It seems I need to learn how to "mud and tape" drywall. Real fast.

[LaraMN]

Learn fast, I mean, not perform the task quickly.

I ripped a bunch of paneling out of our back entryway (which is pretty big), and my husband is not happy.

I got the "great, now look what I have to deal with" face, and it was basically insinuated that I'm not going to be able to do the job myself, because I don't know how to work with drywall.

He is NOT fixing the drywall. HELL no. I'm doing it, now.
I'm doing it myself, and I'm going to do it well, because I am NOT going to be told that I can't do something <reading between the lines, here> because I'm a woman. If he learned somehow, so can I.

Soooo.. how do I learn how to do it?

:P

[Xipe Totec]

1. Practice, practice, practice

but dab on the mud thick.

If you go overboard, you can always sand off the excess after it dries.

good luck.

:hi:

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. You go down to the hardware store, look for a guy abuot 22, 23, 24 years old

You say "I'll give you a case of beer and I'll wear a tight-fitting t-shirt and really short shorts and bend over a lot, if you show me how to drywall and fix a section of wall I broke before my husband gets home".

[Gormy Cuss]

3. Excellent plan.

I bet LaraMN will have no trouble at all in that department.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. I'd do it!

:blush:

[LaraMN]

7. I didn't break (or gouge) the wall, it just has lots of rips in the paper layer,

where I ripped/sanded the glue from the paneling off.
And I don't have any really short shorts.
:P

[Gormy Cuss]

17. On a serious note, you can take care of this yourself, sans short shorts.

I mudded the garage and it doesn't look that bad. You need a good reference manual on basic home repairs to understand the technique. It requires patience and several rounds of mudding and sanding to smooth out the wall. :D

[LaraMN]

23. Okay- I'll look for one!

And I'll set the mental faculties for "extra patient."

[KitchenWitch]

28. Reader's Digest has a good one...

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0895773783.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[RetroLounge]

29. Hey, I just happen to have a few of those...

:D

RL

[KitchenWitch]

30. Really - hook LaraMN up!

:7

[Rabrrrrrr]

27. Then go naked - that'll save you the case of beer.

:evilgrin:


:7

[Maddy McCall]

5. Wait. Are you going to have to hang sheetrock yourself...

or repair it?

Hanging sheetrock is a two-person job, and one had better have some experience at it.

Repairing sheetrock isn't as difficult...if I were you, I'd mud it, sand it, mud it again, and then go to Lowe's and find one of those cool new texturized paint to hid novice mistakes.

I've hung plenty of sheetrock...it's an art and I'm certainly no artist at it. I'm in awe of the folks who do good jobs with sheetrock.

[LaraMN]

12. No hanging, no holes/gouges- just lots of rips in the paper,

from where the glue on the back of the paneling was attached to the sheetrock. Also, the seams were never taped and mudded, in the first place.

[lavenderdiva]

6. I'll bet you get a lot of help here

in the DIY & Home Improvement Group here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=287

There's a lot of very knowledgeable do-it-yourselfers in that group! :hi:

[Kutjara]

8. Nail the drywall to the wood framework underneath,...

...run tape down all the seams between pieces of drywall, then slather loads of plaster over the whole thing. Paint white and claim the resultant uneven lumpiness was an intentional attempt to create a "rustic Mediterranean" look.

[Maddy McCall]

13. I'd agree with all except the nails...

Use drywall screws...then, yeah, the rustic thing.

:rofl:

[Kutjara]

16. Awww, nails give the whole thing that...

...indefineable jury-rigged shoddiness that lends so much of Mediterranean architecture its charm. Part of the romance of staying in a rustic Spanish or Italian villa is wondering whether it's the plumbing or the joinery that will give out first.

[LaraMN]

14. Maybe I can just rip it all to hell and call it "shabby chic."

:D

[Kutjara]

21. That would work too!

You could create a whole new interior design movement: "postapocalyptic modern" or "distressed rustic."

[AlCzervik]

9. you can so do this and i bet it will look excellent, buy the regular paper dw tape

don't get the fancy stuff, it's overrated imo and not worth the extra expense and get the pre mixed drywall mud and a good spreader oh yeah and sand paper in different grits, you need to get the finer one for the last sanding.

[LaraMN]

15. Yay! I already have most of that stuff!

I only mud over the seams, and where I put the tape, right?

[AlCzervik]

19. yup yup, you're are well on your way.

:toast:

[Extend a Hand]

10. I am way better at drywall repair than my husband is

:) I know you can do it.

can you post pictures of the area that needs work? I have done lots and lots of drywall.
we remodelled our basement (and I have kitties with bad habits ;) )

basic tools:
mesh tape
joint compound (pre-mixed is easier and not too expensive-- about 5.00/lb bucket)
4", 6", 12" putty knife (I like plastic ones)
plastic mud tray (about 4" wide x 12" long x 4" deep)
sanding screens in medium and fine
and a sanding block. (a sander on a stick is nice to have to if you have a lot or up high work)


Oh yeah...and make sure to turn *OFF* the furnace or AC before sanding.
very big mess. :blush: :blush: :blush:

[LaraMN]

18. I would love to post pics, but my p.c. is out of commission

(since we moved)and I can't download pics on my laptop.
x(

[WhollyHeretic]

11. Here you go

Taping new drywall:

http://www.drywallinfo.com/tapingjoints.html

Repairing drywall:

http://www.drywallinfo.com/drywall-repair.html

[LaraMN]

20. Ah-HA! Sweet! Thank you!

That's what I need!

[Robb]

22. May I suggest my favorite website on such matters:

The best "oh, geez, how do I do this" site I've come across:

http://www.hammerzone.com

[LaraMN]

24. Awesome! Thank you!

I want to learn to do things myself; I don't like waiting on someone else to do them for me. I will bookmark that site!

[Poiuyt]

26. It's Hammer Zone!

[Poiuyt]

25. Here's a tip that will keep a lot of the dust down

You can smooth the drywall compound with a damp sponge rather than sanding it. You can do this with the first two layers and then sand on the final one. That fine dust gets everywhere so it's nice to keep it to a minimum.