Plaster and Drywall Wall Repair in San Francisco
Minor wall repair is some of the most common handyman work in the city. Small cracks, nail holes, chipped corners and old anchor holes rarely need a contractor, but they do need someone who can make the repair disappear. The Handyman SF sends a local handyman to handle plaster wall repair and drywall repair across San Francisco and the Bay Area.
Minor wall repairs a handyman handles
- Hairline and settling cracks in plaster and drywall
- Nail, screw and anchor holes after you take down art, shelves or a TV
- Chipped or dented outside corners
- Small holes and dings in hallways and stairwells
- Loose tape along drywall seams
- Texture matching and primer so the wall is ready for paint
Lath and plaster versus drywall
Pre-1940 San Francisco buildings, including many Victorians, Edwardians and Marina-style flats, usually have lath-and-plaster walls. Rooms remodeled later often have drywall, and one apartment can have both. The difference matters: plaster cracks travel and reopen when they are only painted over, so a lasting repair usually opens the crack, bonds it and builds it back in layers. Drywall repairs use tape and joint compound.
Moisture also plays a part. Walls near the coast and on north-facing sides stay damp longer, which slows drying time and can cause paint to bubble over a patch that was not fully dry.
Preparing for a wall repair visit
- Mark every spot with painter's tape and take photos, close up and from across the room.
- Tell us the building's age if you know it.
- Move furniture away from the walls being repaired.
- If you want paint on the patches, have the paint name, color and sheen ready.
- Renters preparing for move-out should check the lease for what is expected.
When to call a specialist
A handyman is right for minor wall repair. Call a licensed contractor or engineer for cracks that keep growing, sloping floors with cracked walls, damage after an earthquake or plaster falling away in large sheets. Stains that return mean an active leak that needs a plumber or roofer first. Work that requires a permit, or costs $1,000 or more including labor and materials, is contractor work in California.
