Drywall Repairs and Sheetrock Replacement

Drywall Repairs are best left to professionals who have lots of experience. However, some homeowners prefer to try to do it own their own. Plasters of Italy owner Vallie Duncan can help you with your drywall and plaster repairs. We have been serving the Collin County areas for over two decades, including, Frisco, Plano and Mckinney. For interior residential and commercial projects, drywall repairs need to be completed prior to painting. Instead of calling a different company to make the repairs its easier to have your painter handle it. Thats where Plasters of Italy comes in.

Drywall has been around for about fifty years, and much of our homes and businesses use it. Gypsum board is another name for sheetrock. Generally, its 1/2 inch thick or 5/8 for commercial buildings which varies.

Water Damaged Sheetrock

Plasters of Italy, owner Vallie Duncan has acquired the skills to repair drywall in addition to hanging new sheetrock for remodels. We also work with homeowners who are faced with water damages. We provide a complete inspection and go over the damages with you as well as working with your insurance company to submit our report and proposal to complete the project.

Most all of our interior painting projects require some type of drywall repair. It may be a hole in the drywall, or repairing cracks, and corner beads.

The photos below are from a recent project we completed for a homeowner in Frisco Texas who had a roof leak. His insurance company adjuster claim was to replace only the lower portion of the sheetrock. My inspection was more detailed, in fact the sheetrock was very soft at the top of the wall. To sum up, I ripped out the old sheetrock, primed the lower studs, removed and replaced the batt insulation, hung the sheetrock, tape and bed, and textured the entire wall for a seamless installation.

Obviously, the insulation was damaged as well. In any case, they understand my inspection reports as I am very specific. I got started the following week and completed in a few days.

The Process for doing a drywall patch:

• First make sure there are no electrical wires or plumbing behind the sheetrock
• Remove the damaged area cutting out a square section
• If a stud is nearby cut dead center to stud
• Add supporting studs if needed
• Cut sheetrock as perfect as you can for a tight fit.
• Screw sheetrock in place using a sheetrock bit (do not pierce screw through the paper).
• Tape and Bed the seams (I use 20 minute hot mud)
• Float the beds smooth to surface (this can take up to 3 skim coats depending on the patch)
• Sand if all areas as needed, and wet sponge the outer edges paying special attention to the corners of the patch.
• You want to achieve a seamless smooth patch to the existing surface
• Texture to match the existing wall texture ( In Texas its either orange peel (splatter) or Knock down (dragged)

All the above can sometimes be done in one day if the humidity is right and you have fans to dry between the stages. However, it could take 2 or 3 trips, it varies.

Drywall Finishing Levels

Plasters of Italy’s experience with drywall compound began when he was smoothing out large walls doing level 4 or 5 finishes. Different levels of drywall finishing are done to attribute to the type of texture that can hide the seams. For instance builders were blowing acoustic ceilings or (popcorn ceilings), because it hides all of the imperfections. Hence, the drywall finish was probable a level 2.

Contact us with any questions or concerns you have, we will help you get the process going and complete it in a timely manner.