# drywall repair next to an outlet - advice needed...



## myke232 (Aug 19, 2009)

I need to repair some drywall next to an outlet (see pics) and am trying to find the best solution. Possible ways I am thinking about doing it are:

 - One of those mesh patches with the aluminum. Not sure about those though because of the unsupported side next to the outlet. Or any other kind of pre-made patch possibly?

 - Cut the edges of the hole to square it off. Take a piece of either wood with drywall on top, or just drywall and screw it to the stud. fyi... for some reason there are 2 layers of drywall here; also only one of the outlets I'm repairing has the stud available (that one is also the bigger hole).

What is the best solution for these outlets?

Thanks for your help!


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## kok328 (Aug 19, 2009)

That particular box can be easily removed to accomodate a drywall repair.  Turn off the power to the outlet, remove the outlet, turn the screws in the top right corner and lower left corner, counter-clockwise, pull the box straight out, install a dywall patch (double layer) and reinstall the outlet box.  This type of outlet box does not attach to a wall stud.  If you want, cut the hole larger and square it up.  Open the hole to the next stud on the left and screw in a secured patch.


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## myke232 (Aug 19, 2009)

kok328 said:


> That particular box can be easily removed to accomodate a drywall repair.  Turn off the power to the outlet, remove the outlet, turn the screws in the top right corner and lower left corner, counter-clockwise, pull the box straight out, install a dywall patch (double layer) and reinstall the outlet box.  This type of outlet box does not attach to a wall stud.  If you want, cut the hole larger and square it up.  Open the hole to the next stud on the left and screw in a secured patch.



oh yeah, that was the other option i had in mind; cutting out to the other stud on the left and putting in a larger piece with a new outlet hole in that piece. 

or i might just patch the existing hole with a new piece of drywall then tape and compound over that...

it seems the larger patch might be a better/stronger solution, but is a bit more work. i want to do it right, but if i can get away with a smaller patch and have it still be 'right' i may just do that...


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## kok328 (Aug 19, 2009)

I didn't realize it at the time of my post but, you have two different repair jobs here.
For the second outlet pic, I'd just mud that chip on the left and install an oversized outlet cover on it.  Heck, it's not that bad, you might be able to get away with a regular sized outlet cover.


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## tmhremodel (Aug 20, 2009)

you can leave the outlets, and on the larger one, simply cut the hole so it's square and screw in a piece of new drywall,(double layer if need be).. be careful and measure the existing drywall as it could be 1/2 inch on bottom and 1/4 inch on top... I've seen people do that when they dont want to float out whole rooms when the texture is real thick etc. then use some mesh tape over it all and float the area with hot-mud, not premixed box mud, as the box mud has a bad habit of shrinking real bad.. easy as pie 20 minute fix... the other one (smaller) simply layer mesh tape next to the box and float over with hot-mud and there you go..


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