4 Tips for Using a Metal Drywall Patch

If you are planning to patch drywall areas that are damaged, you need to know that it requires persistence and patience to complete the job. Before finding out more about the project, there is one thing that you will have to consider in drywall patching, and that is dust. If you are sensitive to the particles produced by gypsum or drywall, you should get yourself a good dust mask, safety goggles, and a pair of gloves. You should also wear long-sleeved clothing to protect your skin. Do not forget to cover up any furniture nearby that you want to be dust-free. If you can move them, it would be better if you can place them somewhere else in the house while you are doing the project.

Making a Fast Repair

One advantage of a metal drywall patch is the speed in which you can make a repair. A drywall section that has a dent or small hole can be quickly filled up with the drywall compound. To surface the repair, place the patch over the hole or dent. This has the effect of backfilling the repair with the joint compound, avoiding a hollow repair. Skim coat on the metal patch at least 2 times, but ensure that the compound has dried sufficiently in between coatings. Once you are done applying the final coat, let it dry and then sand. You can then apply a primer and a paint of your choice.

Choosing Your Patch Size

Metal drywall patches come in sizes ranging from 4” x 4” to 8” x 8”. Determine the size of the hole or dent that you will repair first in order not to waste patches. The materials for the patch that have become popular in recent years are galvanized and aluminum and are perforated for better adhesion. They perform better in making a quick repair than splicing or squaring up a hole.

Preparing for Repair

If the dent or hole that you will patch up has loose wallboard paper, you will have to remove it first together with the gypsum. If the paper continues to tear up to the side of the drywall, you can stop it by cutting around an inch or more from the loose area with a razor knife. This process is called scoring. When you tear any wallboard paper, the tearing will stop once it reaches the scored line. Thus, further tearing is prevented, lessening the area that needs to be patched up.

Inspecting Your Drywall

After you have removed loose board paper, inspect the gypsum panel underneath it before making any repair. If it is crumbled and in danger of falling off the wall, you have to take out the whole gypsum board. Loose gypsum and wallboard paper will not allow the drywall compound to bond strongly. It will also make a bubble that will be noticeable once you apply a coating of the compound. If you are going to use Sheetrock to fill up a void, it might be good if you could square up the hole first so that you can cut the Sheetrock with ease.