Drywall - DIY or a Do Not?
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We got some dampness in our walls and were wondering if it is more cost effective to try and DIY it or to just hire a professional to replace the impacted area of drywall. It is in our dining room and we have not done drywall so this would be our first time. Any ideas, recommendations and tips welcome!
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go for pro. watch and take notes. mudding seams is an art.
Before repairing anything I would want to know where the dampness is coming from and fix that.
How much do you want to learn? If this is something you wish to try, no time like the present, everyone has to start somewhere! Take a free class at Home Depot if they offer in your area, watch You Tube videos and if budget allows, how about hire an experienced handyman to come help you? At first it is a little time consuming, but just like with everything else, practice makes perfect. Let me go find you a few basic instructions.
Drywall is not easy. If not done correctly it will look really bad forever! I would absolutely go with a pro.
See if these sites help you decide which way you want to go!
https://youtu.be/uKJb7ykSbmc
https://www.familyhandyman.com/drywall/drywall-installation/how-to-hang-drywall-like-a-pro/view-all/
https://m.wikihow.com/Install-Drywall
I would be concerned first with stopping the source of water. The bigger problem may be mold in the wall . I had a small area of mold and sprayed it to saturation then did it again Several hours later made sure it was dry before putting up new Sheetrock. Mold will cause all sorts of respiratory problems and allergic reactions.
First: has the water problem been taken care of. If not the dampness may return, requiring the work to done again. Second: if you would like to learn SR repair, it is fairly easy to learn. SR joint compound is easy to sand down, so mistakes are easily erased. Books from public library can help for home repair and advise from big box home centers can sometimes help, if you get the right person.
Can't just replace drywall unless it is an old area where there may have been a roof leak and that has been repaired since. If it is an old and you just need to repair drywall it is not hard to do. Your best bet is to watch a video online. There are TONS of them and you can tackle it yourself. Very simple and cost saving.
Hello. We find mudding and the final smoothing of drywall seams near impossible to do.
It depends on your skills. We have in the past would do demo build but have them finish coat of mud and sanding professionally done.
Here are some suggestions https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=Drywall%20-%20DIY%20or%20a%20Do%20Not%3F&rs=typed&term_meta[]=Drywall%20-%20DIY%20or%20a%20Do%20Not%3F%7Ctyped