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How To Patch Cracks in Drywall

How To Patch Cracks in Drywall

Cracks in your drywall can appear for a number of different reasons. Even the natural settling process of a house can cause cracks to form.

The good news is that fixing this problem is very easy, only takes a couple of tools, and can be completed over the course of an afternoon.

Here’s what you’re going to do.

1. Grab Your Supplies.

You’ll need a putty knife, joint compound, spackle to match the texture of your walls, and matching paint if it is needed.

If the crack is particularly long or wide, you may also need some drywall tape.

A drywall sander and breathing protection are also good ideas.

2. Prepare The Crack.

Make sure the drywall crack is as clean as possible.There will always be some drywall dust in there.

You’re looking to remove any foreign debris and excessive dust that could interfere with the joint compound patch.

Apply the drywall tape over the crack once it has been cleaned out if necessary.

3. Apply The Joint Compound.

Take your putty knife and press the joint compound directly into the crack.Then with a vertical movement, smooth the compound for a flush surface.

Repeat with a horizontal stroke.

Continue doing this until the entire crack has been filled.

Allow to dry, which usually takes about 2-4 hours for most cracks.

4. Sand It Down.

Your drywall patch may have some ridges or bumps in it.

Sand it down to create a flush surface with the wall.

5. Finish It Off.

If you need to add spackle to your repair site to match your wall texture, then now is the time to do it.

Apply according to instructions and allow to dry. Then paint the repair site to match.

Knowing how to repair cracks in drywall can dramatically improve the visual aesthetics of a room.

Take these steps and you’ll be able to complete this repair in no time at all.