As a home settles, it becomes necessary to make minor drywall repairs. Most often, cracks may form along seams in the joints of the drywall. As with any issues showing wear within a home, it is always best to ensure no underlying structural problem exists that may continue to worsen the problems. However, the repair of a drywall seam over latex paint is a relatively easy project for most homeowners to complete.
Instructions
1. Remove furniture from area of repair, and cover finished floors with a drop cloth. Using the sandpaper, sand the area around the drywall joint.
2. Use a terry-cloth rag to clean the dust from the wall around the drywall joint.
3. Use the mud pan and mudding knife to run a strip of joint compound along the length of the drywall joint. Leave it a little thick to embed the drywall tape.
4. Use the drywall knife to embed the drywall tape into the mud applied along the drywall joint. Ensure that the drywall joint is in the center of the drywall tape.
5. Apply a strip of drywall joint compound over the drywall tape to cover and extend out a few inches to each side. This should be a thin, not a thick, application of the compound. All that is needed is enough to cover the joint tape and feather out to the edge. Further applications will be needed, so do not try to "get it right" in one pass. Allow the mud to dry.
6. Sand the mud, once dry, to remove high spots, knife marks and air bubbles that may have formed. Clean the dust from the wall with a good rag.
7. Add a second coat of drywall mud over the seam and several inches to each side, filling in any imperfections from the first coat. Allow to dry.
8. Sand the surface of the mud to remove imperfections and to feather the edges into the surrounding wall. If no further mudding is needed, you are able to run your hand over the wall without feeling any humps or transitions when crossing from the repair to the existing painted surface. If imperfections are found, apply coats of mud and sand until the imperfection is removed.
9. Repaint the wall.
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