Need advice on drywall repair/replacement


  #1  
Old 02-28-08, 08:00 AM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Need advice on drywall repair/replacement

Hi, new to the forum and hope I can get some much needed help. Recently purchased a used home, about 8 years old, and the basement has a full bathroom. My wife and I decided we didn't like the wallpaper in place and wanted to
take it down and put up fresh paint in its place. Not sure how the previous owners put the paper up, but when we started to remove the paper it also pulled up the top layer of
the drywall, so instead of the top tape surface, it
looks like a giant cardboard box on the wall. My
fear is I need to now replace the entire wall with
new drywall. I'm assuming I cannot primer, sand and
paint the exposed drywall, but I wasn't sure if maybe
there was some kind of compound I could put up that I
could then primer and paint?
 
  #2  
Old 02-28-08, 11:37 AM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
Welcome to the forums!

You can save your drywall! 1st you need to coat it with a solvent based primer. This will prevent the moisture in latex paint/primer and joint compound from further destroying the drywall.

Once the primer is dry you can apply j/c as needed. Basically fill all the gouges and grooves first and skim coat if needed. Once it is smooth, sanded and dusted it is ready for primer [use latex this time] and paint.
 
  #3  
Old 02-28-08, 12:30 PM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thank you for both the welcome and the advice. When you say "solvent based primer" is that written on the actual can? I've seen cans with water-based and oil-based but wasn't sure what solvent is. Is that something I can ask for at a paint shop and they will know what I mean? And this will do a whole wall? I'm not kidding with how bad it is right now. It's not a small section of wall, it is an area of about 6 feet high and 8 feet wide that is damaged. If this works you will have saved me a lot of trouble and grief!
 
  #4  
Old 02-29-08, 04:38 AM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
Solvent based = oil base or alchol based [pigmented shellac]

Either will work for you. Oil base takes longer to dry than pigmented shellac. Pigmented shellac dries fast but is also a lot stinkier


While the entire wall might not need a solvent primer, All the areas that have missing or torn paper need the primer.

You will always find better coatings and advice at your local paint store [not a big box paint dept]
 
  #5  
Old 02-29-08, 11:45 AM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Good info, thanks again. I will be making a trip to the local paint shop as opposed to the big chain ones tomorrow and getting started. What I feared was going to be a 4 week project looks like it now should be do-able over a long weekend. Well, for the first main coats. Painting will be a week or so down the road once it all sets up and dries.
 
  #6  
Old 02-29-08, 04:37 PM
nagra4s's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Chicago area
Posts: 432
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Although I never used it, there are products made for exactly this problem. Zinsser makes one. I would use 80 grit sand paper on a hand block sander and sand down all areas affected. This substrate is like an onion, layers on layers. This will be dusty so get a 3M mask. Keep sanding until all loose paper is gone. Then try this special primer just for damaged drywall substrate. You may still experience a few bubbles but just be prepared for it. After this primer then skim coat Joint compound with a 12 inch taping knife.
 
  #7  
Old 03-18-08, 06:04 AM
D
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
I'm still sanding away, almost have all the paper off and an even surface to primer on. Had to take a week off for family travels, but I hope to be ready to primer in a week or so. Is there anything special I should look for regarding Zinsser? Or as long as I can find them as an oil based primer I should be ok?
 
  #8  
Old 03-20-08, 05:46 PM
nagra4s's Avatar
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Chicago area
Posts: 432
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
For drywall substrate I would not use oil. This would raise too much grain. Look for there damaged drywall primer. This will only be found at a paint store. Ask the salesperson at the paint store what they have for this problem. The big box stores for this is not recommended.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: