How To Repair Water Damaged Drywall In A Finished Basement

Flooding can wreak havoc on a finished basement. After you remove the water and dry your basement, there may be drywall to replace. With the right tools, time and patience, this is a job you can do yourself. 

Removing Compromised Drywall

Drywall that has been structurally compromised from water damage will sag, or may even collapse from touching it. The drywall will noticeably blister or bubble if the panel is still holding back any water. Panels that are this severely damaged aren't salvageable and need to be replaced. It's important to note if your floor of your basement is damaged that it's better to install the drywall first. You don't want to chance getting joint compound all over a new floor.

You can remove these severely water damaged panels by removing still soft pieces with your gloved hands. If they've started to settle and harden some, you may have to use a crowbar or the claw end of a hammer. When you're removing the damaged drywall, wear a mask and lay down a cloth to catch any of the drywall pieces.

Patching Repairable Drywall

Drywall that only shows visible water staining or only minor deformities is repairable. You will have to cut out and remove the damaged portions with a utility knife. Next, you will want to cut a fresh replacement patch of drywall to fit the hole. After you've cut out our drywall patch, you'll want to apply drywall tape and joint compound to the seams. After that's dry you'll want to apply joint compound to the entire patched area. The joint compound will have to be layered on the patch until it matches the depth of the rest of the wall, so it may take a few applications. 

Installing Fresh Drywall

For sections of your basement's drywall, you had to totally remove you'll want to install fresh drywall panels with drywall screws. You'll want to cut these drywall boards to fit with a utility knife by cutting through the side covered with paper. Cutting through the face of the drywall may damage the front and create more work for you.

At every seam connecting the drywall, you will want to apply drywall tape and joint compound to hide the seams. You'll want to sand all of these seams smooth, and then apply joint compound to the rest of the drywall. You may have to apply more than one coat of the drywall compound in order to get the basement wall smooth. When the new walls have been sanded smooth you'll want to prime them in preparation for a coat of paint.

Water damage can be a pain to deal with, especially in a finished basement. You may want to get help from a basement waterproofing expert (such as Paul's Basement Waterproofing) to prevent future damages.