Jan 10 , 2020 Anderson Painting

There are few things more exciting, or more daunting, than planning to move. But before it’s time to pack up your things, you need to ensure that your home is in the best possible condition to attract buyers and land the best deal. While major renovations like kitchen or bathroom remodels yield the highest returns on your investment, even minor improvements can go a long way toward increasing your home’s market value, including drywall repair.

Any damage done to your drywall should be addressed as soon as possible, but you may have put off these repairs for any number of reasons. If you’re looking to sell your home, though, now is the time to fix up your walls. Drywall can take a beating in many ways, so the repairs you need to make will depend on the type of damage sustained. Let’s go over some of the various drywall repairs you might have to make before departing.

Drywall Damage to Fix Before Moving

Cracked Drywall

Cracks in drywall are very common. As the earth shifts and your home’s foundation settles, your walls will move accordingly. Likewise, internal changes in temperature and humidity will cause the drywall to expand and contract. Eventually, all of this motion can result in fractures both big and small. Fortunately, drywall crack repair is relatively simple. You’ll need drywall crack tape (enough to cover the length of the crack), joint compound, a putty knife, sandpaper to smooth out the repair when dry, and the proper paint to match the rest of the wall.

Dented Drywall

Minor dents are also fairly easy to fix. Using a putty knife, you’ll want to fill the indented area with a water-mixed patching compound and ensure the surrounding area isn’t speckled with any excess compound. Once dried, sand the area and paint over the newly filled dent, making your wall appear smooth once more.

Popped Nails in Drywall

If nails are sticking out of your drywall, hiding them might be easier than you think. For starters, reinforce the drywall attachment to the stud by installing two screws on either side of the popped nail. Then, hammer the nail back into the wall, creating a small dent. From here, you can follow the procedure above for fixing dents in your drywall.

Holes in Drywall

It doesn’t take much to create a hole in your drywall. The good news is that, in most cases, it doesn’t take much to fix one, either. If the hole is particularly small, say, one or two inches wide, a store-bought drywall repair kit should have just about everything you need to fix it. These kits often include at least one small self-adhesive patch, a small amount of joint compound or spackling, a putty knife, and sandpaper. The patch is meant to go over the hole. Then apply the spackling over the patch to cover it evenly. After the compound has dried, sand it smooth and paint.

Larger holes may require a more involved repair, such as the California patch, which requires cutting out a piece of new drywall and securing it to the existing drywall to fill in the void. It’s often wise to hire professionals like Anderson Painting contractors for these larger repairs.

Water Damaged Drywall

Speaking of more serious repairs, if moisture has intruded on your drywall, you may have a bigger problem on your hands. Leaking pipes and failing insulation can cause moisture to build up in your home and deteriorate your drywall. If the issue is isolated, you may only have to fix a section of the drywall. However, if most or all of the wall is affected by water damage, it may need to be replaced entirely, after the underlying issue is addressed.

Just because you don’t plan on sticking around doesn’t mean you can’t leave your home in the best possible state. If your drywall is damaged in any way, be sure to make all of the necessary repairs to improve the appearance and give you the best chance of selling it for a good price.

If you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself, Anderson Painting can help. For more about us and everything we do, call us today at 919-610-1855 or email us at info@andersonpaintingnc.com!