, since water in the compound would raise it into bubbles.
Blend, prime, paint
Texture is matched where the wall has it. The repair is primed so it won’t show as a dull patch, and the wall is painted corner to corner so the sheen reads evenly.
From the job sites
“Randy was great! Showed up on time and got the job done within a day. You can’t even see the huge hole that was in our ceiling anymore. Highly recommend!”
“We had a great experience working with Randy and his team on a big and complicated drywall repair and painting job. The project required extensive repair to custom drywall throughout a 2-story space and 2 bedrooms…”
Questions
Asked at the walkthrough.
Is it cheaper to repair or replace drywall?
For holes, cracks, popped screws and small stains, repair is the smaller job. Replacement is right where board was soaked, is soft or sagging, or has grown mold, and even then it is usually a section cut back to the framing, not the whole wall. The cost depends on the room and is set in the written estimate after the walkthrough.
Do painters do drywall repair?
Some painters patch small holes and stop there. Randy’s company is painting and drywall: walls and ceilings are hung, taped, finished and painted by one company, so a repair doesn’t sit waiting between trades.
Can you put joint compound over torn drywall paper?
Not directly. Water in the compound soaks into the exposed brown paper and makes it bubble. Loose paper is trimmed away, the area is sealed with an oil- or shellac-based primer, and the compound goes on once that is dry.
Can water-damaged drywall be saved?
Sometimes. Board that dried within a day or two and is still firm can have the stain sealed with a stain-blocking primer and be repainted. Board that stayed wet, is soft or sagging, or shows mold is cut out and replaced once the leak is fixed.
What causes nail pops in drywall?
Usually framing lumber drying and shrinking after the house is built, or board that wasn’t fastened tight to begin with. A new screw is driven beside the popped fastener to pull the board tight, the old one is reset or removed, and the spot is filled and painted.
Will the repair show once it’s painted?
It shouldn’t. The patch is brought flush and feathered wide, matched to any texture, and primed so it doesn’t flash through the paint; then the whole wall is painted, not just the patch. On smooth walls in strong light, a skim coat over the area finishes the job.
Where
Drywall installation & repair, town by town.
Randy works from Easton across the Lehigh Valley and Bucks County. Choose your town for what drywall installation & repair involves in its houses.
Lehigh Valley
Related
Often done together.
Consultation
Request a private consultation.
Private walkthrough & written estimate, complimentary. Tell us a little about the house and the rooms, and Randy will be in touch to arrange a time.
- Hours
- Monday – Friday8:30 AM – 5:30 PMSaturday10 AM – 3 PMSundayClosed
- Service area
- Easton, Bethlehem, Allentown and the greater Lehigh Valley; Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
Fully insured — proof on request. Residential and commercial.