D.I.Y. Drywall Repair for Minor Damage
http://www.apartmentshowcase.com/blog/tips/2019/07/d-i-y-drywall-repair-for-minor-damage/
Deliberately or accidentally, it is all but certain that you will end up causing some amount of damage to the drywall in your apartment over time. Whether it be from hanging pictures and shelves or getting tripped up while moving furniture and banging into a wall, at some point you’ll find yourself with minor-size holes that need to be addressed—especially if you want to get your security deposit back at the end of your lease.
Luckily, repairing damaged drywall in your home is something you can do without the help of professionals and with no prior experience. So, before you call in a contractor to make costly fixes, try these D.I.Y. solutions for minor damage.
Minor Damage Repair
Minor damage is any holes that can be filled in without requiring the use of a patch. This type of damage is most often caused by nails, tacks, or other mounting hardware used for home décor.
Here’s how to fix these types of holes:
Small, tack-type holes
You’ve probably heard you can simply use some white toothpaste—or, even a paste made with crushed aspirin—to fill small, tack-type holes in. While this is a perfectly acceptable option if you’re short on time or money, your best bet is to invest in a small tube of drywall filler and a cheap putty knife.
Regardless, once you’ve decided which option is best for you, all you need to do is spread a small amount of the filler onto the hole, and remove any excess residue with your putty knife or straight edge. After it’s dried, you may need to wipe the area with a damp cloth or lightly sand in order to ensure the surface of the repair is smooth and flush with the rest of the wall.
Holes created by larger nails
The process for repairing holes created by larger nails is essentially the same as above but with a couple of extra steps. After removing larger nails from your walls, you may notice the surface of the spot is protruding slightly and/or the outer layer of paper used in the drywall is sticking up around the edges of the hole.
To remove the paper, run the edge of your putty knife over the hole to scrape away any frayed bits. Next, flip your putty knife over and use the handle to press gently onto the area of the hole in order to create a slight indentation. This helps get rid of the bump caused by pulling out the nail. Now, follow the same filler process described above, and voilà!—no more damaged drywall.
These D.I.Y. repair solutions should cover the most common types of minor drywall damage. For repairing larger areas or even entire panels of damaged drywall you should consider consulting a professional—or if you’re feeling exceptionally handy, click here to see how you can do it yourself.