Patch the sloppy outlet drywall cuts
We have finished all electrical trim and fixture installation. Final painting is complete (it was complete before the electrical finish).
Now we see some gaps and holes where sloppy drywall cutouts were done.
What is the recommended way to fix and repaint, short of repainting entire wall sections?
Replies
One cheap, easy fix (if you are OK with the look) is to use maxi wall plates. Here's an example.
http://www.foxelectricsupply.com/content/products/ProductDetail.asp?qsCatID=25930&qsProductNo=WMD
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
They have pre-fabricated mesh screens that are cut for single and double gang outlets (and maybe other configurations as well) for just such a situation. They are self adhesive and then you just mud over them. I think I have seen them at typical home centers and you can find them online as well. I know I could have used some of these things last time I did some of my own drywall work.
Here's the first one I found with google search, but I know there are others...
http://www.homaxproducts.com/products/patchrepair/13/index.html
Picture? how big a gaps? With out going to far and for what is less then a big mess made bigger if it's not to big a gap, tape off the coverplates and caulk it, pull off tape and let dry. Come back and tape off the plate again and then touch it up. Hopefully you have paint to match.
Tape it and tear with a sharp straight edge/putty knief so you get nice clean corners. Let the tape set back on the cover a hair. That makes it so you don't see the paint on the cover but enough to cover the caulk and make a nice but less then perfect appearance.
Well, you should have patched this stuff before painting. It's always a good idea to take a cover plate and go around to outlets, etc, and make sure the cover plate covers.
Now nothing to do but patch and paint. The difficult part is avoiding a difference in texture in the patched areas -- using a small roller may help if the previous job was rolled.
happy?
There were boxes with wires stuffed in them at painting time, but no switches or receps to fit a cover to.
I have a problem on about half a dozen ceiling cans, too. Juno's new trim/can design doesn't allow for any fudging, like the old ones did.
I've learned my lesson, though. From now on, the rockers are going to take more care when rotozipping, and if they go one zip bit diameter past a box or ceiling can, they are going to mud and tape it right from the start.
Gene, find new finishers and take a better look after hanging. Fiddle with the can, you should be able to move it a hair to correct something that wasn't seen on finish. You might be able to move the switches and outlets enough too. Too much cut shows up like a sore thumb enough to prompt a good finisher to mud it in the first place. No?A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
"I've learned my lesson, though. From now on, the rockers are going to take more care when rotozipping, and if they go one zip bit diameter past a box or ceiling can, they are going to mud and tape it right from the start."You still need to monitor it.Otherwise you might not have a problem with gaps around the boxes, but you will spend an hour chipping mud out of each box.Also you can use blank cover plates to check the gaps without switches/recepts.
As Dan mentioned.....taping properly to begin with is the idea. But hindsight is 20/20.
In the future, tuck all wires completely inside boxes, and using a mesh tape wide enough, cover entire outlet/switchbox with mud. All three coats.
After sanding, but before priming cut a small hole at center of each box as a reminder where they are for after painting. Once paint is complete, using a utility knife, go around and free the wires ahead of the electrician.
Plates guarenteed to cover using above method.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
I use adhesive mesh tape, and then mud it with plaster of paris- it's stronger and faster than most mud, and as an added benefit, you can often buy it in smaller containers. If it's real small, you might leave out the mesh tape- you'll have to feather the plaster to cover that.
zak
After seeing some of the photos of projects you've'e been working on I guess we better step up the ladder a little bit.
I was giving you my rental property cure.
The problem now is to tape it it makes a pretty big patch.
Vac and brush area and box, prime making sure to cover raw cut area of rock, hot mud patch no tape, sand, prime, paint.