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Drywall dried after leak

5500 Views 4 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  bjbatlanta
A small leak in my shower fixture resulted in wet drywall just above my stall shower. The leak is repaired. Some of the paint (about a square inch) has peeled away. The drywall has fully dried. Do I need to cut it out and replace it, or can I just apply compound and paint over?

In general, if water leaks through drywall, is it safe to let it dry, or do I need to replace the affected drywall?

thanks in advance for any help.
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FWIW, I would not want drywall in such proximity to a moist environment, at all. I think code most everywhere requires at a minimum, green board, though that's still not entirely water resistant. Mold is such a problem, I'd want to just do it right. I'd even go beyond green board, personally. Admittedly, I'm a little new to all this, but what I do know is pretty easily thrown out as the fact that the potential damages of mold and water permeation are far greater than the cost and hassle of changing out ill-placed drywall whenever possible.
Just patch that little spot ---prime and paint. You will be fine.---Mike---
It sounds like you had a small leak in the area of the shower head. If the leak is fixed and the drywall has dried completely, you should be fine. If it is a painted surface, there are likely water stains. I've had good luck covering water stains with one of the Kilz (spelling?) primers. I have repaired several water stains on my ceilings due to roof leaks. The roof has been replaced, the drywall is fine and there is no sign of mold. Mold has to have constant moisture to thrive.

I agree that you do not want to use drywall in moist locations. My house is about 25 years old and has the water-resistant green board under the shower tiles, which was standard at the time. When I remodel these bathrooms in the future and replace the tile, I'll remove the old green board and use one of the newer cement or fiberglass boards.

David
Just patch the area....
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