Minneapolis Drywall Repair

From doorknob dents to removing or replacing old texture, drywall repair in Minneapolis is one of those home improvements that's easy to overlook. After all, with the notable exception of water damaged sheetrock, there generally isn't much harm in putting these projects off. Nonetheless, damaged drywall, be it in the form of dents, holes, or scratches, is unsightly enough to get under any homeowner's skin. If you're not sure whether you need drywall repair in Minneapolis, here's a list of some of the most common drywall repairs and what to do about them.

Minneapolis Drywall Repair: Doorknob Dents
Perhaps the most common drywall repair in Minneapolis consists of fixing a drywall dent. Most often caused by doorknobs, rockers, and the like, a dent isn't an actual hole in the drywall, but a small depression where the drywall has been punched in. To fix a drywall dent you'll have fill and cover the depression with joint compound, smooth and sand the spot down, then prime and paint the surface to match the surrounding wall.

Minneapolis Drywall Repair: Nail Popping
Nail popping is another common drywall failure that occurs when the nails holding up the drywall begin to loosen their grip or the drywall begins to pull away from the wall. The results are the same: small dime to silver dollar sized blemishes where the nail pushes out the joint compound and the paint. Nail pops can sometimes be repaired simply by re-fastening the offending nail or drywall screw, though in some cases you'll want to set new drywall screws around the "pop" to re-attach the drywall firmly to the wall and prevent the pop from happening again. Either way you'll want to finish by applying joint compound over the blemishes, sanding and smoothing it down, and then applying a primer coat and a final layer of paint.

Minneapolis Drywall Repair: Holes
The steps it takes to repair holes in your drywall vary some depending on the size of the blemish. Small holes can be repaired by cutting a piece of heavy duty screen to a size about 1" larger than the hole itself. Fit the screen through the hole, enlarging the hole just big enough so that the screen can pass through horizontally (on its side). The screen is then rotated, pulled back against the drywall, and joint compound is spread over the hole using the screen as a backing. For larger holes you'll need a piece of replacement sheetrock, cut to fit the hole. After that you can either use a piece of backerboard and screws, or repair screen and joint compound, to help keep the patch in place. Finish with a final sanding, and paint.

Minneapolis Drywall Repair: Water Damage
Anytime you see water damage, be it coming down through your ceiling or soaking up from your basement floor, you need to act on it quickly. The first thing that you need to determine is where the water is coming from. This is harder than it looks and, once found, can require anything from waterproofing your basement to fixing a simple roof leak. In a best case scenario, you'll find the source of the water right off, fix that problem, and then repair the drywall accordingly. In a worst case scenario, however, the water has been there for quite some time already (which is not unusual), and in addition to addressing the source of the water, you are going to have to perform mold remediation as well. Many drywall repairmen can do all of this work themselves, though there is an outside chance you'll need a mold remediation specialist and a drywall repairman to get the job done properly.

Minneapolis Drywall Repair: Texturing and Plasterwork
A final area where drywall repair in Minneapolis is often needed is in regards to plasterwork and texturing. Whether you're repairing damaged texture, trying to match new texture to older, pre-existing surfaces, removing texture, or are looking for some plasterwork to be done such as forming crown molding or arching doorways, most drywall repairmen can tackle these jobs fairly easily as well.

When to Hire a Professional
There aren't many jobs on this list that can't be done by a patient and dogged homeowner, though keep in mind that any work involving drywall and joint compound is going to be messy and time consuming, to say the least. For that reason alone, many homeowners feel more comfortable hiring out drywall repair in Minneapolis to a drywall specialist or a handyman experienced in drywall repair. The two obvious exceptions are if your home is suffering from water damage, and if you're applying texture. Water damage is no laughing matter. Not addressing it properly or doing a less than satisfactory job can lead to potential health risks and continuing damage to your home. And as for texturing, this is another skill that you want an expert doing as opposed to a novice (you) if you're at all concerned with getting professional looking final results.

If you think that you're a candidate for a Minneapolis drywall repair, talk to a contractor about what needs to be done to get your drywall repair underway.