Back support for drywall patch

[Eigenvector]

Everyone talks about how to put a thin strip of wood behind the hole that you're patching so that you can attach the drywall.

I can do that, but I'm having problems visualizing how you would attach the wood backing. Is it as simple screwing a hole in the surrounding drywall and into the wood backing, or is it something more. I'm just having trouble seeing it because drywall isn't very strong, so using drywall to hold up the backing wood, so that you can secure the patch sounds like a recipe for a bigger hole to patch.

[bamboo]

[KLS]

Or just use a good glue on the ends of the strip of wood that contact the drywall and let it set up really well before you try patching the hole.

[Al Bundy]

"Eigenvector" wrote in news:V_CdnRQwH_zXY7rYnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

That works in many cases.

I've also used various types of glue depending on what I'm doing. I've even used drywall mud on the ends as well as liquid nails. It just depends on what I'm doing, how picky, how much strength I need, how visable it will be, will it ever be bumped, etc. Just put on ends, put stick in wall.

sketch:

A favorite stick of mine to use are paint sticks. Lotsa BORG sticks behind the walls in houses I've worked on! They can be cut and split with a razor knife as well as hand broken. Not too good for screwing into though. 1 gal sticks will split easily. 5 gal much sturdier being 1/4 thick.

BORG sticks (1 & 5 gal) are also great for putting in stripped wood screw holes. Cut to size with extra length, coat with wood glue, hammer in hole as flush as possible. When thoroughly dry, trim any protruding wood with utility knife.

5 gal BORG sticks also good for wall spaces of laminate floor requiring 1/4 space.

[mm]

I've never done this with any method, but HD and maybe other places sell clips, in a package of 4 or 4 or 6 that go onto the remainder of good wall and let you clip in the patch, and finish that with a screw, provided, for each clip. After you have done most of the spackling or mudding or whatever, you can break off the clip tabs that show and spackle over the tiny stubs that I think are a bit below surface level.

Having not replaced my roof soon enough, I have to do a 4' x 4' patch sometime. Of course there I can nail to the wachamacallits, trusses?, and the hard part will be holding the thing up by myself until I get some screws in. I don't know if the clips will help or not.

>

[Eigenvector]

That's a good idea, its not like its a load bearing surface or something. It just has to hold the patch long enough for the drywall mud to set.

[Paul]

It COULD be a load bearing surface, at some time in the future. Perhaps a load of a different kind. Depending upon where the repair is located, I would be concerned about somebody bumping a broom handle into a weak spot and having to repair the wall again. Somebody might trip and put their hand out to break their fall and have it go through the repaired spot.

I prefer slightly more substantial bracing behind my drywall repairs, and I prefer to have them securely screwed in place.

[Jim Yanik]

KLS wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Get some free paint stirring sticks from the store,and some construction adhesive,like that new stuff with the fast grip,I can't recall the name.

[Jim Yanik]

Paul wrote in news: [e-mail]:

At HD,they have these drywall repair clips having breakoff tabs that hold in the replacement piece of drywall,then screws go thru the metal clip to hold botht he new piece and the clip to the original drywall.

[jeffc]

It's nothing more. It's strong. If the surrounding drywall is damaged, that's another matter.

[Father Haskell]

Regular Liquid Nails can be used as a contact cement. Glue the pieces together. Pull them apart. Wait three minutes. Stick them back together.

[zxcvbob]

How big is this hole you're trying to patch?

I usually cut a piece of cardboard or paperboard a little bigger than the hole. Punch a little hole in the middle and tie a string to it. Put the card thru the hole and pull it tight to the back of the drywall with the string. Then patch the hole with plaster of paris. Don't quite fill it flush with the surrounding wall; if there are any high spots, trim them down after the plaster sets but before it really gets hard. After it hardens, fill and smooth using spackle.

Best regards, Bob

[Charles Pisano]

Bob that's the trick I've seen somewhere as well. But the version I learned is to use a piece of drywall as a backing instead of the cardboard. Then when it sets you cut the string and fill it in.

[DK]

Pull Apart after initial pushing together is something I've just started doing.

In fact some of my newer power glues advise to:

1. Apply glue to one surface only. 2. Press surfaces together 3. Pull Apart about 1/2 inch then Press together again. 4. Repeat several times to speed bonding. I've never done that before, but I like the way it thins out the layer of adhesive and thus speeds up the bonding.

[Not]

I try to use something stronger than cardboard, like an old piece of drywall, or some screening if you have to bend it to get it through the hole. I use plaster for my repairs, as I think it is stronger than mud. If you put some plaster, mud, or even glue, on the edges of the patch and the interior edges of the hole, it will hold very well when you tighten the string, and give a good base for your repair coat.

I wouldn't worry too much about the strength of the patch, given that you are dealing with a wall built of drywall, which is not noted for its strength, and your patch will almost certainly be at least as strong as the rest of the wall.

[Chris Lewis]

According to Paul :

I use 1x2s or 2x3s and drywall screws. In some places, I use special screws. They have a thin perforated washer that looks like a cross between a crown/dimple washer and a fender washer. About 1" in diameter. When driven home, they're practically flush.

They're carried in various places. Lee Valley has them. I suspect the borg now does too.

[Eigenvector]

Wow, thanks for the ideas rolling in. I didn't realize that there were so many options here.

[Tekkie®]

Eigenvector posted for all of us...

So maybe the next person that has this problem will do a LITTLE research before asking? I guess it's too much to ask....

[Eigenvector]

Yeah, god forbid a new idea gets through. Besides, these newsgroups are for the personal amusement of the "regulars" not newbie questions.

[Jesse]

I premake drywall patchesabout 5 inch square then remove back paper and gypsum interion from a 3/4 inch perimeter leaving only the face paper layer, I open up the damage to 3 1/2 inch square, mud the perimeter of the hole, apply patch some mud on top and done. jesse.