Drywall Repair Provo, UT: What You Should Know

Everyone sees the outside walls of their home, but do we notice the interior walls that hold up the house? Most people don’t think about their drywall much, but there are quite a few benefits associated with it. It can slow down the spread of fires and be used to partition off sections of the house to make more pronounced rooms, but mostly it just makes your home look nice and aesthetically pleasing. Ensuring you get all those benefits is part of the reason why it’s so important to have the information you need about drywall repair in Provo, UT.

It’s not until you notice some kind of drywall damage that it becomes all you can focus on. That’s why having a hole, wet spots, or anything non-aesthetically pleasing can really become an eyesore. Performing drywall repair in Provo, UT, can be a time-consuming process. If you're searching for a Provo handyman who will help, look no further than Mr. Handyman of Lehi, Provo, and Spanish Fork. We will provide all the information—and services—you need.

Drywall Repair Warning Signs

Knowing when you need Provo drywall repair services can sometimes be tricky. Problems aren’t always as straightforward as a huge gaping hole that needs to be fixed. That’s why we’ve compiled some common indicators warranting repair or replacement.

Water Damage

Water damage can be caused by leaking pipes, flooding basements, or any sort of water-related problems. Water will cause structural damage to your drywall and can escalate into mold growth. Depending on the severity, a fan may be able to dry up moisture before it causes major damage, but it can lead to substantial problems if it's not addressed quickly, like loosened joint tape, cracks, or widespread damage warranting a full replacement.

Cracks

If your drywall wasn’t installed properly, it could be more prone to cracking. Cracks form for various reasons, such as temperature fluctuations and the house settling. They are more frequent close to doors, windows, ceilings, and corners, or anywhere a seam exists. Ignored cracks will eventually get bigger and weaken the structure of your home, leading to an expensive and inconvenient repair. We recommend contacting one of our Provo drywall repair handymen to review the type of damage and quickly repair it for you before it grows.

Holes

Holes occurring in your drywall are quite common. Different sized holes require different solutions and levels of work. To prevent these holes from growing, we recommend getting them patched as soon as possible with our Provo drywall repair services. For some types of smaller, isolated damage, it may be possible to complete the repairs yourself, as long as you have all the proper tools and knowledge to get the job done right.

Popping Nails

Nails can pop through drywall for a couple of reasons. The house could be settling, resulting in nails shifting, or they may not have been attached to a joint or stud correctly. Wood used to build your house may have moisture, and as it dries, studs could shift or twist, forcing out nails. If you experience popping nails, simply extract them from the wall and replace them with drywall screws. You may also need to touch up the area with compound and paint.

Tears

Removing items like wallpaper, tiles, or mirrors can cause pieces of the drywall to come off or tear. This won’t lead to immediate structural damage, but these tears can make your walls look unappealing, and they could increase your risk for other types of damage in the future.

Common Types of Drywall in Provo

Standard

No special features were added to this design. It’s very popular in residential construction and the most likely to be found in your home. This choice is suitable for walls, ceilings, and finishing basements.

Mold Resistant

Mold-resistant drywall features a paperless backing and special coating to help prevent mold build-up in moist or humid areas. This helps protect the appearance of interior surfaces in wet or humid areas and is a great choice for bathrooms and kitchens.

Moisture Resistant

This type of drywall works best in areas prone to moisture and humidity. It also features a special paperless backing and an additional coating to prevent mold and moisture. It’s ideal for bathrooms, basements, kitchens, laundry rooms, and utility rooms. It also works well in high-moisture shower areas, such as shower enclosures.

Fire Resistant

This type is an extra-thick design made with glass fibers making them ideal for utility rooms, garages, and areas by a furnace or wood stove. This material prevents the spread and speed of fire, generates less smoke than traditional drywall, provides better room-to-room sound control than standard drywall, and is required by many building codes.

Soundproof

Soundproof drywall is designed to reduce noise from traveling between rooms. It’s thicker than most standard sheets and often has two gypsum layers that are glued together with a special noise-dampening adhesive. This contains a noise-dampening core that helps prevent noise from traveling between walls and ceilings. For DIY’ers, this can be replicated by adhering two drywall sheets together. We recommend combining soundproof drywall with fiberglass insulation for best results.

Materials and Tools Needed for Drywall Repair in Provo, UT

Before getting started on your Provo drywall repair project, we recommend making sure you have all the necessary tools and materials.

Tools:

• Drywall saw
• Utility knife
• Putty knife
• Tape measure
• Level

Materials

• Drywall tape, screws, patch kit, and mesh screen
• Masking tape
• Spackling compound
• Texture compound
• Paint

Drywall Repair Provo, UT: Basic Guide

There are many different methods of performing Provo drywall repair. Different sized holes or damage will require different methods.

Tiny holes

• Fill dents or tiny holes with lightweight spackle using your finger or a putty knife to distribute it.
• Make sure your spackle completely fills each dent or hole and is level with the rest of the undamaged wall.
• Allow 15-30 minutes for the spackle to dry.
• Use fine-grit sandpaper for sanding the area smooth
• Brush away any debris and use paint to blend the area

Cracks

• To fix a drywall crack, widen it with a utility knife and brush any debris or dust away.
• Using a putty knife, fill the widened crack with lightweight spackle
• Apply a thin coat of spackle over the entire area and smooth it with a putty knife
• Let your spackle dry for 15-30 minutes
• Sand the area smooth and brush away any debris
• Touch up the paint to blend the area
• If a crack is wider than ½-inch, cover it with self-adhesive fiberglass drywall.

Popped Nail Heads

• A popped nail head means a nail has come loose from your wall's stud. You'll need to reattach your drywall to that stud using a drywall screw.
• Drive this screw into the wall about 1 to 2 inches above your popped nail head. Sink the screw head just below the surface
• Hammer the popped nail head back into your wall, being careful not to damage additional drywall with the hammer.
• Cover the sunken screw and nail head with spackle
• Let the spackle dry for 15-30 minutes. Then sand it smooth
• Finally, touch up the wall paint

Big holes

A bigger hole will require a bit more work when it comes to Provo drywall repair. A hole larger than 4 inches across will generally need to be patched with a new piece. Since you’ll need to cut into a wall, it's important to know where your electrical wires and utilities are beforehand. You can use a stud finder to locate the wall studs to that most wires will be attached.

Step One: Removing a Damaged Piece

• Firstly, using a pencil, draw the line at least an inch or more above or below the damaged area.
• Use your stud finder to find the nearest stud on either side of the hole and mark them.
• Cut along the lines you just drew with a drywall saw until you reach the wall studs.
• After reaching a stud, measure and mark ¾ of an inch farther in, which will be the center of the stud. Score these lines with a utility knife
• The edge of the path should be directly over the stud so the existing drywall and patch both have support.
• With the utility knife, continue cutting along the lines, carefully repeating with several passes to make each cut slightly deeper.
• Remove the damaged section.

Step Two: Cut and Install the Support

• Cut a 1 x 3-inch piece of scrap lumber or 3/4-inch piece of plywood approximately 2 to 4 inches longer than the height of your patch.
• Screw these supports vertically behind the opening using drywall screws; this will keep that patch from cracking.

Step Three: Cut a Drywall Patch

• Create a patch from a 2 x 2-inch piece of drywall. Trace the piece you removed to ensure the patch is the same size as your hole
• Cut the patch using a utility knife and carpenter’s square
• Test your patch in the wall opening to ensure it’s a good fit. It should be secure but not so snug that you have to force it into the opening.

Step Four: Install

• To install your patch, position each screw at least an inch from the edges to avoid splitting or crumbling.
• Use a drill to secure the patch to the support and wall studs, sinking the screws slightly below the surface.

Step Five: Tape and Seal the Patch

• Run strips of self-adhesive fiberglass drywall tape around each edge of your patch, centering it on the seams.
• Use a 6-inch drywall knife to spread joint compound across the patch and tape to create a smooth, flat surface.
• Wait for it to dry, and then repeat this process with a second coat
• Wipe the entire patched area with a tack cloth before painting

Provo Drywall Tips

Do’s

• Use the right stuff: Make sure to use a proper putty knife and utility knife for each part, and to use the proper sizing and thickness of the sheet as well as a mesh patch or support when needed to avoid the drywall giving out later down the road.
• Cut neatly: Use a ruler when cutting and a proper box cutter to cut mesh tape to keep a clean cut. Remove frayed edges of wallboard paper around holes or cracks before applying joint compound.
• Keep it light: Less is more when it comes to joint compounds. A thin coat will be easier to sand. Be sure to feather the mud as you apply it to make sure it’s evenly distributed and not overly applied.
• Use PPE: Fine particles of drywall compound could injure your lungs if inhaled. A dust mask is suggested when sanding compounds. Disposable gloves and eye protection can also be worn to protect your hands and eyes from gypsum dust.

Don’ts

• Don’t waste time: Make use of premade kits designed for certain sizes of drywall repair in Provo, UT. Properly measuring will save you from having to redo any sections.
• Don’t cut into cords: Make sure to avoid any cords by shining a flashlight through any existing holes and if you need a bigger hole to see, cut horizontally with a shallow cut.
• Don’t skimp on sanding: Cutting corners on sanding will have a noticeable effect on the outcome of your repair. After your first round of sanding, we recommend applying a second layer of mud and spreading it about 2 inches beyond the boundaries of the first layer. Once this is dry, re-sand the area for best results.
• Don’t forget to inspect: It’s important to check the final result to make sure it feels smooth and not uneven. Once happy, paint over that spot.

No Need to Look Further for Drywall Repair in Provo, UT

Avoid day-long projects trying to fix a large hole and ending up having to redo it. Contact Mr. Handyman of Lehi, Provo, and Spanish Fork for our trusted handyman services. Our courteous, skilled technicians will meet all your needs for drywall repair in Provo, UT.

When you choose us, you can count on our fully insured, uniformed experts to fix all your Provo drywall-related problems, including replacing and installing large sheets. We provide a worry-free experience with flat-rate pricing and a workmanship guarantee, giving you comfort knowing that we will solve your issue to your liking every time.

If you’re interested in learning more about our services for drywall repair in Provo, UT, or want to set an appointment, give us a call or visit our website.