- How
to Fix a Hole in a Wall
-
Perhaps
the most common home repair is fixing a hole in the wall. When
I was young, my grandfather would babysit my brothers and I while
mom and dad were off earning a living. What our parents called
child care, my grandfather interpreted as napping and most afternoons
we had the run of the house. Now on more than one occasion, something
was said and something was thrown, and some how we ended up with
a hole in the wall. It happens to the best of us. Not wanting
to risk losing our afternoons of freedom or our grandfather's
reputation, my brothers and I became experts at repairing holes
in the wall. As and adult with kids of my own, I've found that
the holes keep coming whether we want them to or not. The only
thing we can do is know how to fix them properly. It is a very
easy repair that can be performed in a few hours. I should also
note that the directions below refer repairing fairly large holes.
Small holes can often be painted over or repaired with a bit
of patching plaster.
There
are two primary methods of hole repair that we will cover here.
The first involves using a simple plaster patch. Begin by marking
out a rectangle on the wall around the hole that you wish to
repair. Using a small saw carefully cut out the rectangle. Next
you will use the rectangle as a template to make an outline for
a duplicate, replacement rectangle out of a piece of plaster
board. After making your outline, use a ruler to extend the rectangle
two inches larger on each side. Once you cut out your two-inch
larger rectangle you will have created your patch. Remove the
paper from the backside of your patch around the two inch overlap.
Apply patching plaster to the overlap area and place the patch
in the hole in the wall. Make sure to apply adequate pressure
to the patch to make sure that it sets correctly. Finally, sand
over the overlap area to ensure that it is flush with the wall
and finish by painting over the area.
The
second method for repairing a hole in the wall involves using
patching plaster instead of the patch. Begin by cutting out a
piece of metal screening a little bit larger than the hole that
you intend to repair. Insert a few wire ties through the screening
and into the hole. Using the wire ties, affix a piece of dowel
vertically across the outside of the hole, this will help hold
the screen in place. Next, plaster over the entire area using
your patching plaster. Let this coat dry and then remove the
dowel and wire ties. You can now add a finishing coat of plaster
over the area. All that is left is to sand the plaster patch
and apply a fresh coat of paint.
Knowing
how to repair a hole in a wall may be one of the most valuable
skills to learn in home repair. It is a fairly simple procedure
that can be accomplished quickly and easily.
ARTICLE POSTED April 30, 2008
|
WHAT'S NEW?