Hyde Job Guides

How to Patch and Blend a Damaged Drywall Corner

Repair a chip, gouge or crack at an inside or outside drywall corner, then blend both faces. This covers cosmetic damage on a sound corner, not a moving or broken one.

What you need

• Model 09410MAXXGRIP® Inside Corner Tool, 4” $24.35 each$16.56 each at 100 or more

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• Model 09411Inside Corner Tool, 4” $21.85 each$14.86 each at 100 or more

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• Model 05560Inside Corner Tool, 2-1/2” $3.84 each$2.66 each at 100 or more

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• Model 09158Inside Corner Wipedown Tool $18.70 each$12.72 each at 100 or more

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• Model 09425MAXXGRIP® Outside Corner Tool, 4” $24.45 each$16.63 each at 100 or more

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• compound suited to the repair and the patch category already there
• tape or corner reinforcement if the repair needs it
• primer and paint or texture to match
• drop cloths and a work light

Steps

1. Name the corner: inside, outside, or a three-plane pocket. Photograph it in front and raking light.
2. Press-test the corner. Stop if the board flexes, the crack opens, the tape is loose past a small area or the nose is bent.
3. Mask and contain the area. Check paint age for lead before you scrape or sand.
4. Remove only failed material back to sound edges with a stiff scraper. Do not dig out a sound corner.
5. Brush or vacuum out all dust. Sight a straightedge along each face to set your references.
6. Place compound on both faces with a flat tool. Keep the crease or nose as your reference.
7. For an inside corner, run the corner tool down the angle with the handle on the bisector. Stay clear of three-plane pockets.
8. Let each layer reach the maker's condition, then blend, prime and match texture and paint.

Tips

• Use the 05560 (2-1/2") for a short repair. The 09410 and 09411 are 4" with a MAXXGRIP handle and hardwood handle.
• Do not add force with the 09410 or 09411. It prints heavy rails at the wing edges.
• Stop the wet fill a little short of the final plane if the compound shrinks.
• Make the final blend with the 09158 wipe-down tool where its geometry fits the corner.

Watch out

Questions about the right tool for your job? Email cs@hydestore.com or call 508-916-6442.