36
votes
What is the best tool to neatly cut out a piece of drywall?
You want an oscillating tool. Fein made it first, but everybody has one now. If your battery platform of choice has a model, go battery. If not, there are plenty of corded ones out there.
As an ...
- 20.3k
34
votes
Accepted
Re-painting drywall after patching leaves tones
Three things:
Yes, you were supposed to apply a primer.
Fresh joint compound and drywall soak up paint like crazy. The primer serves to seal the joint compound and drywall and create a consistent ...
- 25.8k
31
votes
What are these wires coming out of my wall?
Check that the wires are not carrying any house current. If not, then you may proceed as you wish. DO NOT attach a battery before checking for house current.
- 25.1k
30
votes
Accepted
How to cut drywall over stud?
You want to add backing to the inside sides of the existing studs as well as to the centre of the span. The simplest way to do this is to cut the new backing (preferably 2x4, or whatever the existing ...
- 5,429
30
votes
How do I mount this towel rack that was ripped off the wall?
The traditional solution for a pulled out towel rack is to remove the towel rack, patch the holes (usu two on each end) and place the rack slightly higher or lower. An experienced or inventive person ...
- 20.9k
27
votes
Expedient repair for water damaged drywall behind tile
Sorry, there is no shortcut here. It's likely damaged well beyond what you can see and the only fix is to tear that all out, remove the drywall that is likely crumbling, replace/repair any studs, ...
- 23.1k
26
votes
Accepted
How should I support this large drywall patch?
It's a matter of preference, but I would float scrap lumber backing at four locations:
Down both sides
Across the bottom between the two studs
Across the between the two studs just below the plumbing ...
- 129k
26
votes
How can I fix a towel bar pulled from the wall?
Towel bars are always reached-for and therefore always vulnerable. My approach is to make all towel bars capable of resisting the inevitable grabs and pulls.
In my house, the towel bars are all ADA-...
- 1,633
26
votes
Accepted
Spackling drywalls around plumbing pipes
Sounds like you want a escutcheon, which is a metal (usually) trim part designed to cover the hole between the pipe and the wall.
I generally just put some mesh drywall tape and hot (setting-type) mud ...
- 202k
25
votes
Expedient repair for water damaged drywall behind tile
With the COVID stuff going on the last thing you want to do is have your family have respiratory issues due to mold. There is mold growing behind your shower, probably on every shower wall. Money ...
- 47.8k
23
votes
How to reduce drywall hole size
Just patch the drywall, and make a new hole. If you haven't thrown the old piece way, you have the patch pre-cut.
- 202k
23
votes
How can I fix a towel bar pulled from the wall?
The best option is to put backing blocks in the wall prior to drywall/ wall finish when building or remodeling a house. Of course, this is not always possible in existing houses.
Another option is to ...
- 4,523
21
votes
What is the best tool to neatly cut out a piece of drywall?
Hmm some options... A Dremel or rotary tool can be set up as a drywall cutout tool, which is a single purpose version built for hard use. Because of the wood backing, you need cutout bits with ...
- 2,268
20
votes
Where do you cut drywall if you need to remove it but still want to easily put it back up?
I'll deviate from the other suggestions. I prefer to cut in open space and float new backing.
It's more difficult to cut down a stud. The knife or saw can't penetrate cleanly through, and you tend to ...
- 129k
19
votes
How to reduce drywall hole size
If you are right up on the stud, a Madison Smartbox will fix this
The smartbox might not be exactly the size of your opening, but the faceplate will cover up the gap.
Cut a hole out of the box for ...
- 25k
17
votes
Accepted
Fix drywall that lost strength due to hanging curtain rod
As you have found out, curtain rod supports do not do well hanging from plaster anchors. They really should be attached to studs, but where that is impossible, toggle anchors give you a chance at ...
- 33.6k
17
votes
Expedient repair for water damaged drywall behind tile
You say you're looking for an expedient fix for the duration of the lockdown? That's pretty simple then. Buy a cheap shower curtain, cut it roughly to the size of the missing tiles, and Duck-tape it ...
- 1,959
16
votes
Accepted
What are these wires coming out of my wall?
Approved for In-Wall?
Those are speaker wires and, going by appearance and the transparent jacket, they might not be fire rated. Most transparent PVC jackets are not rated, some could be.
Check the ...
- 15.8k
16
votes
Accepted
What type of drywall texture is this and how do i create it?
Looks like a Tree bark texture which is created with a drywall roller cover.
You might be able to find one of these covers at the big box hardware stores, if not, you can source them from similar ...
- 2,310
15
votes
How to reduce drywall hole size
You could possibly expand the hole on the left and a little bit to the right and use a 2-gang box.
Then you'd use a 2-gang keystone plate for your ethernet jacks.
https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-2-...
- 1,677
15
votes
What are these wires coming out of my wall?
Yes, those are speaker wires. A number of comments have noted that they might be connected to power anyway, so checking thoroughly - either to find the other end, if possible, or at least using a non-...
13
votes
How do I mount this towel rack that was ripped off the wall?
Get to the Studs
Regular anchors are fine for an ordinary towel bar. But not for a grab bar. For regular anchors to work here, you would need to (a) patch the drywall, (b) install the towel bar with ...
13
votes
How do I mount this towel rack that was ripped off the wall?
This happens when bathroom fixtures are only fastened to drywall -- such fixtures are easily ripped out. If you have young children, they will be mysteriously compelled to swing like monkeys from ...
- 237
13
votes
What is the best tool to neatly cut out a piece of drywall?
for a clean cut, really a craft knife is the only tool that can deliver.
Saws and powertools will leave the edge of the paper rough.
Not that you couldn't use a power tool. but powertoos makea lot of ...
- 19k
11
votes
Expedient repair for water damaged drywall behind tile
First off, Don't use thinset on drywall. Use a mastic adhesive because it will be better for the damaged area. After the tiles have been installed, use an epoxy grout for maximum strength. Seal around ...
- 78.7k
11
votes
Expedient repair for water damaged drywall behind tile
Hang another shower curtain on the back wall with a tension-rod. That will let it continue to dry out and should be cost-effective until you can take it down to the studs and see whether the wood ...
- 426
11
votes
Accepted
Raised spackle discovered mid-painting
It certainly won't get better by itself.
You need to scrape and/or sand it down, and probably spot-prime it and paint it to match what the rest of the wall has had before adding a next coat to the ...
- 202k
10
votes
How to cut drywall over stud?
I'm a Drywaller of 25 years, the saw blade suggestions are DANGEROUS there are possible screws going up the center of that stud ... do not use a saw blade, the guy who suggested the utility knife had ...
- 109
10
votes
Accepted
meshed tape exposed on sanding
It's joint compound, commonly called mud, and not grout.
If you are sanding into the tape, you have not applied enough.
It's not a "one and done" product. You apply joint compound and embed ...
- 202k
10
votes
What is the best tool to neatly cut out a piece of drywall?
Obvious cheap answer is a craft knife - cut along a steel rule for a straight edge. It's a slow job but it'll do. Or faster using a broken hacksaw blade in a handle designed so the blade sticks out a ...
- 5,198
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