Chances are drywall is all around you. It's the material that covers the walls in most homes built in the last 40 years. It replaced lathe-and-plaster wall material because drywall is easier--and faster--to install. It's also relatively easy to repair. You can do this!

How Does It Work?

Drywall is a manufactured panel made out of gypsum plaster and encased in heavy paper. Drywall is also known as gypsum wallboard (GWB), plaster board, or Sheetrock. A drywall panel typically is 4 x 8 feet or 4 x 12 feet in size and 1/4 to 5/8 inches thick. The panels are nailed or screwed onto the wall framing and the joints are covered with a special tape and joint compound. The wall or ceiling is then primed and painted. Sometimes texturing is added as a decorative element.

What Can Go Wrong?

Drywall problems are relatively easy to spot. Nails sometimes pop out slightly from the drywall. Corners where walls meet get bumped and scraped and can be damaged. Tape can split. Dents, gouges, and holes appear. All are relatively easy to fix.

Fix-It Tip

You can buy handy drywall patching kits at larger hardware stores and home centers. Use them to patch holes in drywall walls and ceilings; the instructions are included. Note that a wall kit doesn't work on a ceiling because the ceiling requires a stiffer mesh to support the plaster patch material.