How to Repair Torn Drywall

Torn drywall can occur for many reasons such as removing wallpaper, rambunctious children or even scratching it while moving furniture.

Most people don’t realize that it’s actually a fairly simple repair as long as you have a few hours to devote too it. You usually don’t have to replace the drywall even if the torn area is large. You can repair it yourself very simply with the proper know how.

By following the steps below you can repair torn drywall yourself even if you are not a professional.

1. Prep The Area

The first step to repairing torn drywall is to remove any loose drywall that is hanging. You can do this by scraping it off with a putty knife.

Make sure you inspect the area when you are done to check for small hanging pieces that you may have missed. You then need to apply a sealer to keep the remaining drywall from eventually becoming lose. You should never just try to paint over torn drywall. The results will be uneven and no amount of paint will be able to camouflage the area.

2. Apply Drywall Mud

After the sealer has dried, use a putty knife to apply a thin layer of drywall mud over the area. Make sure you completely cover it, but don’t cake it on. Use smooth, even strokes to ensure that the drywall mud goes on as easily as possible. You should extend the mud just outside of where the torn drywall was.

Let the mud dry for at least an hour.

3. Sand The Area

Use a sander to sand the drywall mud smooth. If it’s a large area, turn off your a/c, cover the vents and open the windows. Sanding the area can create a lot of dust if it is a large project. Make sure you cover anything that you don’t want to have to clean dust off of. You should also wear a protective mask and goggles to keep from breathing in the dust and getting it in your eyes. After you are completely finished sanding, clean the dust off of the drywall.

4. Prime The Repair

Use a paintbrush to apply primer over the drywall. This will seal it and keep the paint you will be applying over it from seeping into the drywall instead of covering the repair. Let the primer dry for several hours before painting over the area. When choosing a primer, make sure you use one that is specifically made for drywall. Using other forms of primer may actually damage the drywall or not give you the results that you are hoping to achieve.

5. Paint Over It

Paint the repaired area with whatever paint you choose.

You may be need to paint the entire wall where the drywall was repaired in order for it to blend it. It’s best to use 2-3 coats in order to ensure that you completely cover the repair. Just make sure that you let the paint dry between each coat or you risk the paint not covering the area properly.