Replacing the drywall
1 of 3Photo 1: No power saws for this step
Probe with a nail to find the framing on either side of the breakout. Mark the cut between the framing, then make those two cuts until you hit the framing. Then cut alongside the
framing at the sides.
2 of 3Photo 2: Patch the hole
Screw 3/4-in.-thick cleats to the sides of the trusses and
replace or repair the vapor barrier. Then patch in a fresh piece
of drywall.
3 of 3Photo 3: Reapply texture
Wet the texture on the edges of your patch and allow it to soak
in for several minutes before you scrape. Tape the joints and
then reapply texture.
We're not going to ask how you managed
to step through your living room
ceiling. But we can tell you that pros
fix that mistake quite often, charging
several hundred dollars to patch the hole and
retexture it. But you can do the job
yourself for a lot less. You'll have to
paint the entire ceiling afterward, and
even then the patched area won't match
perfectly; even a pro can't achieve that.
Perfection calls for scraping off and
retexturing the entire ceiling after the
patch is complete.
You'll only need a small piece of
drywall and a couple of scraps of any
3/4-in.-thick wood or plywood, plus
standard taping supplies and materials.
And you'll need to rent a texture gun.
But first, scrape off a small sample of
your texture material and find a match
for it at a home center. If it doesn't carry
it, try a local drywall supplier.
Start by cutting out the damaged area
(Photo 1). Avoid cutting the vapor barrier,
or reseal it with red moisture barrier
tape if you do. Screw backer boards
above the unsupported drywall ends of
the enlarged hole and install the new
patch (Photo 2).
Mist water over the surrounding ceiling
texture in an area about 24 in. out
from the patch to soften it so you can scrape it off to prep for the taping work (Photo 3). Then tape, mud and skim-coat the entire patch. Sand it smooth
and you're ready to spray.
Rent a professional spray texture gun and practice on
scrap drywall or cardboard. Apply a light coat of texture
and add more in stages until you get a match. Lightly
blend it into the existing texture.
