Drywall Corner Repair and Maitenance Tips
Are the corners of your drywall chipped from moving furniture, or kids’ play? Chances are if your walls have any damage, it’s at the corners. Fortunately, repairing drywall corners is a fairly easy DIY project. The instructions below assume you already have metal or plastic corner beads installed in the drywall.
What you’ll need:
- Safety goggles and work gloves for safety
- Utility knife
- Hacksaw or metal shears
- Floor scraper
- Metal snips
- Power drill or driver
- Drywall knives
- Corner bead
- Drywall screws
- Drywall joint compound
- Sandpaper
- Hammer
- Taping knife
How to Repair Drywall Corners
Step 1: Cover your work surface with several layers. If you’ve never cut glass or plastic before, practice with your straight edge to make sure you can measure accurately and score exact lines before you begin. Use a framing square for perpendicular.
Step 2: Using a utility knife, cut away a rectangular section around the damage. This will prevent tearing of the rest of the wall.
Step 3: Saw through the metal corner guard above and below the damaged area with a hacksaw or metal shears.
Step 4: Pull out the old nails using a pry bar and the claw end of a hammer.
Step 5: With metal shears, cut a replacement piece of corner guard. Remove paper and gypsum from area.
Step 6: Screw the new guard in place so it lines up with the old guard.
Step 7: Apply three coats of drywall joint compound using a drywall knife. Let dry and sand lightly between coats.
Regrouting Bathroom Tile: A DIY How To Guide
Grout lines are the week point of a bathroom tile installation. Even sealed grout attracts mildew and becomes discolored. When grout fails and begins to crack, water can seep into cracks and collect behind wall tiles, causing them to separate. And when that occurs in one tile, the adjacent tiles will begin to separate too. Fortunately, regrouting bathroom tile is a simple project you can do yourself and will keep your tiled walls looking their best.
Before you begin re-grouting, you have to repair or replace any loose or broken tiles. Scrape away ridges of old adhesive from wall and back of tile, apply new adhesive layer and reset tile.
Remember that grout, caulk, and sealant must cure anywhere from several days to a few weeks before using the shower or tub, so plan accordingly.
Safety Recommendations: Wear safety goggles when working with grout, sealer, or caulk. Rubber gloves should be used. Properly ventilate work area.
Things you’ll need
- Utility knife
- Awl or nail and dowel
- Razor knife
- Grout
- Sealer
- Sponge faced float or squeegee
- Bucket
- Toothbrush or striking tool
- Clean cloths
- Silicone caulk
- Caulking gun
- Screwdriver
1. Remove existing grout. Scrape away the old grout using a utility knife or a grout saw. Use an awl or nail hammered into a dowel to remove grout from narrow spaces.
2. Remove existing caulk. Using a razor knife, cut back old caulking from tile perimeter.
3. Mix grout. Follow manufacturer’s instructions and mix enough grout to complete your wall. Some tiles need to be sealed to protect the finish before applying grout.
4. Apply grout. Trowel grout across wall using a sponge faced float or a squeegee.
5. Polish. When you have finished grouting joints, wipe away excess using a damp sponge. When a dry haze has formed, polish using a damp cloth. When grout has dried thoroughly, a sealer can be applied.
6. Caulk. Seal seams around tub, corner joints, and edges where tile meets another surface using silicone caulk. Never use latex painter’s caulk for a tile job.
7. Tool caulked areas. Use a toothbrush handle, gloved fingertips, or a striking tool to smooth the caulked areas. Allow all materials to cure for the period recommended by product manufacturer’s before using shower.
