Westborough Handyman - Drywall Repair

Specializing in drywall repair, water stains, and water damaged ceiling and wall repair. Give yourself peace of mind with a quote for total project completion. Offering the reliability, flexibility, and honesty that you need in someone that is servicing your home. Specializing in quality, interior work.

Project Completion Handyman - Westborough - Drywall Repair and Interior Painting

Drywall Repair, Hole and Crack Repair

Looking for someone to repair drywall in your home? Project Completion provides handyman services and home improvement to the greater Westborough, MA area. Complete drywall repair crack and hole repair, water stain repair, water damage repair and more. Get your "To-Do" list done quickly and easily. If you don't have the time or the inclination to tackle those jobs, please contact me, I'll get it done for you.

Sampling of Projects for My Westborough Home

  • Patch Holes and Cracks in Drywall
  • Water Stain / Damage Repair
  • Ceiling Repair and Painting
  • Wall Repair and Painting

Local Drywall Repair Services

Drywall repair may be indicated if you have a crack, nail pop, loose paper tape, hole, or water damage on your ceilings and walls. Small cracks, nail pops, loose paper tape and gouges are usually repaired with a coating of compound, sanding, and then paint. Larger cracks often require paper tape and a few applications of compound, sanding, and paint. Large holes require the removal of any broken drywall and then a new drywall patch is installed. This also requires a few applications of compound, sanding, and paint.

Water stains in drywall require some evaluation. First, has the cause of the water leak been resolved? Only after the water leak is resolved can you move onto drywall repair. If the drywall was wet and became damaged, that section must be removed and a new piece of drywall installed. If there is a water stain, from a one-time small leak and the drywall is not damaged, you may cover the stain with stain-block painting.

When you need small repairs, give me a call!

What Is The Difference Between Drywall, Gypsum Board, Sheet Rock, and Wallboard?

Basically there is little to no difference. Drywall or wallboard is the generic name given to the panels that finish the walls and ceilings of your home. Drywall contains gypsum sandwiched between two layers of facing material. Sheetrock is a registered trademark of the USG Corporation. ToughRock is a registered trademark of the Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC.

Is There a Difference Between Drywall and Plaster?

Yes, in older homes built before drywall was readily available, the wall finish consisted of lath and plaster. Wooden pieces of lath were nailed to the framing studs leaving about a half-inch space between each lath. Then a scratch coat of wet plaster would be troweled over the laths, forming keys between and behind the laths to hold the plaster to the laths. This would be followed by a finish coat. In older homes with this type of wall finish, it is common to see large cracks, and pieces of plaster separated from the lath.

In more modern homes with plaster, lath has been replaced by a special wallboard referred to as blue board. It is similar to drywall, but manufactured with a different facing material to withstand the application of wet plaster. Blue board is hung like drywall, but instead of just covering the joints and screws, the entire surface is covered with 1/8 inch thick coats of plaster. This is also known as veneer plaster.

How To Repair Small Dents, Gouges And Holes in Drywall?

Walls are subject to bumps from furniture, toys, and an active family. You may hang a picture and later decide to move it to another location. How do you repairs those small dents, gouges, and holes. First, using a 1 inch putty knife or sand paper, scrape or sand the area to remove any high spots. Second, using your 1 inch putty knife, apply a thin layer of joint compound or spackling compound. Joint compound requires 12 to 24 hours to dry; spackling compound dries in as little as 1 hour. Press the compound into the hole or depression and spread it evenly. When the compound is dry, give the area a light sanding. If necessary, apply another thin layer of compound and repeat the procedure. When you are satisfied with the result, the area is ready for paint.

How To Repair Popped Nail and Screw Heads In Drywall?

You may notice a dime-sized protrusion from the drywall surface. Typically, those are indications that either a screw was not driven in far enough, or a nail has lost some of its grip into the stud. Using a small flat screwdriver or a utility knife, remove the layer of paint and drywall compound just covering the nail or screw head. When you get down to its head, you should be able to determine if it is a nail or a screw. If you think its a nail, take a hammer and carefully hammer the protrusion into the drywall. Usually only one or two "bangs" of the hammer will do the job. Be careful not to cause more damage with the hammer. If successful, you created a quarter-sized indentation in the drywall. If its a screw, use a screwdriver and drive the screw into the stud until the head is just below the surface of the drywall. Now, follow the instructions for "How to Repair Small Dents, Gouges And Holes in Drywall", see above.

How To Repair Cracks In Drywall?

Cracks in drywall usually result from one or two conditions: settlement of a home's foundation, and seasonal expansion and contraction of the buildings frame. The first thing to do is remove all loose drywall material. Using a putty knife or utility knife, clean out the crack. Then, using an appropriate sized putty knife, apply compound into the crack. Work the compound into the crack from many different directions and angles. Spread the compound evenly and remove excess compound from the area. When dry, lightly sand the surface until smooth. If it looks good, it is ready for paint. Otherwise, apply a finish layer of compound to the area, allow to dry, sand, and then paint.

If you have repaired the crack in the past and it keeps reappearing, then the crack will need to be covered with joint tape. Refer to "How To Repair Large Holes in Drywall", see below.

How To Patch Large Holes In Drywall?

In most homes, drywall is supported every 16 inches or 24 inches depending on stud spacing. This support should be maintained with a drywall patch. Sometimes with large holes, it makes sense to enlarge the hole back to the mid-point of the studs. This will give you a solid point of support for new screws. With smaller holes, enlarging the hole doesn't make any sense. So then what do you do? You install pieces of wood, usually 1x3 inches, commonly called "strapping" or "furring strips".

Clean-up the hole and create a 4-sided square or rectangle. On two opposing sides of the rectangle, pieces of strapping are cut to the proper length and placed in the wall behind the edge of the hole. Half the width of the strapping is hidden behind the drywall while the other half shows in the hole. Drive two or three screws through the drywall and into the hidden portion of the strapping. Hold the strapping firmly in place during this process. Repeat for the other side. Now your hole has two stops and supports. Cut a new piece of drywall to fit the hole. Position the drywall into the hole and drive screws through the drywall and into the strapping. Screws should be placed every 8 to 12 inches.

Next, apply joint compound to the seam or joint created between the new piece of drywall and the wall. Be sure to apply at least a 1-1/2 to 2 inches of wet compound on each side of the joint. Then, embed pieces of joint tape into the wet compound and press it in with your 3 to 4 inch putty knife. Clean any excess compound and wait 24 hours for the compound to dry. The next day, lightly scrap the area with a 6 inch putty knife to remove any high spots, sand if necessary. Apply another coat of compound over the area, clean any excess compound, and wait 24 hours for the compound to dry. The next day, lightly scrap the area removing high spots, sand if necessary. Repeat this process until you are satisfied with the appearance, then paint.

How To Repair Loose Joint Tape?

Joint tape is used to hide the seam or joint that results when putting two pieces of drywall beside each other, edge-to-edge. First a layer of wet joint compound is applied to the wallboard seam, then the joint tape is applied to span the seam. As the drywall process continues, the tape is then covered by two more layers of joint compound. If that first application of joint compound is on the dry side, the joint tape will absorb the remaining water out of the compound resulting in poor adhesion. Dry top coats of compound will make the situation worse. The result is tape that is not sticking to the drywall. You will most often notice this at the ceiling and wall joint, where the joint tape is bent to accommodate the corner. Being bent for the corner, there is only 1-inch of joint tape on the wall and ceiling instead of the usual 2 inches.

Being very careful, use a large putty knife to lift the joint tape away from the wall and using another putty knife, apply wet joint compound up behind the tape and on the face of the wall. Once in place, using your putty knife, press the joint tape onto the wall. You can have good success with this method. If not, you will need to cut-away the loose joint tape and re-apply.

How To Repair Water Stains In Drywall?

It happens more often than you would like, you at the ceiling or wall and see a water stain. If the stain is from a one-time small leak that has been resolved, the fix is usually easy. Just apply stain-blocking paint. If the leak was allowed to continue for a long time or caused noticeable damage to the drywall, then drywall replacement is probably necessary. This is were experience helps with the diagnosis. If you suspect drywall replacement is in order, then cut-out the damaged portion of the drywall and follow the instructions above for "How To Patch Large Holes In Drywall".

Do You Offer Other Services In Addition To Drywall Repair?

Yes! While fixing up your room, you may decide it is time for a new paint job. Maybe add some new furniture that requires assembly. Maybe you picked up some artwork, framed prints, mirrors, new blinds, curtains, drapes, or shades. I hang all those items. Looking to mount your TV on the wall? I do that too. I offer a wide range of handyman and home improvement services. See below for more details.

Home Improvement Projects and Home Repair Services

Looking to find a local handyman in your area who will perform your work with care and skill? If you need something installed, repaired, or replaced - contact me to get your projects completed. Handyman home repair and home improvement done right! Specializing in Quality Interior Work in several categories including:
  • Gab Bar Installation
  • Handrail Installation
  • Hanging Artwork, Frames, Mirrors
  • Hanging Blinds, Curtains, Drapes
  • Home Repairs
  • Interior "To-Do" Lists
  • Interior Painter
  • Leak Repairs
  • Painting Services
  • Trim Repair and Replacement
  • Handyman Services, Home Repair and Interior Painting

Please contact me, your local handyman, if you have any questions or are ready to schedule work.

My Project Ideas


Customer Testimonials

I hired Mark to help me repair some drywall damage, paint and replace interiors doors to renovate two bathrooms. Mark is punctual, courteous, and professional. He treats your home as if it were his own. His attention to detail is amazing. He does things the right way, with care. His rates are very reasonable. I highly recommend Mark for any projects you need accomplished.
Drywall Repairs - Wayne

I had great need for a handyman I could trust at a reasonable cost. Mark has done great quality work repairing unsightly holes and stains on the living room ceiling. He is prompt, professional and courteous.
Ceiling Stain Repair - Marie

Thank You!
Thank you for considering me, a local handyman in your area, to care for your Westborough home.

Project Completion Handyman - Westborough - Drywall Repair and Interior Painting

Local Handyman Services Westborough And Surrounding Areas
Project Completion Handyman proudly provides handyman services to homeowners and businesses in Westborough and surrounding communities including: Berlin, Bolton, Boylston, Clinton, Holden, Northborough, Shrewsbury, Sterling, Westborough, West Boylston, Worcester, and more.

Contact your local handyman - greater Westborough MA area