Drywall repair · Calgary, AB
Drywall repair in Calgary
Most damaged drywall can be repaired rather than replaced. The work that matters is making the repair invisible once it is painted, and dealing with whatever caused the damage.
Free estimate · No obligation
Common requests
- Holes from doorknobs, furniture or anchors
- Nail and screw pops
- Cracked or peeling tape at seams
- Dented or cracked outside corners
- Old patches that show through paint
- Damage after plumbing or electrical work
- Usual approach
- Patch and refinish. Replacement only when the board is wet, crumbling or badly damaged.
- Timeline
- Several short visits: compound needs to dry between coats before sanding.
- Priced by
- Number and size of repairs, walls vs ceilings, texture, and whether painting is included.
The short answer
Most drywall damage is patched, not replaced. Small holes and dents are filled; larger holes get a new piece of drywall; cracks are re-taped. Each repair then gets several thin coats of joint compound, feathered wide and sanded flat, so it disappears under primer and paint. Replacement is for drywall that is wet, mouldy, crumbling or sagging.
Common repairs
What each kind of damage usually means
The visible damage is a clue to the fix. Some problems are purely cosmetic; others come back unless the cause is dealt with.
Nail or screw pops
A fastener head pushing through the surface, often as framing lumber dries and shrinks. Re-secured with a new screw beside it, then refinished.
Cracked or bubbling tape
Tape that was not fully bedded in compound, or a joint that moves. Loose tape is cut out and the joint re-taped.
Dented or cracked corners
Outside corner bead takes knocks from furniture and vacuums. Badly damaged bead is cut out and replaced.
Holes
Filled, backed or patched with new drywall depending on size. The holes and cracks page covers each size.
A patch you can see
Usually a hump, a halo of texture, a shrunken seam or a sheen difference. Sanded back, re-coated wider and primed.
Soft, stained or crumbling board
A sign of moisture. The source has to be found first, then the damaged section is cut out and replaced.
Not sure which of these you have?
Describe what you see and include a photo if you can. The contractor will tell you what it is and how it would be fixed.
How a repair is done
Why a good repair takes several visits
A drywall repair is built up in layers. The first coat of joint compound beds the tape or fills the patch. Once it is dry, a second, wider coat covers it, and often a third, each one spread thinner and further out so the repair blends into the surrounding wall instead of standing proud of it. Then it is sanded smooth.
Skipping the drying time is the most common shortcut, and the most common reason a patch shows later: compound that is still wet underneath keeps shrinking after it has been sanded and painted, leaving a dip or a visible seam.
Before painting
Joint compound absorbs paint differently from the paper face of the drywall around it. Without a coat of primer, the patch can show as a dull or shiny spot (called flashing) even when it is perfectly flat. Priming the repair, and ideally painting the whole wall, avoids that.
Older homes: test before sanding
Drywall joint compound and textured finishes in homes built before about 1990 may contain asbestos, which is only a hazard when disturbed, for example by sanding or cutting. If your home is older, mention its age. The contractor can arrange testing before work starts. Health Canada: health risks of asbestos.
Repair or replace
When patching stops making sense
Most of the time a repair is the right call. These are the situations where cutting out and replacing drywall is usually better value.
| Situation | Usually | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Holes, dents, cracks, nail pops | UsuallyRepair | WhyLocalised damage on otherwise sound board. |
| Many repairs across one wall | UsuallyRepair, then skim coat | WhyA skim coat evens out the whole surface. |
| Drywall that got wet and dried firm | UsuallyAssess | WhyMay be sound; check for staining, softness and mould. |
| Soft, crumbling or mouldy board | UsuallyReplace section | WhyThe core has lost strength; patching over it fails. |
| Sagging or bulging ceiling | UsuallyReplace section | WhyBoard has come away from fasteners or is waterlogged. |
| Damage covering most of a sheet | UsuallyReplace sheet | WhyA new sheet is faster and flatter than a huge patch. |
The drywall replacement page covers bigger jobs in detail.
In Calgary homes
Why cracks and pops show up in winter
Calgary’s air is dry for much of the year, especially in winter when the furnace runs, and wood framing shrinks slightly as it dries. That movement is a common reason for nail pops and hairline cracks at seams and above door frames, particularly in the first few years of a newer home. In some houses, roof trusses can also lift slightly in cold weather, opening a crack where the ceiling meets an interior wall that may close again in summer.
Movement cracks like these are usually cosmetic, but they return if they are only filled. They need re-taping, and sometimes a different fastening or corner approach, which the contractor can explain once they have seen where the crack is.
Common questions
Drywall repair questions
Question not answered here? Ask it in your estimate request.
How long does a drywall repair take?
Do you paint after repairing the drywall?
Can you match the texture on my walls or ceiling?
Is it worth repairing a few nail pops?
My previous patch is visible. Can it be fixed?
Related
Also worth reading
- ServiceRepairing holes and cracks in drywallHole sizes, the patch each one needs, and why cracks over doors and windows come back.
- ServiceCeiling drywall repairCeiling damage is harder to hide and can point to a problem above.
- ServiceWater-damaged drywallStains, soft spots or bubbling mean the leak comes first, then the drywall.
- ServiceDrywall finishing and skim coatingWhy some repairs need the whole wall skim coated to look right.
Free, no-obligation estimate
Get a free drywall repair estimate
List every area that needs attention, even small ones. Doing several repairs in one visit is more efficient than one at a time.
Useful to include
- What happened: impact, leak, movement, or an old repair
- Roughly how big each area is, and wall or ceiling
- Whether the wall is textured or smooth
- Whether you want it primed and painted too
Get a free drywall estimate
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