I bought a precut (24″ by 24″) piece of drywall, but discovered that it is actually 23.5″ by 23.5″.
So, there is a gap of 1/4 inch on two sides of the patch. Do I need to fill in the gap, and with what?
For future reference, is drywall always a little smaller than its stated dimensions?
Thanks,
Janet
Replies
funny... i saw those 2x2 drywall stacks today at blowes... $4.99 thinking... at that price i have 20k in the back of my dumptruck as we speak...
no if they had it marked 24x24" then i'd return it and demand a the 24x24" one... best i can tell they screwed you out of 12sq inches of drywall... it just ain't right... pretty soon they'll put 120 oz in a gallon don't let em get away with it
p
Just tape it and go. A lot of the existing joints in your house are probably >1/4".
Most drywall is the stated size, but your "convenience" piece was probably an anomaly.
Jon Blakemore
RappahannockINC.com Fredericksburg, VA
I think the drywall panel you bought was probably meant for a drop ceiling. It needs to be a little smaller to allow room for the grid.
When I patch drywall, I cut the size I need from a whole sheet so I never need to worry about buying the right size.
Anyway, 1/4" gap is no big deal. Fill it with a setting compound (setting compounds don't shrink as they cure) like Durabond. I don't think Durabond comes in small bags, so If you're only going to need a small amount, you can also use plaster of paris (you'll need to work fast) or Durhams Water Putty. After it's dry, tape and spackle as usual.
For the next time, cut (or buy) your patch first, hold it up the section of wall that needs repair, trace it and then make your cut. Perfect fit every time.
There were two stands of these pieces and they all fit the display exactly, so for some reason they were supposed to be slightly small. I think Don is right about these being specifically for an application requiring some ease. I was tempted to take it back but didn't want to buy a whole sheet and cut it myself. Thanks for the advice.Janet
I think it is almost always best to have the patch piece in hand before cutting the existing wall.
The gap is no big deal, just fill it flush before taping. If you are in a hurry, Home depot carries EZ Sand 5 minute mud (5"x 9" box on a shelf).
Mix it thick (cold peanut butter), fill, strike it flush, wait 20 minutes, and follow with green top and paper tape.
The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.
- Fyodor Dostoyevski
What is green top?
I'm going to guess toping. or TNT. the box it comes in has a green dot on it as opposed to all purpose with a red dot on the box.ML
I believe he was referring to standard joint compound.
It comes in a 5 gallon bucket with a green lid on it...buic
"Green top" is standard taping compound (USG), "Blue top" is lightweight topping compound.
The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.- Fyodor Dostoyevski
Janet:
Now all you have to do is 1)Figure out what "sistering" means, 2) Predrill 3/16" holes in the sistering material(2X4X24), 3)Have some 3" course thread drywall screws, 4) Slip the screws into the predrilled holes, 5)Get your DeWalt screwgun out and making sure the surfaces match on the stud and sistering material screw it to your stud--tight, 6)screw your "almost" 24" square gypboard (drywall, sheetrock, etc.), 7) fill the gap around the patch about 1/2 full from the bottom of the gap, 8) Let it dry for a day--shrinking and cracking but out of sight--out of mind, 9) Do numbers 7 & 8 again, 10) do number 8 again, 11) scrap off any high spots of dried mud (compound) and then 12) smear a layer of compound over the screw heads (tighten just below flush--don't tear paper on gypboard) 13) smear compound over gap area at least 3" wide all around, 14)unroll and cut just enough paper tape (no mesh) to make 4 lengths about 28" long, 15) bed the tape into the compound with your knife--length #2 can overlap #1 at the corners--just butter up the top surface of the tape, 16)smooth as neatly as possible then let it all dry--again. 17)now dry, notice filled screw heads have shrunk. 18) Scrape screwheads and filled gap off with your blade and do it all again--maybe even a third. Sand as evenly as possible (now you see why you scrape as much as you do--cough from sanded compound. Hopefully you have to match some texture on the surrounding wall. You might have a "stomped" texture which is the easiest IF you have the brush and a tub to dump some compound in--thin to malted milk consistency and prepare to get covered, everything remotely close to your patch needs to be covered with a drop cloth. Other textures can be bought in pressurized cans--like "knock down". After you spray that on you have to lightly drag a gypboard knife across the splatter--at just the right degree of dryness. Now the primer paint, drying time, finish coat, dry time, 2nd finish coat. Nobody will ever know and you can hire out as somebody who can fix things on a punchlist. :) Tyr
>>is drywall always a little smaller than its stated dimensions?<< No. I have never measured the "pre-cut" pieces sold at the big boxes. I usually keep some leftover pieces around from bigger jobs for patching purposes.
>>Do I need to fill in the gap, and with what?<< I would fill the gap with setting compound - probably the 5 minute variety. Then tape and finish as usual.
As others have said -- there are probably many gaps in your home that were this big already. Don't get worried about it.
Jim
One other thing: If you're trying to use it to span a 24" OC stud bay, I'd sister up some scrap lumber to the studs and under the existing dw, to screw to.
I'd be thrilled that I didn't have to shave it a little to fit it in. Mud and tape...no problem.
I saw that stack for the first time the other day and thought "man...I've had to buy a lot of full sheets many times for small patchs. those might come in handy some day".
Bob's next test date: 12/10/07