Important Details You Need to Know About Drywall in Your Home

Drywall is a critical element in just about every house. It can make up the walls and the ceilings throughout many homes. Sometimes, it needs repair, and if it is small enough, you may be able to do it yourself. However, before you take on a home drywall repair project, there are a few things you should know.

Drywall Component

Drywall comes in large sheets that are already pre-formed. When you want to tackle home drywall repair, you should know that you need to use a joint compound between the sheets of drywall to smooth out the gaps.

Backing Material

The backing of drywall is typically fiberglass or paper. While the drywall itself can resist mold, paper backing grows mold when exposed to water. When the backing material is made of fiberglass, it resists moisture and mold. Even though fiberglass can resist occasional water, it cannot resist constant exposure to it. If drywall has a moisture reading of 17% or less, it means the drywall can be saved. If the reading is greater than 17%, the drywall is compromised and needs to be replaced or not used.

Different Varieties of Drywall

There are different types of drywall, each one with various treatments to the backing and core of gypsum. Type X is thicker drywall with glass embedded in the core for resistance to fire. It can withstand fire for an hour. Type C has more glass fibers in the gypsum, which increases its resistance to fire. As a result, it can resist fire for twice as long as Type X.

Easy to Maintain

When considering home drywall repair, you should know how to care for drywall. Drywall can be painted once it is installed. Drywall has large panels attached to a frame with drywall screws. The joints are taped, and the wall corners are connected with a corner bead. Joint compound is applied over joints, screw heads, and corners. It must be sanded once it dries. Once the sanding occurs, that is when the drywall can be painted.

With just a little bit of knowledge and experience in home drywall repair, you can make the needed repairs. However, if you believe the repairs are going to take more than just a little skill, you may want to hire a professional for your drywall repair.