# filling holes and channels in drywall



## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

No one here can see just how wide these channels are, how it gets fixed depends on how bad he messed it up.
The wire should have been fished through the wall not inserted into a grove cut into the sheetrock.
Spackle is only for filling small nail holes.
Yes it needs to be perfectly flat if you do not want to see a hump in the wall.
What do you mean it's not that deep? If he did do it the way your suggesting he should have gone all the way though the drywall.


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## jkbank (Oct 28, 2013)

*attaching a picture*

Thanks for your reply. Here is a small section of what it looks like.
There is plaster behind the dry wall (previous owners renovations) so the installer didn't go all the way through (except where he made holes to run back to the equipment), he just chiseled out a channel to lay the wire in.
Hopefully this picture will explain it better than what I'm writing!
Sorry, picture is upside down, but you should be able to get the idea!


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## jagans (Oct 21, 2012)

Too bad he didnt locate the wire at the height of a chair rail, you could have hid it behind that


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

He's made a mess of it for you to clean up.
About all you can do not is us what's nicknamed hot mud, it's fast setting drywall compound. Once it dries your going to have to apply a thin layer of setting compound with a 6" wide drywall knife and apply paper drywall tape, and another thin layer of drywall compound over the tape.
The keys words are "thin layers".
Once it dies wipe the drywall knife over it to just knock off the high spots, then apply another layer of compound. Once that one dries it time to sand with a drywall sponge in a ciruler motion. Wipe it down and check for flaws. Add another thin layer if there's low spots. Once it's smooth when you run your hand over it wipe it down with a damp rag to make 100% sure all the dust is gone. Now your ready for primer and two coats of paint.
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...&mid=FBC089857848542B481CFBC089857848542B481C


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## jkbank (Oct 28, 2013)

Hmm, that sounds like more work than I was bargaining for!
What would be the consequences of not putting drywall tape on there? Meaning could I just do a few layers of joint compound (the guy in my local hardware store gave me the stuff with the green lid)?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

It's just going to keep cracking without tape and as a thick layer of that type mud dries it's going to look like alligator skin.


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## jkbank (Oct 28, 2013)

Makes sense. One more question - you refer to drywall compound, setting compound etc. Do you mean I should be using more than one type of product for the different layers? Can you be more specific on that? Thanks so much!


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

http://www.house-painting-info.com/joint-compound.html


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Your not going to like this but I really recommend a do-over. That wire should be behind the wall, years from now someone goes to mount something in that area there is going to be problems. And the repair would have been the same if the wiring was in the wall. The only thing I would add to what Joe told you is the 6" knife is for you first coat then you need a 12" knife to feather it out with. This doesn't look like a hard repair, but it is because as Joe said it has to be flat if not it will be very noticeable. That is why you need to feather it out so far.


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## jagans (Oct 21, 2012)

Is your house on a slab? Why wasn't the wire run up through the sole plate from the basement between two studs?


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## 12penny (Nov 21, 2008)

The studs should have been drilled at the channel and the wires placed inside the wall. Then a regular drywall repair to close it up. I don't see that 
Working for very long.


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## jkbank (Oct 28, 2013)

ToolSeeker said:


> Your not going to like this but I really recommend a do-over. That wire should be behind the wall, years from now someone goes to mount something in that area there is going to be problems. And the repair would have been the same if the wiring was in the wall. The only thing I would add to what Joe told you is the 6" knife is for you first coat then you need a 12" knife to feather it out with. This doesn't look like a hard repair, but it is because as Joe said it has to be flat if not it will be very noticeable. That is why you need to feather it out so far.


Thanks for the additional info.Honestly, I don't know how we'd do it over. We are in an old apartment building. The previous owner did a renovation. I guess the plaster walls were in bad condition so they decided to sheetrock over the whole thing. So we'd have to go through the sheetrock and then through the plaster....don't see that happening 

So I applied the tape, then a thin layer of joint compound, smoothing out as I go. Will do a sanding today and see what it looks like. The wallpaper hanger is coming to have a look tonight so we'll see what he says.


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## jkbank (Oct 28, 2013)

jagans said:


> Is your house on a slab? Why wasn't the wire run up through the sole plate from the basement between two studs?


We're in an apartment building!


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## jkbank (Oct 28, 2013)

joecaption said:


> http://www.house-painting-info.com/joint-compound.html


Thanks, I've read that. I just wasn't sure if you were reccommending a specific one of these, or different ones for the different layers. I know sometimes the words are used somewhat interchangeably.


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## jkbank (Oct 28, 2013)

12penny said:


> The studs should have been drilled at the channel and the wires placed inside the wall. Then a regular drywall repair to close it up. I don't see that
> Working for very long.


At this point, this is what we have to work with. We are in an apt building. This wiring was done way after we did any renovations. Seemed like the only solution to keep the wires hidden. All the AV components are in a closet so the wires are running from there to the speakers, TV etc


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## PoleCat (Sep 2, 2009)

If you're sure you are going to put wall paper up then you can get away with just using joint compound. Fill it in and let it dry. Scrape away high re fill shrinkage. Once you got it looking good prime & paint it. When the paper is up any hairline cracks that may appear will be moot.


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## jkbank (Oct 28, 2013)

PoleCat said:


> If you're sure you are going to put wall paper up then you can get away with just using joint compound. Fill it in and let it dry. Scrape away high re fill shrinkage. Once you got it looking good prime & paint it. When the paper is up any hairline cracks that may appear will be moot.


Yes, absolutely sure we are wallpapering this area!
Thanks!


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## jkbank (Oct 28, 2013)

OK here are some pics of what I've done so far. I know, I know, I used mesh tape which I read here is a no-no but that's what the guy at Ace sold me 

So this is one layer, I used joint setting compound (green lid) and haven't sanded yet.

Any advice? Please be gentle with a first-timer 
I have no idea why these photos are getting turned upside down when I upload them here...sorry bout that!


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## PoleCat (Sep 2, 2009)

Slide your hand along the area. Any irregularity that you can feel will show through the wall covering. You can also darken the room then put a single light source at an oblique angle and see any bad spots. It looks like you may already be there in the photo.


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## jkbank (Oct 28, 2013)

PoleCat said:


> Slide your hand along the area. Any irregularity that you can feel will show through the wall covering. You can also darken the room then put a single light source at an oblique angle and see any bad spots. It looks like you may already be there in the photo.


Thanks! Like I said, I haven't sanded yet and checked for smoothness.
Do you think I could get away with leaving it at this stage (once it's smoothed out), meaning not have to do another coat of compound?


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## PoleCat (Sep 2, 2009)

If it is smooth and flush so it won't show through the paper you do not need to put on any more mud. You still need to prime and paint it though so the wallpaper sizing and adhesive will work right.


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## jkbank (Oct 28, 2013)

PoleCat said:


> If it is smooth and flush so it won't show through the paper you do not need to put on any more mud. You still need to prime and paint it though so the wallpaper sizing and adhesive will work right.


Thanks, yes, the wallpaper hanger will prime and paint the walls. He just wants them basically in good shape.


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