Repairing Damaged Drywall Around a Bathroom?
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
I have drywall in my bathroom that has started to flake and has become damaged over a few decades of use over a shower that didn't have an extractor fan.
I'm currently in the process of planning out the new extractor fan project, but I'm not sure what to do about the drywall. Here is a picture of the situation:
I've seen videos of drywall failure modes similar to this, and their solution was to use a 6" putty knife to scrape off the hanging drywall until the remainder was totally flat and then coat it with 20-minute joint compound.
I'm not entirely certain if that would work here because (As others pointed out in similar questions) joint compound is water soluble.
What is the best solution to this problem, and what tools would I need to implement it? (I'm kind of new to drywall, although I do have a 6"/12" steel putty knifes and a mud pan)
NOTE: I think that this differs from (repair drywall in the shower) as my drywall is not water damaged in the same way, and thus likely won't have the same answer (To the best of my knowledge), and is also different from (How do I repair drywall around a bathtub?) due to not being crumbly and other types of damage to the drywall being done.
bathroom drywall shower
asked 5 hours ago
Sarah Szabo
19819
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
I have drywall in my bathroom that has started to flake and has become damaged over a few decades of use over a shower that didn't have an extractor fan.
I'm currently in the process of planning out the new extractor fan project, but I'm not sure what to do about the drywall. Here is a picture of the situation:
I've seen videos of drywall failure modes similar to this, and their solution was to use a 6" putty knife to scrape off the hanging drywall until the remainder was totally flat and then coat it with 20-minute joint compound.
I'm not entirely certain if that would work here because (As others pointed out in similar questions) joint compound is water soluble.
What is the best solution to this problem, and what tools would I need to implement it? (I'm kind of new to drywall, although I do have a 6"/12" steel putty knifes and a mud pan)
NOTE: I think that this differs from (repair drywall in the shower) as my drywall is not water damaged in the same way, and thus likely won't have the same answer (To the best of my knowledge), and is also different from (How do I repair drywall around a bathtub?) due to not being crumbly and other types of damage to the drywall being done.
bathroom drywall shower
asked 5 hours ago
Sarah Szabo
19819
Hot mud or 20 minute mud holds up much better to moisture than topping muddy or standard joint compound once sanded and a good coat of paint it will look better, use caution with hot mud and don't put it on two thick because it is much tougher to sand.
– Ed Beal
4 hours ago
Isn't 20-minute mud standard joint compound that dries in 20 minutes?
– Sarah Szabo
4 hours ago
No 20 minute mud or hot mud is not standard joint mud that takes 8+ hours to dry in most cases unless very thin.
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
1
Setting-type (dry mix) joint compound is indeed tougher than standard joint compound. However, the 20-minute variety is not for the uninitiated. It begins to set very quickly and can leave a person with a really nasty mess. Use 90-minute instead, which is plenty fast unless the house is burning down and you need the job done before you escape.
– isherwood
2 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
I have drywall in my bathroom that has started to flake and has become damaged over a few decades of use over a shower that didn't have an extractor fan.
I'm currently in the process of planning out the new extractor fan project, but I'm not sure what to do about the drywall. Here is a picture of the situation:
I've seen videos of drywall failure modes similar to this, and their solution was to use a 6" putty knife to scrape off the hanging drywall until the remainder was totally flat and then coat it with 20-minute joint compound.
I'm not entirely certain if that would work here because (As others pointed out in similar questions) joint compound is water soluble.
What is the best solution to this problem, and what tools would I need to implement it? (I'm kind of new to drywall, although I do have a 6"/12" steel putty knifes and a mud pan)
NOTE: I think that this differs from (repair drywall in the shower) as my drywall is not water damaged in the same way, and thus likely won't have the same answer (To the best of my knowledge), and is also different from (How do I repair drywall around a bathtub?) due to not being crumbly and other types of damage to the drywall being done.
bathroom drywall shower
asked 5 hours ago
Sarah Szabo
19819
I have drywall in my bathroom that has started to flake and has become damaged over a few decades of use over a shower that didn't have an extractor fan.
I'm currently in the process of planning out the new extractor fan project, but I'm not sure what to do about the drywall. Here is a picture of the situation:
I've seen videos of drywall failure modes similar to this, and their solution was to use a 6" putty knife to scrape off the hanging drywall until the remainder was totally flat and then coat it with 20-minute joint compound.
I'm not entirely certain if that would work here because (As others pointed out in similar questions) joint compound is water soluble.
What is the best solution to this problem, and what tools would I need to implement it? (I'm kind of new to drywall, although I do have a 6"/12" steel putty knifes and a mud pan)
NOTE: I think that this differs from (repair drywall in the shower) as my drywall is not water damaged in the same way, and thus likely won't have the same answer (To the best of my knowledge), and is also different from (How do I repair drywall around a bathtub?) due to not being crumbly and other types of damage to the drywall being done.
bathroom drywall shower
bathroom drywall shower
asked 5 hours ago
Sarah Szabo
19819
asked 5 hours ago
Sarah Szabo
19819
asked 5 hours ago
Sarah Szabo
19819
asked 5 hours ago
Sarah Szabo
19819
asked 5 hours ago
Sarah Szabo
19819
19819
Hot mud or 20 minute mud holds up much better to moisture than topping muddy or standard joint compound once sanded and a good coat of paint it will look better, use caution with hot mud and don't put it on two thick because it is much tougher to sand.
– Ed Beal
4 hours ago
Isn't 20-minute mud standard joint compound that dries in 20 minutes?
– Sarah Szabo
4 hours ago
No 20 minute mud or hot mud is not standard joint mud that takes 8+ hours to dry in most cases unless very thin.
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
1
Setting-type (dry mix) joint compound is indeed tougher than standard joint compound. However, the 20-minute variety is not for the uninitiated. It begins to set very quickly and can leave a person with a really nasty mess. Use 90-minute instead, which is plenty fast unless the house is burning down and you need the job done before you escape.
– isherwood
2 hours ago
add a comment |
Hot mud or 20 minute mud holds up much better to moisture than topping muddy or standard joint compound once sanded and a good coat of paint it will look better, use caution with hot mud and don't put it on two thick because it is much tougher to sand.
– Ed Beal
4 hours ago
Isn't 20-minute mud standard joint compound that dries in 20 minutes?
– Sarah Szabo
4 hours ago
No 20 minute mud or hot mud is not standard joint mud that takes 8+ hours to dry in most cases unless very thin.
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
1
Setting-type (dry mix) joint compound is indeed tougher than standard joint compound. However, the 20-minute variety is not for the uninitiated. It begins to set very quickly and can leave a person with a really nasty mess. Use 90-minute instead, which is plenty fast unless the house is burning down and you need the job done before you escape.
– isherwood
2 hours ago
Hot mud or 20 minute mud holds up much better to moisture than topping muddy or standard joint compound once sanded and a good coat of paint it will look better, use caution with hot mud and don't put it on two thick because it is much tougher to sand.
– Ed Beal
4 hours ago
Hot mud or 20 minute mud holds up much better to moisture than topping muddy or standard joint compound once sanded and a good coat of paint it will look better, use caution with hot mud and don't put it on two thick because it is much tougher to sand.
– Ed Beal
4 hours ago
Isn't 20-minute mud standard joint compound that dries in 20 minutes?
– Sarah Szabo
4 hours ago
Isn't 20-minute mud standard joint compound that dries in 20 minutes?
– Sarah Szabo
4 hours ago
No 20 minute mud or hot mud is not standard joint mud that takes 8+ hours to dry in most cases unless very thin.
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
No 20 minute mud or hot mud is not standard joint mud that takes 8+ hours to dry in most cases unless very thin.
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
1
1
Setting-type (dry mix) joint compound is indeed tougher than standard joint compound. However, the 20-minute variety is not for the uninitiated. It begins to set very quickly and can leave a person with a really nasty mess. Use 90-minute instead, which is plenty fast unless the house is burning down and you need the job done before you escape.
– isherwood
2 hours ago
Setting-type (dry mix) joint compound is indeed tougher than standard joint compound. However, the 20-minute variety is not for the uninitiated. It begins to set very quickly and can leave a person with a really nasty mess. Use 90-minute instead, which is plenty fast unless the house is burning down and you need the job done before you escape.
– isherwood
2 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
2
down vote
To my mind the solution isn't dependent on your choice of joint compound (though topping compounds lack the vinyl component which can help with bonding). Even if you use concrete to coat it, what's behind it is still susceptible to water damage. Instead, moisture management and a good primer/paint coating is important. Your walls simply shouldn't be exposed to prolonged moisture.
I'd scrape away all loose material and finish the surface with whatever mud suits your fancy. Prime it with something that seals well, and use a high-quality topcoat that claims to bond well and protect against moisture damage.
An exhaust fan should be on a modern digital timer. Run it for at least two hours after a shower, as the moisture stuck to the tub and your towels takes a while to evaporate.
answered 2 hours ago
isherwood
44.3k453114
Great idea for using the 2-hour digital timer. I tend to take longer showers, so 2 hours is a lot better than 1 hour for drying the towels. Would homedepot.com/p/… be a good primer for applying the mud to, or is this a sealer?
– Sarah Szabo
1 hour ago
Doesn't really matter how long your shower is. It's not so much the vapor in the air as that left on the tub wall and in your towel. If the fan is running during your shower, not much should accumulate on the paint anyway.
– isherwood
1 hour ago
I won't be doing any product endorsements. Sorry. Speak to the sales rep and read the label. It usually won't steer you wrong.
– isherwood
1 hour ago
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
If you're super-keen, you could rip all the drywall out and replace it with greenboard (regular drywall with a water-resistant facing). It may not be necessary in this case, but I believe it's the ideal solution if you have an unlimited budget and schedule. And it would give you plenty of practice with handling drywall!
I don't believe you really should go to such lengths in this instance, but I'm mentioning it for the sake of completeness.
answered 55 mins ago
Paul Price
5971415
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "73"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fdiy.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f152817%2frepairing-damaged-drywall-around-a-bathroom%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
2
down vote
To my mind the solution isn't dependent on your choice of joint compound (though topping compounds lack the vinyl component which can help with bonding). Even if you use concrete to coat it, what's behind it is still susceptible to water damage. Instead, moisture management and a good primer/paint coating is important. Your walls simply shouldn't be exposed to prolonged moisture.
I'd scrape away all loose material and finish the surface with whatever mud suits your fancy. Prime it with something that seals well, and use a high-quality topcoat that claims to bond well and protect against moisture damage.
An exhaust fan should be on a modern digital timer. Run it for at least two hours after a shower, as the moisture stuck to the tub and your towels takes a while to evaporate.
answered 2 hours ago
isherwood
44.3k453114
Great idea for using the 2-hour digital timer. I tend to take longer showers, so 2 hours is a lot better than 1 hour for drying the towels. Would homedepot.com/p/… be a good primer for applying the mud to, or is this a sealer?
– Sarah Szabo
1 hour ago
Doesn't really matter how long your shower is. It's not so much the vapor in the air as that left on the tub wall and in your towel. If the fan is running during your shower, not much should accumulate on the paint anyway.
– isherwood
1 hour ago
I won't be doing any product endorsements. Sorry. Speak to the sales rep and read the label. It usually won't steer you wrong.
– isherwood
1 hour ago
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
To my mind the solution isn't dependent on your choice of joint compound (though topping compounds lack the vinyl component which can help with bonding). Even if you use concrete to coat it, what's behind it is still susceptible to water damage. Instead, moisture management and a good primer/paint coating is important. Your walls simply shouldn't be exposed to prolonged moisture.
I'd scrape away all loose material and finish the surface with whatever mud suits your fancy. Prime it with something that seals well, and use a high-quality topcoat that claims to bond well and protect against moisture damage.
An exhaust fan should be on a modern digital timer. Run it for at least two hours after a shower, as the moisture stuck to the tub and your towels takes a while to evaporate.
answered 2 hours ago
isherwood
44.3k453114
Great idea for using the 2-hour digital timer. I tend to take longer showers, so 2 hours is a lot better than 1 hour for drying the towels. Would homedepot.com/p/… be a good primer for applying the mud to, or is this a sealer?
– Sarah Szabo
1 hour ago
Doesn't really matter how long your shower is. It's not so much the vapor in the air as that left on the tub wall and in your towel. If the fan is running during your shower, not much should accumulate on the paint anyway.
– isherwood
1 hour ago
I won't be doing any product endorsements. Sorry. Speak to the sales rep and read the label. It usually won't steer you wrong.
– isherwood
1 hour ago
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
To my mind the solution isn't dependent on your choice of joint compound (though topping compounds lack the vinyl component which can help with bonding). Even if you use concrete to coat it, what's behind it is still susceptible to water damage. Instead, moisture management and a good primer/paint coating is important. Your walls simply shouldn't be exposed to prolonged moisture.
I'd scrape away all loose material and finish the surface with whatever mud suits your fancy. Prime it with something that seals well, and use a high-quality topcoat that claims to bond well and protect against moisture damage.
An exhaust fan should be on a modern digital timer. Run it for at least two hours after a shower, as the moisture stuck to the tub and your towels takes a while to evaporate.
answered 2 hours ago
isherwood
44.3k453114
To my mind the solution isn't dependent on your choice of joint compound (though topping compounds lack the vinyl component which can help with bonding). Even if you use concrete to coat it, what's behind it is still susceptible to water damage. Instead, moisture management and a good primer/paint coating is important. Your walls simply shouldn't be exposed to prolonged moisture.
I'd scrape away all loose material and finish the surface with whatever mud suits your fancy. Prime it with something that seals well, and use a high-quality topcoat that claims to bond well and protect against moisture damage.
An exhaust fan should be on a modern digital timer. Run it for at least two hours after a shower, as the moisture stuck to the tub and your towels takes a while to evaporate.
answered 2 hours ago
isherwood
44.3k453114
answered 2 hours ago
isherwood
44.3k453114
answered 2 hours ago
isherwood
44.3k453114
answered 2 hours ago
isherwood
44.3k453114
44.3k453114
Great idea for using the 2-hour digital timer. I tend to take longer showers, so 2 hours is a lot better than 1 hour for drying the towels. Would homedepot.com/p/… be a good primer for applying the mud to, or is this a sealer?
– Sarah Szabo
1 hour ago
Doesn't really matter how long your shower is. It's not so much the vapor in the air as that left on the tub wall and in your towel. If the fan is running during your shower, not much should accumulate on the paint anyway.
– isherwood
1 hour ago
I won't be doing any product endorsements. Sorry. Speak to the sales rep and read the label. It usually won't steer you wrong.
– isherwood
1 hour ago
add a comment |
Great idea for using the 2-hour digital timer. I tend to take longer showers, so 2 hours is a lot better than 1 hour for drying the towels. Would homedepot.com/p/… be a good primer for applying the mud to, or is this a sealer?
– Sarah Szabo
1 hour ago
Doesn't really matter how long your shower is. It's not so much the vapor in the air as that left on the tub wall and in your towel. If the fan is running during your shower, not much should accumulate on the paint anyway.
– isherwood
1 hour ago
I won't be doing any product endorsements. Sorry. Speak to the sales rep and read the label. It usually won't steer you wrong.
– isherwood
1 hour ago
Great idea for using the 2-hour digital timer. I tend to take longer showers, so 2 hours is a lot better than 1 hour for drying the towels. Would homedepot.com/p/… be a good primer for applying the mud to, or is this a sealer?
– Sarah Szabo
1 hour ago
Great idea for using the 2-hour digital timer. I tend to take longer showers, so 2 hours is a lot better than 1 hour for drying the towels. Would homedepot.com/p/… be a good primer for applying the mud to, or is this a sealer?
– Sarah Szabo
1 hour ago
Doesn't really matter how long your shower is. It's not so much the vapor in the air as that left on the tub wall and in your towel. If the fan is running during your shower, not much should accumulate on the paint anyway.
– isherwood
1 hour ago
Doesn't really matter how long your shower is. It's not so much the vapor in the air as that left on the tub wall and in your towel. If the fan is running during your shower, not much should accumulate on the paint anyway.
– isherwood
1 hour ago
I won't be doing any product endorsements. Sorry. Speak to the sales rep and read the label. It usually won't steer you wrong.
– isherwood
1 hour ago
I won't be doing any product endorsements. Sorry. Speak to the sales rep and read the label. It usually won't steer you wrong.
– isherwood
1 hour ago
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
If you're super-keen, you could rip all the drywall out and replace it with greenboard (regular drywall with a water-resistant facing). It may not be necessary in this case, but I believe it's the ideal solution if you have an unlimited budget and schedule. And it would give you plenty of practice with handling drywall!
I don't believe you really should go to such lengths in this instance, but I'm mentioning it for the sake of completeness.
answered 55 mins ago
Paul Price
5971415
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
If you're super-keen, you could rip all the drywall out and replace it with greenboard (regular drywall with a water-resistant facing). It may not be necessary in this case, but I believe it's the ideal solution if you have an unlimited budget and schedule. And it would give you plenty of practice with handling drywall!
I don't believe you really should go to such lengths in this instance, but I'm mentioning it for the sake of completeness.
answered 55 mins ago
Paul Price
5971415
add a comment |
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
If you're super-keen, you could rip all the drywall out and replace it with greenboard (regular drywall with a water-resistant facing). It may not be necessary in this case, but I believe it's the ideal solution if you have an unlimited budget and schedule. And it would give you plenty of practice with handling drywall!
I don't believe you really should go to such lengths in this instance, but I'm mentioning it for the sake of completeness.
answered 55 mins ago
Paul Price
5971415
If you're super-keen, you could rip all the drywall out and replace it with greenboard (regular drywall with a water-resistant facing). It may not be necessary in this case, but I believe it's the ideal solution if you have an unlimited budget and schedule. And it would give you plenty of practice with handling drywall!
I don't believe you really should go to such lengths in this instance, but I'm mentioning it for the sake of completeness.
answered 55 mins ago
Paul Price
5971415
answered 55 mins ago
Paul Price
5971415
answered 55 mins ago
Paul Price
5971415
answered 55 mins ago
Paul Price
5971415
5971415
add a comment |
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to Home Improvement Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.
Please pay close attention to the following guidance:
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fdiy.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f152817%2frepairing-damaged-drywall-around-a-bathroom%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Hot mud or 20 minute mud holds up much better to moisture than topping muddy or standard joint compound once sanded and a good coat of paint it will look better, use caution with hot mud and don't put it on two thick because it is much tougher to sand.
– Ed Beal
4 hours ago
Isn't 20-minute mud standard joint compound that dries in 20 minutes?
– Sarah Szabo
4 hours ago
No 20 minute mud or hot mud is not standard joint mud that takes 8+ hours to dry in most cases unless very thin.
– Ed Beal
2 hours ago
1
Setting-type (dry mix) joint compound is indeed tougher than standard joint compound. However, the 20-minute variety is not for the uninitiated. It begins to set very quickly and can leave a person with a really nasty mess. Use 90-minute instead, which is plenty fast unless the house is burning down and you need the job done before you escape.
– isherwood
2 hours ago