Drywall Repair: How to Fix and Patch Drywall

It's easier than you lot might think to practise your own drywall repair. We'll prove you how to fix drywall and other damaged walls.

Time

A full 24-hour interval

Complication

Beginner

Cost

Less than $20

Introduction

Fix damaged drywall with these DIY repairs you can do. Don't melt down if a doorknob, misguided chair or an impromptu hockey game knocks a big hole in your drywall. With a fiddling patience, a little joint compound and a few dabs of paint fifty-fifty a novice tin can consummate a near invisible wall repair.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Drywall
  • Drywall screws
  • Drywall tape
  • Joint compound

How to patch a large hole in drywall: Overview

Measure out the thickness of the drywall (nearly likely 1/2 in.), and await for a big enough scrap from a damaged piece at a home center equally you lot see how to fix a hole in drywall, rather than buy a full 4 ten 8-ft. sheet. Cut it to size and screw it into place, spacing the screws every half dozen in. Taping the edges of the patch drywall to make it invisible is the trickiest part of the how to prepare drywall job. Purchase a gallon tub of drywall chemical compound and a roll of paper tape. You can employ mesh tape, only it isn't as strong. If you have a lot of repairs, also buy a sack of 20-infinitesimal setting compound. It hardens quickly and doesn't shrink, so it'due south platonic for filling cracks and gaps before applying the articulation tape. For smoothest results, likewise pick up flexible 6- and 10-in. taping knives.

Employ a coat of compound and record to each joint. Thin the chemical compound a bit with water to help embed the tape. Smooth the record with the 6-in. pocketknife, pulling out from the heart toward each terminate. Squeeze some, but not all, of the compound out from under the tape so you don't create a big hump on the wall. Immediately utilise a low-cal coating to the topside of the record, tapering it out onto the wall.

The second and third coats are to alloy and smooth the taped joints so they'll be invisible when painted. After each coat is dry, ready a straightedge against the wall to check for obvious dips and bumps. Knock off bumps and ridges with your taping knife. Add more than coats as needed. And then sand, prime number and paint. The following will walk you through more important tips and steps for how to fix a hole in the wall.

Projection step-by-step (12)

Step 1

How to repair a large hole in drywall: Check for wires

how to fix drywall

Before cutting out the damaged area of this how to fix drywall project, cheque the wall for obstructions. Oftentimes you'll detect a wire, pipage or duct. If so, piece of work advisedly around them with a drywall or keyhole saw. Or make a shallow cut by repeatedly scoring the line with a precipitous utility knife to brainstorm a hole patch. It'south easier to add backer board than to endeavor to cut the drywall over studs every bit y'all acquire how to fix drywall. Then cut out the section with a drywall saw or utility knife.

Replacing drywall section tip:

When learning how to set a hole in the wall, leave a few inches of drywall at corners and then you lot won't have to spread taping compound onto adjacent walls or ceilings and repaint them too! Attempt to avoid common drywall installation mistakes.

Step 2

How to patch a hole: Insert capitalist boards

how to fix drywall

Cutting the backer boards about 4 in. longer than the height of the hole. Pino or other soft forest works well. Hold them tight to the behind of the drywall when fastening them. Concur the boards carefully then the screw points won't prick your fingers if they pop out the behind. The drywall screws will draw the boards in tight. Sink the screwheads slightly beneath the drywall surface.

Step 3

Tape the joints

how to fix drywall

Lay a 1/8-in.-thick bed of patch drywall compound over the joints and press paper tape into the compound with a flexible six-in. knife. Immediately utilise a thin layer of compound on top of the tape. Allow to dry out as you lot work your fashion through this how to patch drywall project.

Step 4

Apply a second and third coat

how to fix drywall

Apply a second glaze of chemical compound, cartoon it at to the lowest degree 6 in. beyond the edge of the offset glaze to taper the edges of the repair. Allow dry, then add a 3rd glaze to smoothen any remaining uneven areas.

Step 5

Sand the dry compound

how to fix drywall

The final steps in how to fix a hole in the wall are to sand the dry compound lightly with 100-grit sandpaper to remove ridges and alloy edges. Prime and paint.

Stride 6

How to fix a hole in the wall: Small Holes

Small holes caused by screws or hooks, wall fasteners or drywall fasteners that pop upwardly are uncomplicated to repair, only again time consuming because you well-nigh always accept to repaint the walls. Nail pops are common and particularly irritating, because you lot're likely to have more than 1. Simply drywall screws sometimes pop up too, as a result of clammy framing that dries out and shrinks during the first year or two in new construction.

The first step of how to patch a small hole in the wall is to drive nails back down using a nail prepare. If yous accept screws, dig the drywall compound from their heads with a utility knife and turn them in tight with a screwdriver.

And so dimple the hole slightly concave with a hammer to indent any raised edges. Merely accept care non to crush the drywall cadre. In addition, cut away any paper tears with a abrupt utility knife. This is a good technique to use with old wall fasteners as well. It's usually easier to tap them into the wall slightly rather than pull them out.

Two coats of drywall compound, applied with ii swipes of the pocketknife in a "+" pattern, should fill the holes. The first coat will shrink a fleck, leaving a slightly smaller dent to exist filled by the second glaze. Scrape the excess off the surrounding wall so yous don't build upwardly a hump. Sand lightly to blend with the surrounding wall. Exist sure to prime the spot. Otherwise the topcoat will absorb into the patch and make the expanse look unlike from the surrounding paint. And apply a roller when priming to help raise the surface texture to match the surrounding wall.

How to set up a hole in the wall fast: 20-Infinitesimal Setting Compound

Twenty-infinitesimal setting compound is a bang-up product for filling deep holes and gaps and for your kickoff taping coat considering, unlike regular articulation compound, information technology hardens apace without shrinking. That means less time spent filling. And you lot can apply a second glaze of compound as soon equally the offset hardens. You lot don't have to wait for it to dry completely equally you complete a how to fix drywall project.

For most uses, buy the lightweight type. It comes as a powder in sacks. Mix only what you lot tin can use in about 10 minutes. It hardens quickly, oft in your pan if you're besides slow! Completely clean your pan and knife earlier mixing a new batch in your how to fix drywall job. Otherwise it'll harden even faster! To avert clogging the sink drain, throw leftover compound into the trash.

Drive a popped nail below the surface

how to fix drywall

Drive a popped nail below the surface of the drywall with a hammer and a blast set. Cut abroad loose joint chemical compound and newspaper shreds.

Step 7

Drive in drywall screws

how to fix drywall

Drive drywall screws about 1-1/ii in. above and below the popped nail. Sink the screwhead merely below the surface of the drywall.

Footstep 8

Fill the holes

how to fix drywall

Fill up the holes with articulation chemical compound, swiping first across the holes, and so downwardly. Let dry, utilise a second coat, and then sand, prime number and paint.

Pace ix

Cracked corners sheetrock repair

Every home settles unevenly as information technology ages. This sometimes causes inside corners to cleft or ripple. Often the fissure will run from flooring to ceiling. Once yous spot this problem, watch it for two to three months for connected movement and prepare it subsequently all movement stops.

The key to renewing the strength of the corner is to remove all loose record and drywall compound. If the drywall beneath has crumbled, cut it away with your utility knife and make full the gap with setting compound.

Retape the articulation following the techniques shown in below of this how to set up drywall article. Crease the newspaper record down the middle so it fits into the corner easily. It'due south difficult to spread compound smoothly on 1 side of the corner without marring the other side. The play tricks is to use compound for the 2nd and third coats only on one side at a time. Let the one side dry, then do the other side.

Finally, buy a fine-grit sanding sponge to smooth the corners. It'll practice a nice chore without gouging.

Cut through the tape

how to fix drywall

Cut through the tape at the ends of the cracked expanse and slice, scrape and tear away all loose record and compound.

Step 10

Apply articulation compound

how to fix drywall

Employ a 1/8-in. layer of joint compound, then fold and printing paper tape into it. Stroke the length of the tape, squeezing chemical compound out on both sides. Permit dry out.

Step 11

Apply 2d and third coats

how to fix drywall

Utilize 2d and tertiary coats to smooth the joint, tapering the chemical compound almost 6 in. out. Permit one side dry before applying compound to the other side.