Water-damaged drywall can be an extremely aggravating issue for homeowners. No matter the source of the water, moisture can wreak havoc on drywall panels, leaving them unsightly and at risk of collapsing.

Fortunately, with the right techniques and tools, repairing a small area of water-damaged drywall does not have to be a headache. With a little bit of patience and the right preparation, you can have the damage repaired in only a few days. Here’s how.

Why Water Damaged Drywall Needs To Be Replaced

Gypsum drywall is porous and absorbs water extremely well. This means that when exposed to a source of moisture, it will quickly grow saturated, causing it to become heavy and pull away from fasteners such as screws and nails.

In cases where the source of moisture is shut off quickly and the affected area is just beginning to sag, you may be able to simply dry it out and push it back into place before fastening and repainting it. However, in more serious cases, the drywall is likely to have suffered serious damage that will cause the paper to separate and the gypsum to crumble, necessitating the replacement of water-damaged sections.

Determine How Much Drywall To Remove

Also, because drywall absorbs and retains moisture so well, it is important to keep in mind that it can quickly become a magnet for mold. So, when removing drywall that is at risk of mold, such as when moisture has been present for multiple days, it is critical to work fast and remove enough drywall to ensure any mold-contaminated material is removed.

In cases where flooding was less than 2 ½ feet, FEMA recommends removing drywall up to a height of four feet. Because drywall comes in 4’ x 8’ sheets, this makes it convenient to replace with a normal sheet. In cases where the flooding was higher than 2 ½ feet, drywall should be removed up the higher of the ceiling joint or eight feet.

Cutting Out Water Damaged Sections of Drywall

Place tarps or drop clothes under the area you are working to catch the debris, and then using a keyhole saw, cut out the area of drywall to be replaced. It is easiest when removing a water-damaged section of drywall to cut it out as a rectangle or a square. This will make it much easier to measure for a patch to put in its place. Be careful to avoid any electrical or plumbing lines and wear appropriate protective equipment while working.

Measure and Install a Replacement Piece

Once you have removed the damaged area of drywall, it is time to cut and install your patch. Using measuring tape, measure the size of the removed area and cut a replacement piece to fill it in. For smaller patches, including those less than 12 square inches, it is possible to use drywall clips to hold the patch in place. For larger patches, it will be necessary to fasten the patch to the joists directly with drywall screws. If the area being repaired has electrical outlets, you will need to measure and cut out openings for the outlets before putting them in place.

Apply Joint Compound and Paint Seams

Once the patch is in place, it is time to apply drywall tape and joint compound to the seams. Tape comes in either mesh or paper varieties, and either will do the job. Just apply a layer of drywall joint compound to either side of the repair and surrounding drywall about four to six inches from either side before setting the tape and working it into the joint. Let this dry, sand off any ridges, and apply a second coat of joint compound, this time spreading it a few inches further out to both sides. You can repeat this process as many times as you need to blend the repair in with the surrounding wall and then prime and paint it with a matching color to the rest of your walls.

Final Thoughts

Repairing water-damaged drywall is something that a homeowner can handle on their own in cases where the damage is small. However, for major repairs, chances are that mold will have set in, and the job can quickly become far too much to handle. In these cases, it is best to leave it to water and mold remediation professionals to save you time and hassle and ensure that it is done right.

Contact Us

For water and mold remediation, contact the experts at ABH Services Inc. Our remediation professionals are ready and waiting to help you restore your property to its former condition. Call us at (781) 942-2422 and connect with us on Facebook.