Drywall Repair: How to Fix and Patch Drywall

It's easier than you might think to exercise your own drywall repair. Nosotros'll show you how to set drywall and other damaged walls.

Time

A full twenty-four hour period

Complexity

Beginner

Cost

Less than $xx

Introduction

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

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Drywall
  • Drywall screws
  • Drywall tape
  • Joint compound

How to patch a large hole in drywall: Overview

Measure the thickness of the drywall (most likely i/2 in.), and wait for a large enough scrap from a damaged piece at a habitation center as you meet how to fix a pigsty in drywall, rather than purchase a full 4 x 8-ft. sheet. Cut it to size and spiral it into place, spacing the screws every half-dozen in. Taping the edges of the patch drywall to arrive invisible is the trickiest function of the how to ready drywall job. Buy a gallon tub of drywall compound and a scroll of newspaper record. Yous tin utilise mesh record, only it isn't as strong. If you lot accept a lot of repairs, also buy a sack of 20-minute setting compound. Information technology hardens quickly and doesn't shrink, so information technology's ideal for filling cracks and gaps before applying the articulation tape. For smoothest results, also selection upward flexible 6- and 10-in. taping knives.

Use a coat of compound and tape to each articulation. Thin the compound a bit with h2o to assist embed the tape. Smooth the tape with the half-dozen-in. knife, pulling out from the center toward each end. Clasp some, but not all, of the compound out from under the tape so you don't create a big hump on the wall. Immediately apply a light blanket to the topside of the record, tapering it out onto the wall.

The second and 3rd coats are to blend and shine the taped joints so they'll exist invisible when painted. Afterwards each glaze is dry, prepare a straightedge against the wall to cheque for obvious dips and bumps. Knock off bumps and ridges with your taping pocketknife. Add more coats equally needed. Then sand, prime and paint. The following will walk you through more important tips and steps for how to fix a hole in the wall.

Project step-by-pace (12)

Step 1

How to repair a big hole in drywall: Cheque for wires

how to fix drywall

Before cutting out the damaged area of this how to fix drywall project, check the wall for obstructions. Often you'll detect a wire, piping or duct. If then, work advisedly around them with a drywall or keyhole saw. Or make a shallow cut by repeatedly scoring the line with a abrupt utility knife to brainstorm a pigsty patch. It'south easier to add together backer board than to effort to cut the drywall over studs every bit you learn how to fix drywall. Then cutting out the department with a drywall saw or utility knife.

Replacing drywall section tip:

When learning how to prepare a pigsty in the wall, leave a few inches of drywall at corners so y'all won't take to spread taping compound onto adjacent walls or ceilings and repaint them as well! Try to avoid mutual drywall installation mistakes.

Step 2

How to patch a pigsty: Insert backer boards

how to fix drywall

Cutting the backer boards about iv in. longer than the height of the hole. Pino or other soft wood works well. Concord them tight to the behind of the drywall when fastening them. Hold the boards carefully so the screw points won't prick your fingers if they pop out the behind. The drywall screws volition 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 6-in. knife. Immediately apply a thin layer of compound on top of the record. Allow to dry every bit yous work your fashion through this how to patch drywall projection.

Stride 4

Apply a second and third coat

how to fix drywall

Utilize a second coat of compound, drawing it at to the lowest degree half-dozen in. across the edge of the first coat to taper the edges of the repair. Permit dry out, then add a tertiary coat to smooth any remaining uneven areas.

Pace v

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 blend edges. Prime and paint.

Step 6

How to fix a hole in the wall: Pocket-size Holes

Pocket-sized holes acquired by screws or hooks, wall fasteners or drywall fasteners that pop upwards are elementary to repair, simply again time consuming because you nearly e'er have to repaint the walls. Nail pops are mutual and particularly irritating, because y'all're likely to have more than 1. But drywall screws sometimes popular upwards likewise, equally a outcome of damp framing that dries out and shrinks during the first year or two in new construction.

The first step of how to patch a pocket-sized pigsty in the wall is to drive nails dorsum down using a nail set. If you have screws, dig the drywall compound from their heads with a utility pocketknife and turn them in tight with a screwdriver.

Then dimple the hole slightly concave with a hammer to indent whatsoever raised edges. But take care not to beat out the drywall core. In addition, cut away any paper tears with a abrupt utility knife. This is a good technique to utilise with old wall fasteners too. It's usually easier to tap them into the wall slightly rather than pull them out.

Two coats of drywall compound, applied with two swipes of the knife in a "+" pattern, should make full the holes. The showtime coat will shrink a flake, leaving a slightly smaller dent to be filled past the second coat. Scrape the excess off the surrounding wall so y'all don't build upward a hump. Sand lightly to blend with the surrounding wall. Exist sure to prime the spot. Otherwise the topcoat will blot into the patch and make the surface area look different from the surrounding paint. And use a roller when priming to help raise the surface texture to match the surrounding wall.

How to fix a hole in the wall fast: 20-Minute Setting Compound

Twenty-infinitesimal setting chemical compound is a neat product for filling deep holes and gaps and for your first taping coat because, dissimilar regular joint compound, it hardens quickly without shrinking. That means less time spent filling. And you tin can apply a second coat of chemical compound every bit soon as the starting time hardens. You don't have to wait for it to dry out completely as you complete a how to prepare drywall project.

For well-nigh uses, buy the lightweight type. It comes as a pulverization in sacks. Mix only what y'all tin can use in about ten minutes. It hardens quickly, often in your pan if you're too ho-hum! Completely make clean your pan and knife before mixing a new batch in your how to fix drywall job. Otherwise it'll harden even faster! To avoid clogging the sink drain, throw leftover compound into the trash.

Drive a popped nail beneath the surface

how to fix drywall

Drive a popped blast below the surface of the drywall with a hammer and a blast fix. Cut away loose joint compound and paper shreds.

Step 7

Drive in drywall screws

how to fix drywall

Drive drywall screws almost 1-1/2 in. above and below the popped nail. Sink the screwhead only below the surface of the drywall.

Step viii

Fill the holes

how to fix drywall

Fill the holes with articulation compound, swiping first beyond the holes, then down. Let dry, apply a 2d coat, and so sand, prime and paint.

Step 9

Cracked corners sheetrock repair

Every home settles unevenly as information technology ages. This sometimes causes inside corners to crack or ripple. Often the crack volition run from floor to ceiling. One time yous spot this problem, sentry information technology for two to iii months for continued motion and fix information technology afterwards all movement stops.

The fundamental to renewing the strength of the corner is to remove all loose tape and drywall compound. If the drywall below has crumbled, cutting it abroad with your utility pocketknife and fill up the gap with setting compound.

Retape the articulation following the techniques shown in below of this how to set drywall article. Crease the newspaper tape down the middle so it fits into the corner easily. Information technology's hard to spread compound smoothly on i side of the corner without marring the other side. The play tricks is to apply compound for the second and 3rd coats just on one side at a time. Permit the i side dry, then do the other side.

Finally, buy a fine-grit sanding sponge to smoothen the corners. It'll do a nice task without gouging.

Cut through the tape

how to fix drywall

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

Step 10

Apply joint chemical compound

how to fix drywall

Apply a 1/eight-in. layer of articulation compound, so fold and press newspaper tape into information technology. Stroke the length of the record, squeezing chemical compound out on both sides. Let dry.

Stride 11

Employ second and third coats

how to fix drywall

Apply 2d and third coats to shine the joint, tapering the compound about 6 in. out. Let ane side dry out earlier applying compound to the other side.