Drywall patch kit

A preformed laminate structure for repairing and patching damaged areas of drywalls is adapted to be cemented thereto and comprises a backing member made from thin sheet material and sufficiently large to cover the area to be repaired and a facing member cemented to the backing member and also made of thin sheet material of the same shape but of less size than the size of the backing member.

DESCRIPTION 
1. Technical Field 
The invention relates to devices and methods for repair and patching 
damaged drywalls, sometimes referred to as Sheetrock walls. 
2. Background Art 
An extensive and useful background of prior art practices and devices for 
repairing and patching drywalls is given in applicant's prior U.S. Pat. 
No. 4,122,222. This patent teaches the practice of making up a preformed 
laminate structure for making drywall repairs. A tapered layer of 
rigidified plaster-like material is adhered to one side of a backing 
member. In one embodiment taught by the patent, the rigidified material is 
left exposed and in another embodiment is covered by a sheet of facing 
material. While this prefabricated patch construction is believed to have 
represented a significant advance in the art, experience has revealed 
certain practical disadvantages including the lack of flexibility when the 
patch is applied to an uneven surface. Also, the manufacturing procedure 
and cost have presented other disadvantages. Additionally, the average 
homeowner has not been provided with a complete kit for making repairs in 
a manner which the average homeowner is equipped to handle. 
With the above background in mind, the present invention has as an object 
providing an improved prefabricated patch for making minor repairs in 
drywall construction and also has as an object providing a kit having all 
the necessary materials for making such repairs. 
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
The invention provides an improved prefabricated patch for making minor 
repairs in drywall construction. Also, there is provided a kit with a 
container holding a range of sizes of the improved prefabricated patches, 
drywall joint compound, spreading tool, and a set of instructions. The 
patches are illustrated as being composed of pairs of circular-shaped 
pieces of drywall-type paper of different diameter with the smaller size 
diameter piece being centrally positioned and cemented on the larger 
diameter piece. In use, a patch appropriate to the size of the damaged 
area is selected, is cemented in place over the damaged area and then is 
covered by cement which is spread, smoothed and sanded by tools provided 
in the invention kit.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
Reference is first made to FIG. 1 which illustrates the drywall patch and 
repair kit 10 of the invention. Kit 10 is designed with the do-it-yourself 
home repairman in mind and is composed of a supply of sandpaper 9, an 
instruction sheet 11, a putty knife or compound spreader 12, a tube of 
joint compound 13, several of the improved invention patches 14, 15 and 16 
of various sizes and an appropriate container 17. 
Patch 14, by way of example, is illustrated as being round in shape though, 
as will be better understood from later description, such patch could be 
rectangular, octagonal or of any other shape suited to the repair being 
made. 
As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the prefabricated drywall patch 14, used for 
illustration, is comprised of two circular-shaped layers 20, 21 of drywall 
paper cemented together. Drywall paper is the preferred material for use 
in making patch 14 since conventional drywall paper is known to be 
durable, strong, thin and is adapted to be made pliable on the job simply 
by dipping the paper in water. This characteristic enables patch 14 to be 
applied to the surface in a somewhat limber form so as to accommodate to 
any irregularities in the surface. 
As illustrated in the drawings, it will be noted that diameter D1 of layer 
20 is somewhat larger than the hole or damaged area 24, illustrated in 
FIG. 4, and diameter D2 of layer 21 is even larger. Such an arrangement 
gives single thickness material around the outer edge for blending in with 
the wall and double thickness and therefore a stronger area of 
reinforcement over the damaged area 24 being repaired. 
In practice, joint compound from tube 13 is spread evenly by putty knife 12 
over the area 24 to be covered and patch 14 is placed in position over the 
spread compound. As the compound dries, patch 14 will become firmly 
adhered to the surface 25 of the drywall on which patch 14 is mounted. 
After patch 14 is secured to the surface 25 of the drywall, a layer of 
joint or other plaster-like drywall compound material is spread around the 
perimeter of patch 14 and is tapered onto the drywall. Only one layer of 
such finishing material has been found to be required to give an 
acceptable finish whereas normal practice has required building up and 
finishing plural layers of the finishing compound. 
After the finishing compound material dries, it is smoothed in the usual 
way, such as by using sandpaper 9 until the outer face portion of the 
patch blends smoothly into the surface 25 of the drywall. The patched area 
24 including any exposed surface of the preformed patch 14 may then be 
painted to complete the operation. Even though the center of the finished 
patch will be raised slightly above the drywall surface by the thickness 
of the top layer 20, this has been found to be hardly noticeable after the 
job has been finished and painted. 
Only a small amount of finishing compound is required to complete the 
patching operation. Thus, such compound can dry quickly. The finished 
patch 14 has been observed as providing a smooth, strong surface that will 
not easily crack even if it is struck. Normally, only a single sanding 
operation and final finishing operation is required which saves 
substantial time over prior art practices. 
In one example of the invention, patches 14, 15, 16 were made of 
conventional thin, durable and strong drywall paper of the type used to 
cover the outside surfaces of conventional drywall board and which can be 
made pliable by dipping in water. Patch 14 had a diameter D.sub.1 of about 
121/2 inches, a diameter D.sub.2 of 141/2 inches and a margin W of one 
inch. Patch 15 had the dimensions: D.sub.1 =eight inches; D.sub.2 =ten 
inches and W=one inch. Patch 16 had the dimensions: D.sub.1 =31/2 inches; 
D.sub.2 =5 inches; and W=3/4 inch. In all cases, the layers 20, 21 were 
cemented together with joint compound and satisfactory results were 
achieved.