How To Repair Drywall Behind Backsplash

Well-nigh homeowners will need to install or repair some drywall at some signal in their homeowning life. It can be quite intimidating, cut into the "peel" of your home.

But if you lot're conscientious and aware of the basic ideas behind how to install drywall, it really is pretty piece of cake. We like the idea of starting in an area like a kitchen backsplash because, although you must measure and cut and install with intendance to provide a flat workable vertical surface, the bulk of your drywall work will be covered up with a gorgeous backsplash. And so it takes a bit of the force per unit area off, don't you call back?

Hither'southward a step-by-step guide on installing (or repairing) drywall, specially aimed at doing it for a kitchen backsplash. (Of course, the general guidelines are the same pretty much anywhere, so this tutorial will aid you lot with most of your sheetrock-installing needs.) Delight note that the photos throughout this article testify different sections of the kitchen'south drywall, due to lighting and other photographic constraints.

DIY Level: Intermediate to install or repair a drywall

Materials to repair a drywall for kitchen backsplash

Materials you'll need to install or repair drywall:

razor blade
drywall screws and drill
putty knife / trowel
articulation compound (also known as "drywall mud")
drywall record
sanding block – fine to medium
spray texture
primer& paint

How to install or repair drywall:

In society to exist able to install drywall correctly, you'll need to make sure that all the vertical edges of the drywall itself can be screwed to a framing two×4. Even if this means cut your sheetrock further than you lot might need, or want, to cutting it.

The border of the existing drywall in the photo in a higher place ends right at the edge of a two×iv (which means ane side of the drywall would be "floating" freely – not expert), so nosotros'll need to cut it back to the next framing stud.

remaining drywall and the new drywall piece

The red line in the photo above represents where the 2×4 is. Notice we have cut halfway over the ii×4, so both the remaining drywall and the new drywall piece can be screwed securely to the 2×4.

You may employ a razor bract (box cutter, x-acto pocketknife, whatsoever you telephone call information technology) to get a clean cut on the drywall.

Use a box cutter to cut the drywall corners clean and square.

Make certain everything that would prohibit the new drywall from lying apartment confronting the framing studs is gone. Take out any screws or nails, if at that place are any. Also scrape away any residual gunk, including glue or whatever else. The 2x4s should be costless and articulate.

In the event that you come across space where information technology'south impossible to cut the drywall at a halfway indicate on a stud (such as this infinite above the kitchen sink, for example, where the framing doesn't lucifer up with the cupboards), yous'll need to install ii×4 support.

Afterward measuring the height of your infinite as well equally the distance from that infinite to the nearest framing stud, you'll need to cut 2x4s according to those measurements. In this instance, that required an xviii" 2×4 (for the superlative) and two 5" 2x4s (for the distance from the nearest two×4).

Begin by screwing in the two shorter pieces

Brainstorm by screwing in the two shorter pieces to the nearest framing stud. Nosotros used a diagonal screw management for attachment, two screws per piece.

Adjacent, yous'll demand to attach your 2×four length to the two shorter pieces you just installed. Use a blast gun if y'all have one, or screws, or good old-fashioned hammer-and-nails.

As you can encounter from the photo to a higher place, installing this 2×4 to the space volition allow the new drywall to be secured on the sides. This is critical for long-term support; if a drywall edge is left floating, it will bend and warp and potentially crack…forth with anything that is installed on height of it (similar backsplash tiles).

Echo this stride in as many areas as yous need to ensure 2×4 framing support on the vertical axes of your new drywall.

Cut the new drywall pieces to your space

At this indicate, you are ready to measure, cut, and fit your new drywall pieces to your space. Drywall sheets typically come in eight' lengths (12' lengths are available too only are much more than troublesome to transport and manage for the average homeowner).

Mensurate so that each drywall piece starts/ends on a stud, even if information technology means cut a little length off a longer drywall piece and adding in a second slice. But measure out all walls.

The wall in the photo above, with the red line, measured 8' ½" long. Knowing this, we were able to install the adjoining drywall first, which took away ½" because the new drywall is ½" thick. This made the red line wall an exact 8' long – much easier to piece of work with.

Measure and pencil in your measurements on the drywall. Use a box cutter to score the exposed (non-brown) side of the sheetrock.

Advisedly curve the sheetrock along the scored line.

Pull the sheetrock all the way downwardly to divide the inner stuff.

Keeping the sheetrock bent, you can apply a box cutter to cut through the back layer. Attempt to keep your cuts clean, but don't worry if they're not perfect or if the paper bankroll rips a piddling scrap. It shouldn't touch on your install.

Along with measuring the sheetrock perimeter, yous'll want to measure and cut out spaces for any electrical switches or outlets. Once again, measure, draw, and score these spaces.

Use a hammer or the back end of a drywall pocketknife to pop out the center and create a drywall hole.

A drywall knife is the easiest tool to utilise here for cleaning upwards your edges and corners.

Test-fit your drywall piece. Make sure all edges and corners lie apartment and that any electrical considerations are made accurately. If the drywall doesn't prevarication flush, pull it off and use a drywall knife to "shave" the necessary edges until it does fit.

Aim for a fairly shut fit around electric outlets and switches, although if you're a little off, information technology'southward okay. Call up that the electrical plate volition embrace up a little of the edge, then you accept a bit of a safety zone.

Corners are good here. If your corners aren't lying flat, double bank check to make sure the old drywall corner is cut make clean; it's easy to overlook an old hunk of drywall in the corners, which keeps the new slice from lying flush.

When all looks good, pull the drywall away from the wall just a couple of inches then you tin marking the studs. This makes it much faster and easier to screw the drywall in once it's up there for adept.

Screw in the new piece of drywall along the studs that you've marked.

Measure carefully and cut carefully, and your drywall should go up adequately easily and quickly. If in that location are gaps between your drywall pieces only you're planning on installing a backsplash over them, y'all won't even need to worry nigh taping and mudding them.

drywall is screwed into place - mud and tape

When the drywall is screwed into place, information technology'south time to mud and tape. Yous'll desire some drywall tape, joint chemical compound (also known as drywall mud), a fine to medium sanding block, a putty knife and larger trowel, and gloves (optional).

If you've never washed this before and have the option, cull a department of drywall that'southward somewhat hidden to exist your "practice" section. This detail section is behind the refrigerator.

Brainstorm by spreading your joint compound over the cracks.

The goal here is to fill the crack enough to create a smoothen, seamless surface.

You can also use a larger trowel-type spreader for the mud. A larger 1 such as this helps to smooth the mud more than cleanly.

Yous want the joint compound to be thick enough to be able to sand downward later, only not so thick that it takes forever to sand down subsequently.

Cut a slice of drywall tape that'south long enough to run along ane seam, from ane corner to some other.

Related: Best Drywall Patch Kit for Your Dwelling Repair Projects

Place the tape gently on the wet articulation compound straight over the seam.

Push the record into the articulation compound. You desire all the mesh to sink into the compound, creating a stiff support when the compound dries.

After the record is pushed into the chemical compound, put a petty more wet compound onto your putty pocketknife and run information technology over the tape again.

Doing this might expose some of the tape'southward "grid" lines.

Add together a footling more compound so those filigree lines are covered upward, but add just enough to cover them (not as well much – you want layers to be every bit thin as possible).

Let articulation compound dry. It brand take a while – fifty-fifty 24 hours, depending on the thickness of the mud.

gently sand it smooth with a fine sanding block

When joint chemical compound is completely dry out, gently sand information technology smooth with a fine sanding block.

Tip: Bending the block to taper the joint chemical compound toward the wall then as to minimize the possibility of exposing the drywall record.

If you notice irregularities, pockets, cracks, or if the drywall record grid is exposed, repeat the application steps with very thin coats until the wall is shine and seamless.

This is a messy process; be sure to vacuum your workspace as you lot get and then every bit to avert tracking the mud dust everywhere.

If your walls are textured, you'll need to match the apartment new drywall to the rest of your walls past adding similar texture. To do this, begin by taping off whatever nearby surfaces that yous DON'T desire textured. This includes countertops, backsplashes, cabinets, etc. Even electric outlets and similar should be covered.

Spray textures are available at your local dwelling improvement store. These are two examples. I have plant both to work equally well.

Related: Don't Settle for Drywall –Go for These Awesome Finishes Instead

Adjust the settings on your spray texture

Arrange the settings on your spray texture as per the can's instructions, then do spraying on a non-wall surface. When you have the correct spray, you're set to practise the wall.

Make several light passes with the spray texture over the new drywall surface, keeping the spray can about two feet away from your wall. (The method is similar to spray painting – do quick, light strokes. You tin always fill in more than afterwards.) When your texture matches the surrounding walls, stop spraying and let it dry.

Prime and paint the newly drywalled and textured wall. Congratulations on your seamless drywall installation!

Note: The author is an experienced, although not professional, home improvement enthusiast. Homedit is non responsible for any injuries or amercement acquired every bit a result of this tutorial.