How to fix a hole in a plasterboard: materials, tools, repair tips

In modern construction and repair work, drywall is a very popular material. With its help make interior partitions, level walls, ceilings, and also create graceful decorative elements for decorating the interior. With its simplicity and versatility, this material has one major drawback - susceptibility to mechanical damage. Strong strokes, careless repositioning of furniture and even active children's games can cause undesirable defects on the surface of such a wall. In this regard, the question of how to fix a hole in a drywall is now relevant for many homeowners, so in this article we will pay special attention to this topic.

Preparation for work

If you find a similar flaw in the wall or in the ceiling, do not panic, as this situation is remediable and does not require the owners of large financial costs. Restoration of such structures is quite an easy process, which can be done independently, using the simplest materials.

Before starting work, it is necessary to clean the hole in the plasterboard - remove the hanging pieces of paper and remove the weakly held and deformed elements. Next, you need to determine the dimensions of the damaged area. Measurements should be made taking into account all cracks, chips and scratches. If the site of the wall has failed as a result of flooding with water, all the wet parts of the sheet are subject to replacement. Focusing on the extent of damage, determine how to fix a hole in the drywall in a particular case.

Basic methods of repair

Depending on the size of the hole, the method for eliminating the fault is chosen. Repair of the damaged wall can be carried out in the following ways:

• With putty and reinforcement tape;
• Method of creating a patch;
• Overlapping the patch with the preliminary arrangement of the crate.

Small cracks in the plasterboard and holes up to 50 mm in diameter are eliminated in the first way. In this case, it is enough to glue the sickle patch on the damaged area and apply 2-3 layers of putty on top of it (with small time intervals). After the solution has dried, the restored surface should be sanded with sandpaper to achieve maximum smoothness.

To eliminate holes with a diameter of up to 100 mm, plasterboard is used , the thickness of which is equal to the thickness of the sheet being repaired. Holes more than 100 mm should be eliminated in a third way. Both these options require preliminary preparation and the availability of certain tools and materials.

Preparation for work: selection of tools and materials

When installing a patch from plasterboard you will need the following tools:

• A construction knife or a hacksaw for metal for cutting and processing material;
• Plane for cleaning the edges of the sheet;
• Measuring instrument (ruler, tape measure, etc.);
• marker;
• Metal and rubber spatula;
• Screwdriver or screwdriver;
• Self-tapping screws;
• Capacity for kneading putty.

If you need to create a crate to install a patch, you should prepare wooden blocks and a wood hacks beforehand . From materials you will need putty and a new drywall. Repair of small holes can be done using old scraps of gypsum sheet. If they are not available, they can be purchased at any construction store.

Nuances of the choice of putty

Going for the putty, you need to clearly understand what kind of mixture you need. Many in order to save prefer the usual gypsum, but soon regret their decision. This is due to the fact that this material strongly shrinks and cracks when it dries, so it's better to purchase special mixtures for drywall.

When choosing a putty mix, it should be borne in mind that if it is a question of working in a bathroom or kitchen, then it is better to use cement mixes. Gypsum compounds are suitable for work in warm and dry rooms. If repair is planned in several rooms at once, polymeric compounds should be used, since they are universal. When all the materials are prepared, you can start working.

How to fix a hole in a plasterboard with a patch

If the diameter of the unwanted hole is more than 10 cm, then a patch made of a similar material must be applied to remove the defect. For this you need:

• Using a hacksaw, treat the uneven edges of the hole.
• Carefully cut out the damaged area of the sheet, giving the hole an even shape (square, triangle or rectangle).
• Use the ruler to take measurements from the new hole.
• Using a knife, from all edges of the hole to remove the face layer of cardboard by 2 cm. The gypsum mass should be left untouched.
• On the prepared sheet drywall draw a similar figure, but 2 cm wider from each edge. On the back of the patch along its entire perimeter, remove 2 cm of plaster and cardboard, leaving only the outer layer of paper.
• Cut out gypsum board, the thickness of which corresponds to the thickness of the wall material, try on the hole.
• Apply a plaster mixture along the perimeter of the hole.
• Install the patch and press firmly.
• Align the surface and the joints of two sheets with a putty.
• After drying the mortar, level the surface by grinding with sandpaper.

It is also possible to overlap the patch by trimming its edges and holes at an angle of 45 degrees. In this case, the inner contour needs to be processed at the workpiece, and the outer contour at the hole.

Installation of a patch with the manufacture of a billet

Now consider how to seal a hole in the plasterboard when its size is more than 10 cm. In such cases, it is necessary to install a wooden crate, which will prevent the patch from getting into the space between the gypsum sheet and the main wall.

The process of such repairs is divided into the following stages:

• Measuring the damaged area of the wall or ceiling.
• Create a drawing of a future patch on a sheet of paper (a margin of 2 cm is made on each side of the figure).
• Cut out the patch according to the drawing.
• Manufacturing of the laths of the crate. Here, small wooden bars are used, which are 4 cm longer than the width of the hole.
• Installation of the laths. On the inside of the gypsum board, the slats (top and bottom of the hole) are installed and fixed with screws at the edges of the hole or in the center.
• Mounting the patch. The finished crate is packed with a ready-made patch and fastened with screws from each edge.
• Treatment of seams and patch surfaces with putty.

If the damage occupies most of the sheet, it will be easier to replace the entire plate completely.

Finishing

At the end of the work, when the surface is plastered and smoothed, it's time to start finishing. Here you can use paint, decorative plaster and stucco, the main thing is that the restored plot is not conspicuous and does not attract attention. An excellent option may be the decision to hide the repaired plasterboard under the wallpaper. Paper sheets perfectly hide all the flaws in the surface, so there will be no trace of the former damage.

A few words about the repair of plasterboard ceilings

Perhaps, many are familiar with the situation when the surface of walls and ceilings are spoiled by flooding neighbors from above. In this case, it is rarely possible to solve the problem by installing a patch, most often you have to change the entire drywall.

Repair can do much less if, at the time of detection of a leak at the lowest point of the suspended ceilings, make a couple of holes to exit the moisture. Their further camouflage will take no more than 30 minutes, while the entire ceiling will not have to be changed. If the water touches a small part of the curtain, it can be restored by any of the above methods.