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Repairing a damaged textured ceiling starts with replacing the damaged drywall underneath the texture. Here's the right way to prep the area for a new coat of ceiling texture. You might also like: TBD How to Fix a Hole in the Ceiling: Replacing the drywall
Photo 1: No power saws for this stepProbe with a nail to find the framing on either side of the breakout. Mark the cut between the framing, then make those two cuts until you hit the framing. Then cut alongside the framing at the sides.
Photo 2: Patch the holeScrew 3/4-in.-thick cleats to the sides of the trusses and replace or repair the vapor barrier. Then patch in a fresh piece of drywall.
Photo 3: Reapply textureWet the drywall repair texture on the edges of your patch and allow it to soak in for several minutes before you scrape. Tape the joints and then reapply texture. We’re not going to ask how you managed to step through your living room ceiling. But we can tell you that pros fix that mistake quite often, charging several hundred dollars to patch the hole and retexture it. But you can learn how to patch a textured ceiling yourself for a lot less. You’ll have to paint the entire ceiling afterward, and even then the patched area won’t match perfectly; even a pro can’t achieve that. Perfection calls for scraping off and retexturing the entire ceiling after the patch is complete. How to repair hole in ceilingYou’ll only need a small piece of drywall and a couple of scraps of any 3/4-in.-thick wood or plywood, plus standard taping supplies and materials in order to know how to fix a hole in the ceiling. And you’ll need to rent a texture gun. But first, scrape off a small sample of your texture material and find a match for it at a home center. If it doesn’t carry it, try a local drywall supplier. Start by cutting out the damaged area (Photo 1). Avoid cutting the vapor barrier, or reseal it with red moisture barrier tape if you do. Screw backer boards above the unsupported drywall ends of the enlarged hole and install the new patch (Photo 2). Mist water over the surrounding ceiling texture in an area about 24 in. out from the patch to soften it so you can scrape it off to prep for the taping work (Photo 3). Then tape, mud and skim-coat the entire patch. Sand it smooth and you’re ready to spray. How to texture drywall patchRent a professional spray texture gun and practice on scrap drywall or cardboard. Apply a light coat of texture and add more in stages until you get a match. Lightly blend it into the existing texture. Required Tools for this ProjectHave the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration.
Required Materials for this ProjectAvoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here’s a list.
Originally Published: January 18, 2019
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‘Oversized’ plates cover an extra 1/4 in. or so of wall on all four sides. And sometimes that’s just enough to hide damage and save you the trouble of making a repair. Home centers carry oversized plates for common configurations like single and double switches and outlets.
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For small repairs on popcorn ceilings, such as hairline cracks in ceiling, dab on this stuff. Start with a light application, let it dry and add more if needed. With some careful brush work, you can perfectly match the surrounding texture and easily cover minor cracks in ceiling.
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Some cracks keep coming back no matter how well you repair them. For those pesky recurring cracks, we prescribe Good-Bye Cracks. It forms an elastic film that stretches and contracts along with the crack. It works best on hairline cracks, but it’s worth a try on wider cracks too. Start by cleaning loose material out of the crack and fill it with joint compound. Then spray on two to three light coats of Good-Bye Cracks. The film isn’t sandable, so a smooth, even coat is critical (practice on a scrap of cardboard first). When the film dries, prime and paint.
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Some walls are so bad that the best fix is to tear them out and install new drywall. Wall liner is the next-best fix. It’s basically extra-thick, paintable wallpaper that acts as a big patch over the whole wall. Some versions are smooth; some have a textured or patterned surface. Fill cracks and holes with joint compound, prime the patches and then hang the liner just like wallpaper.
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If you’re installing a drywall patch, you’ve got to screw the patch to something. Usually, that means installing wood backing. But here’s a quicker, easier way: Screw drywall repair clips to the surrounding drywall and screw in the patch. Then break off the tabs and you’re ready for mud.
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We’ve had some good results using texture from aerosol spray cans—and some disasters. The texture blasts out fast and heavy. One wrong move and you’ve got an over-textured mess. This little hand-pump gun is much easier to control. It spits out just a little texture with each blast. So you can spray on a light texture, then add more until it looks right. Still, it’s best to practice on some cardboard first. Also have a bucket and sponge handy in case you need to wipe away a misfire and start over. We got good results matching orange peel, splatter and knockdown textures, but lousy results with popcorn ceiling texture.
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Step Saver Stress Crack Tape sounds like the perfect solution for cracks. Just stick it on and paint over it. So we gave it a try. The tape was still visible from across the room—even under two coats of paint. If you take a few minutes to skim over it with joint compound, the tape disappears completely. But will the tape stretch and stay stuck through seasonal crack movement?
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If your kitchen walls are banged up from chairs slamming into them, instead of repairing the damaged wall, cover up the dings and dents with chair rail.
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If you have a water-stained ceiling, a stain-blocking primer is mandatory to prevent the stain from bleeding through a fresh coat of paint. You could roll on primer, but there are two spray-can products you should consider first: Kilz Upshot and Zinsser Covers Up are both stain-blocking primers, and both have nozzles that shoot upward—perfect for ceiling work. Upshot is tinted to match aged, unpainted ceiling texture. Covers Up is a lighter shade of off-white. So if you’re lucky, the primer will blend in and you won’t have to paint the whole ceiling.
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Instant PatchEvery fix-it guy we know—DIYer or pro—loves selfstick metal patches. Just stick one over the hole and mud over it. Find them in sizes from 4 x 4 in. to 8 x 8 in. Originally Published: January 29, 2020 |
How to fix ceiling drywall
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