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Dry Wall Repairs Project:
Crack Filling a New Wall
Tools Required:
There aren't a lot of tools required for this job but it is handy to have them all before starting the project at hand.
Here's what you will need:
Trowels
Crackfill putty
Drywall tape or mesh
Sand paper or sanding sponge
Scissors
Getting Started:
To begin dry wall repairs on new dry wall, I always cut out my tape to match the length of the seams I will be working on.
For the first application of crack fill, start at the top and put a small amount of crack fill on your small trowel and apply directly over the seam. Apply the crack fill thinly to about 4ft of the seam.
Go back to the top and press the tape onto the seam so that the tape sticks. Make sure you are running straight. Apply a thicker coat directly over the tape.
Holding the tape with one finger at the top, squeeze the excess crack fill from under the tape making sure to still have a good cover of it over the tape.
With the excess crack fill from the squeezing work your way down the wall until you reach the bottom. Let dry overnight or longer if necessary- the first coat takes the longest to dry especially in the corners and seams.
Repeat this process until your room is done.
The smoother you can get the first coats the better. I prefer to sand only once and that is normally after three or four applications of crack fill.
After everything looks covered you will need to sand it down with fine grit sandpaper. For larger rooms you can use an electric sander but for smaller rooms it can easily be done by hand. I personally prefer sanding blocks because they fit in the palm of my hand well, and as I am working along I can feel the seam or area with my other hand to see if it is smooth or if it needs some more sanding.
The Clean Up:
To remove resulting dust and debris, a damp cloth in combination with a shop vac does the trick really well. If you notice any spots that need another coat then do it at that time and re-sand the area.
I prefer to fix the problems now before it is painted, since crack fill edges are magnified once they are painted.
Finishing The Job:
Once dust is removed I apply the first coat of primer. I apply primer to the entire room and inspect it with proper lighting in case another application of crack fill is required. If I find that some seams are still noticeable, I mark the areas that need more work with a pencil so I can find them quickly later when I'm ready to crack fill again. I repeat this process until I'm satisfied with my results. Normally one or two iterations of priming and crack filling satisfy my dry wall repair tastes.
Thanks for the dry wall repairs project. Take me home.
Take me to the main dry wall page
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