"ROCK-IT" - DRYWALL REPAIR CLIP.  MAGNUM ENTERPRISES, INC.  
(800) 932-2297.  WWW.ROCKITCLIP.COM

"TEXTURWALL" - OTHER HALF OF HOLE IN WALL REPAIR. 4 PATTERNS CAN TEXTURE UP TO 7-1/2" X 10".  GES INDUSTRIES (800) 430-8447.  NOTE: "DB" IN HOUSTON LET US KNOW GES ISN'T IN BUSINESS ANY MORE, AT LEAST AT THE 800 PHONE NUMBER WE'VE LISTED.  WE'RE ATTEMPTING TO HOOK UP AS OF 8/22/01.

THE NOTORIOUS, LITTLE-KNOWN GILETSKY HOT PATCH - I imagine there are a host of ways to patch holes in drywall but from my days working with the stuff, and it's been a while, I used what I call the 'Giletski Hot Patch.'  It goes as follows.  Trim around the hole you want to patch so that it's square as possible.  Now cut a piece of drywall so you have a square approx. 2" wider on all sides than the hole you've trimmed in the wall.  Working on the back side of this piece, i.e., the side that'll be facing into the wall, score, trim and peel so you're left with a piece of sheetrock the size of your trimmed out hole surrounded by approx. 2" of paper.  Butter the 2" flanges with joint compound, set the patch piece in the hole (it should fit snugly) adhering the 2" flanges to the sheetrock in place, then finish off the patch with joint compound feathering out the compound so you blend in the patch with the existing wall surface and paint that sucker.  If you're fixing a hole in the ceiling and that puppy's painted "ceiling white" get some high temperature appliance white aerosol paint and mist the patch blending on the sides as much as possible.  It may turn out good enough so the Commander will accept the result.  Admittedly, this process is a lot of tedious work but you'll be proud when you're done.

REPAIRING NAIL POPS - DRIVE DRYWALL SCREWS ABOUT 1-1/2" AWAY FROM NAIL WITH HEAD OF SCREW BARELY RECESSED INTO SURFACE.  REMOVE POPPED NAIL AND FINISH AREA WITH JOINT COMPOUND USING 100-GRIT SANDPAPER. SEAL RUST SPOTS BEFORE FINISHING WITH SHELLAC OR PRIMER-SEALER LIKE BIN & PRIME ENTIRE REFINISHED AREA BEFORE PAINTING.

NOTE: OLD TENNIS SHOES ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOMS OF 5-GAL. PLASTIC BUCKETS WITH STOVE BOLTS OR MAYBE SOME GLUE MAKES A GREAT SET OF STILTS THAT'LL GET YOU UP WHERE YOU NEED TO BE!!!

IF YOU GOT A REAL SMALL HOLE, DIMPLE IT WITH THE POINT OF A PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER TO GET A SMOOTH PASS WITH THE KNIFE WHEN YOU APPLY JOINT COMPOUND.

TEXTURED ROLLERS ARE AVAILABLE IN MOST ANY PATTERN YOU'RE LIKELY TO RUN ACROSS.  OLD FASHIONED MOPS ARE A WONDERFUL ACCESSORY AS ARE A CRUMPLED TOWEL OR SOCK.  ONCE YOU GOT WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO USE FOR TEXTURING, PROCEED AS FOLLOWS:
1- PROTECT THE FLOOR AND ANY PROXIMAL WALL / FURNITURE IN THE AREA YOU'RE GOING TO TEXTURE.

2-  MIX JOINT COMPOUND AND LATEX PAINT TO WHERE IT'S ABOUT THE CONSISTENCY OF BISCUIT BATTER.

3- USE WHATEVER YOU'RE GOING TO APPLY YOUR COMPOUND MIXTURE WITH TO TEXTURE THE CEILING.

4- USING A VERY SMALL BRUSH LIKE ONE YOU'D APPLY PAINT TO A MODEL AIRPLANE OR SHIP TO FEATHER OUT WITH CEILING PAINT AROUND THE AREA OF YOUR PATCH.

5- DON'T WORRY ABOUT ANYONE NOTICING BUT YOU!!!

DRYWALL - ARCHES - RADIUS OR SQUARE TOP ARCHWAYS WITH SQUARED OR BULLNOSE EDGES.  TRIM-TEX PRODUCTS - (800) 874-2333.

DRYWALL - TOOLS

6" TAPING KNIFE FOR FILLING NAIL / SCREW HOLES AND APPLYING TAPE COAT.

8"-10" KNIFE FOR INTERMEDIATE COAT (S).

12" KNIFE FOR FINISHING COATS.

DRYWALL - MUDS - "ALL PURPOSE" APPROPRIATE FOR ALL APPLICATIONS.

"LIGHTWEIGHT" SHRINKS LESS, SANDS EASIER, & WORTH EXTRA EXPENSE.

"TOPPING COMPOUND" SPREADS SMOOTHLY, SANDS EASILY, GOOD FINISH COAT(S).

NOTE: AIR BUBBLES UNDER TAPE AFTER MUD IS DRY ARE USUALLY CAUSED BY SKIMPING ON BED COAT. CUT THEM OUT WITH A UTILITY KNIFE. DON’T COAT OVER THEM.

NOTE: BUTT JOINTS ( NON-TAPERED JOINTS THAT AREN’T ALONG LONG EDGE OF SHEET OF DRYWALL) SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN 1/8" THICK AND AT LEAST 2’ WIDE.

NOTE: SCOTCH-BRITE PADS LAST LONGER THAN SANDING SCREENS & DON’T CLOG UP LIKE SANDPAPER. USE COARSE GRADE FOR FIRST COAT, FINE GRADE FOR FINISHING COATS, AND DAMPEN PAD TO GET SUPER SMOOTH TOP COAT.

NINE FOOT CEILINGS - STANDARD 4 FT. WIDE DRYWALL DESIGNED FOR THE TYPICAL 8 FT. CEILING RESULTS IN A LOT OF EXTRA SEAMS. LOOK FOR NEW 54 IN. WIDE DRYWALL. EFFORT LOOKING IS WELL WORTH THE TROUBLE - YELLOW PAGES UNDER "DRYWALL".

DOMTAR GYPSUM (800) 366-8271 / TEMPLE-INLAND (800) 6060

SKIM COATING - FRESHENS UP WALL WITH A THIN VENEER (1/8") OF JOINT COMPOUND THAT SHOULD BE APPLIED ONLY OVER A SOUND WALL SURFACE.

- FIRST COAT IS A SETTING-TYPE COMPOUND WHICH CHEMICALLY SETS VS. AIR DRYING LIKE READY-MIX JOINT COMPOUND.

. CAUTION: READY-MIX JOINT COMPOUND CONTAINS WATER WHICH COULD SOFTEN BOND OF OLD PAINT TO PLASTER AND CAUSE SKIM COAT TO COME LOOSE.

CAUTION: GET A SETTING-TYPE COMPOUND THAT SANDS EASILY. SOME DRY HARD AS ROCK.

- SECOND / THIRD COATS USE READY-MIX JOINT COMPOUND.

BASEMENT DRYWALL INSTALLATION - HOLD DRYWALL OFF FLOOR AT LEAST 1/2" SO WATER CAN’T WICK UP FROM FLOOR. BASE MOLD WILL COVER GAP.

PLASTER

• FIX SMALL AREAS WITH DRYWALL MUD OR A 50/50 MIXTURE OF READY MIX DRYWALL MUD PLASTER OF PARIS.
• LARGE AREAS PROBABLY NEED A PRO.
• OF THE BROWN OR SCRATCH COAT IS LOOSE OR DAMAGED DON'T TRY TO REPAIR OVER IT.
• PLASTER CAN BE REPAIRED USING BLUE BOARD AS THE SCRATCH AND BROWN COATS AND SKIMMING OVER TO BLEND IN.
• USE PLASTER WELD OR A BONDING AGENT TO ADHERE TO OLD WORK.