Articles By Syndicated Columnist
Dan Thomas
© Copyright Home
Improvement Inside And Out
Drywall
And Patching Plaster
To save your arm muscles when installing ceiling drywall,
construct two "deadman" supports. Use floor-to-ceiling two by fours,
including T-bars at the tops. They will support the panels while you do the
final positioning and securing. Instead of carrying large drywall sheets into the
house and possible damaging them while navigating awkward corners. Measure and
cut them to fit before bringing them inside.
Drive nails in pairs, spaced 2 inches apart, when installing drywall to
discourage nails from popping out.
Small cracks or holes in drywall can be repaired with spackling compound.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions and lightly sand before priming or
painting.
To ensure that a nail stays in a stud, drive another drywall nail through
the wall into the stud: set the new nail about 2 inches above or below the old
one. Do not use a nail set on the new nail. Just pound it flush with the wall
and then give it one more light hammer whack to Dimple the drywall surface
around the nail head. Cover the nail head and hole with drywall compound and
lightly sand when dry. If using a drywall gun be sure not to over do it. You
just want to make a dimple in the drywall not go right through it.
Patching Plaster
To fill a large crack in a plaster wall, remove loose plaster with a putty
knife. Make sure to widen the opening slightly in a V-shape.
Clean the loose plaster and dust from the crack with a vacuum cleaner. Mix
thick paste of plaster of paris, and then we the crack thoroughly with a wet
paintbrush.
Pack plaster of paris into the hole to its full depth, and smooth the
surface with a scraper or trowel. Let the filled crack dry until the plaster
turns bright white - at least 24 hours.
Sand the patch lightly when the plaster is dry, using medium - or fine
-grade sandpaper wrapped around a wood block.
Prime before painting the wall. Large cracks will have to be re plastered
at least twice (once with perlitic plaster, then with plaster of paris to make
the surface smooth.
