Some drywall damage is a quick patch. Other damage means cutting out a section, or a whole wall, and starting fresh. Picking the wrong approach costs you either way. Replacing drywall that could have been patched wastes money, and patching drywall that should have been replaced means the problem comes back through the paint. Here’s how to tell the difference.
When Drywall Can Usually Be Repaired
Small holes and dents
Nail holes, anchor holes, dents from furniture and doorknob holes are almost always repairs. Small holes get filled. Larger holes get a backing or patch piece, then tape, several coats of compound, sanding, texture and paint.
Nail pops and seam cracks
Fasteners that push out of the drywall and cracks along taped seams are common as houses settle and go through seasonal swings. They can usually be re-secured, re-taped and refinished.
Cracks over doors and windows
Diagonal cracks off the corners of doors and windows are common and usually repairable. If the same crack keeps coming back, or doors start sticking along with it, the movement behind it is worth a closer look before it’s patched again.
Small, dry water stains
If a leak was small, was fixed quickly and the drywall dried out firm and flat, the stain can often be sealed with a stain-blocking primer and painted. Paint alone often lets the stain bleed back through.
When Replacement Is Usually the Better Call
Swelling, sagging or crumbling
Drywall’s gypsum core loses strength when it’s soaked. If a wall bulges, a ceiling sags, the paper is peeling, or the board feels soft or crumbles when pressed, it needs to come out. A sagging ceiling may also be holding water, so stay out from under it.
Water damage that stayed wet
The U.S. EPA advises drying water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth. Drywall that stayed wet longer than that, or got wet from sewage or floodwater, is usually cut out and replaced rather than dried and saved, along with any wet insulation behind it.
Mold
Mold on or behind drywall usually means the affected board has to come out, and the moisture source has to be fixed first. EPA guidance says homeowners can generally handle areas smaller than about 10 square feet themselves. Larger areas, contaminated water or extensive damage call for a professional with mold experience.
Damage across a large area
When a wall has many patches, wide damage, or is being opened anyway for plumbing, electrical or insulation, replacing full sheets is often cleaner and faster than stitching together a dozen repairs.
Basements with a history of moisture
Basement drywall takes the brunt of leaks and humidity. When it’s been damaged, replacement is often the right move, but only after the water source is dealt with. We recently replaced basement drywall in a Northwest Spokane home. Basements are where we most often recommend replacement over repair.
Quick Self-Check
- Press gently near the damage. Is it firm, or soft or crumbly? Soft means replace.
- Look at the surface. Is it flat, or bulging, sagging or peeling? Anything other than flat leans toward replacing.
- Has the water source been fixed? If not, fix it before any drywall work.
- Was it wet for more than a day or two, or is there a musty smell or visible mold? That points to cutting it open.
- Is the damage a few spots or a large area? A large area may be better replaced.
Before You Cut: Older Homes and Asbestos
Many Spokane homes were built when some joint compounds and ceiling textures contained asbestos. The Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency requires an asbestos survey by an AHERA-certified inspector before most renovation. There’s an exception when resident homeowners work on their own owner-occupied single-family home, but when a contractor does the work, the survey is required. If your home is older, ask about this before any drywall is cut or sanded.
What Affects the Cost
We don’t publish price lists, because two holes that look the same can be very different jobs. These are the main factors:
- Size and number of damaged areas, and whether they’re on walls or ceilings (ceilings take longer).
- Texture matching: smooth, orange peel, knockdown and hand textures take different amounts of work to blend. A skilled patch blends very closely, but an exact match on some older textures can’t always be guaranteed.
- What’s behind the wall: wet insulation, damaged framing or mold add steps.
- Paint: a repair often looks best when the whole wall is repainted, not just the patch.
- Access, furniture, and protecting floors and finishes.
- Related work, such as flooring that was damaged by the same leak.
Photos usually tell us enough for a ballpark range. An on-site visit lets us check moisture, texture and what’s behind the surface, so the written price matches the real job.
Get a Straight Answer
Good Works Solutions LLC repairs and replaces drywall across Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Mead, Cheney and Greenacres, and finishes with paint and flooring when the job calls for it. We’re licensed, bonded and insured (WA L&I #GOODWWS797KS), and our work is backed by a 1-year workmanship warranty. Learn more on our drywall repair page.
Call (425) 240-5076 or text photos to (425) 240-5076, and we’ll tell you whether it looks like a patch or a replacement. Our on-site estimate is $35 and is credited to your job if you hire us.
Sources
- U.S. EPA, “A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home”: https://www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home
- U.S. EPA, “Mold Cleanup in Your Home”: https://www.epa.gov/mold/mold-cleanup-your-home
- Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency, Renovation and Demolition Projects: https://spokanecleanair.org/asbestos/demolition-removal/
- Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency, “Need an Asbestos Survey?”: https://spokanecleanair.org/wp-content/uploads/Need-an-Asbestos-Survey.pdf