Should You Repair or Replace Damaged Drywall? How to Tell

Most drywall damage can be repaired. Dents, nail pops, cracks and holes up to about six inches are patched. Larger holes get a new piece of drywall cut in. Replacing a whole section is for drywall that's soft or sagging from water, has mold growing in it, or is damaged across most of a wall or ceiling.

Repair: dents, dings and nail pops

Dents from furniture and doorknobs are filled with joint compound, sanded and painted. Nail pops are fixed by driving a screw next to the popped nail, setting the nail, and covering both. See common causes of drywall damage.

Repair: cracks

Cracks along seams and at the corners of doors and windows are taped and finished, then textured and painted. A crack that keeps coming back or keeps growing is worth having looked at. See types of drywall cracks and their causes.

Repair or patch in: holes

Small holes get spackle or a mesh patch. Holes up to about six inches get a patch made from drywall. Larger holes are cut back to a neat square, and a new piece of drywall is screwed into the framing, then taped and finished. See how to patch a hole in drywall.

Replace: water damage and mold

Drywall that's only stained and still firm can be sealed and painted. Drywall that's soft, sagging, crumbling or growing mold is cut out and replaced, after the leak is fixed and the framing behind it is dry. See how water-damaged drywall is repaired.

Replace: widespread damage

When damage covers most of a wall or ceiling, from a large leak, a fire or a ceiling that sags across the room, new drywall is usually cleaner and longer-lasting than many patches.

Drywall repair in Orlando

New Ceilings repairs and replaces drywall across Orlando and Central Florida, then matches the texture and paint so the work blends in. Every job starts with a free written quote. See drywall and ceiling repair.