Can drywall with ripped paper be repaired?

Question

I damaged some drywall when doing demo in a bathroom. Some of the paint peeled back and exposed the paper, which ripped off of the drywall. Can I do a thin coat and sand? please help, already have enough drywall to replace!

Answer 1

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: How

1. Use a utility or x-acto knife to cut away enough of the paper that you get a nice clean edge that isn't pulled away from the underlying gypsum.
2. Use a very small amount of joint compound and a 6" putty knife to apply a nice thin coat of joint compound over the damaged area. Don't use too little - a little too much is easy to fix, too little isn't.
3. Allow to dry until it's firm to the touch.
4. Use a clean damp sponge to smooth the surface of the patch down to a nice clean finish.
5. Let dry completely.
6. Prime!!! Always prime fresh joint compound or the paint won't stick.
7. Touch up with existing paint color.

Answer 2

For product, I highly recommend using lightweight joint compound with dust control. It's easy to work with and won't cover the world in dust. And if you need, wall texture spray as needed to match your wall texture.