How To Repair Holes in Drywall : ChiTownPost.com

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How To Repair Holes in Drywall

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There are basically three sizes of holes in drywall. Small and medium sized holes can be repaired using only drywall mud. Larger holes should be patched with a piece of drywall. You get small holes up to about 1 – 2 inches in diameter if you miss a nail and the hammer punches a hole in the wall. Medium sized holes are about usually 3-5 inches.

Both can be patched by building them up with the patching compound. Put some mud at the bottom of the hole, let it dry, then add another layer until the hole is filled. You can also add coats of mud, 1/4 inch at a time, until the surface of the patch is even with the wall.

Small pieces of net can be stuffed into small holes or placed on top of them to provide backing for the repair. Get them at hardware or home improvement stores or buy cheap construction material and tools here..

To repair a large hole in the drywall, you need a utility knife, a board that’s 6 inches longer than the length or width of the hole, a piece of drywall the size of the hole, patching compound, drywall tape, screws, and a screwdriver. (This only works if no studs or joists are exposed.)

Here’s what to do to fix a 6-inch big hole in drywall:

Trim the rough edges of the hole so that all loose drywall paper and pieces of gypsum are removed. You’ll probably enlarge the hole to get smooth edges, but that’s okay. And it doesn’t matter what shape the hole is; however, it’s easier to tape if the hole is square.
Using your precut board, hold onto it in the center and put it into the hole so that each end overlaps the sides of the hole equally.
Screw through the drywall to one end of the board. Make sure the board pulls up tight to the back of the wall.
Fasten the other end to the drywall. Now you can let go of the center.
It’s not necessary to fill the hole with boards; one across the center is enough.
Insert a screw into the center of the patch; this is your handle.
Fit the piece of drywall into the hole, screw it to the board, and then remove the screw used for a handle.
Use mud on the seams.
Press drywall tape over the seams that are covered with mud and smooth it with a putty knife.
Put more compound on top of the tape.
Smooth it with a putty knife or trowel, feathering out the edges on the adjoining drywall.
After the compound dries, sand, prime, and paint the repair.