How to repair damaged plasterboard wall for it to be ready to be painted?

[Karellu]

Hi, I removed the laundry tub and some wall tiles in my laundry. With my very limited knowledge, I think the plaster and drywall paper are damaged. I'm not sure if there is anything else.

  

 

 

 

What should I do ?

Thank you

[JacobZ]

Hi @Karellu,

What you've said is correct that there is damaged plaster, and the paper face of the gyprock has peeled off in sections. These are not particularly difficult things to fix, but if you had other plans in mind, fixing these issues before other steps might not be wise.

I'd need to understand what you're planning to do from here to offer the best advice possible.

Are you planning on having the taps removed? Are you planning on putting in a new laundry tub? Are you just looking to paint it, so it looks a bit nicer?

If you're removing the taps, you'd need to patch the plasterboard. Check out How to Fix a Hole in the Wall for some guidance.

For the areas where the paper has peeled away from the gyprock sheets, you'd need to skim-coat them with a topping compound such as this Gyprock Less Mess Topping Compound.

The corner also needs some work to get it back to perfect. You can use a Hyde Plasterboard Inside Corner Tool to apply the same topping compound to tidy it up.

If you can let me know some more details, I'll happily advise further.

Jacob

[Karellu]

Hi @JacobZ, thank you for your reply.

I'm not changing the taps and I plan to get a cabinet with a sink and put some splashback tiles. 

I filled the holes with plasterboard and I may have put too much because now the area is bumpy where I put the plaster (see photos)

 

 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Karellu,

You're on the right track. Sand any areas that are proud of the surrounding surface back so they are flush with the plasterboard. You can then add a very thin coat of plaster over the whole area so it blends seamlessly. For the areas where you'll be installing the splashback tiles, it doesn't need to be perfect as it will be covered. It's just the exposed areas you should spend time on to achieve a flat and consistent surface.

Mitchell

[Karellu]

Hi, 

I plastered any torn drywall and filled holes with a product called Gyprock rapid repaid. I'm not sure if I should paint over the plaster to protect it ? The area will not be visible so it's not for aesthetic purposes. I will have a sink and cabinet there.

 

[JacobZ]

Hi @Karellu,

It would be worth painting the plaster as it is going to be very close to a water source. If any water were to get on the bare plaster or plasterboard, it would soak in which would weaken and damage the plasterboard.

A couple of coats of paint will stop water from soaking in and it is a very easy step to give you some peace of mind.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

[Karellu]

Hi,

Thank you @JacobZ, how should I go about painting over the plaster ? What paint do you recommend ?

[EricL]

Hello @Karellu 

I suggest testing the paint around it first. Get a clean rag and methylated spirits, put some spirits on the end of the rag and wipe a part of the painted wall. If the paint comes off it is a water-based paint, but if it does not come off and only goes shiny it is an oil-based paint. If it is a water-based paint, I suggest using Dulux 1Step Prep Primer, Sealer & Undercoat as a primer and for the topcoat, I recommend Dulux Interior Paint Wash&Wear Low Sheen Vivid White.

My best advice is to make sure to bring a sample of the colour of your wall to the paint specialist for colour matching. Make sure that it is bigger than a 10c coin.

If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.

Eric

[Karellu]

Thank you Eric,

It seems to be an oil based paint. What should I do/buy ? 

[MitchellMc]

Hi @Karellu,

Give any areas of oil-based paint that might get painted over a scuff up with some 240-grit sandpaper, and then prime the whole area with Dulux Max Adhesion. You can then paint over the primer with either an oil-based or water-based paint. My suggestion would be to use the Dulux Interior Paint Wash&Wear Low Sheen Vivid White.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell