Drywall Repair: How to Ready and Patch Drywall

It's easier than y'all might call back to do your ain drywall repair. We'll prove yous how to fix drywall and other damaged walls.

Fourth dimension

A full day

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 little patience, a niggling joint chemical compound and a few dabs of pigment even a novice tin can consummate a well-nigh invisible wall repair.

Tools Required

Materials Required

  • Drywall
  • Drywall screws
  • Drywall tape
  • Joint chemical compound

How to patch a large hole in drywall: Overview

Measure the thickness of the drywall (most likely 1/2 in.), and look for a large plenty scrap from a damaged slice at a home center as you see how to gear up a hole in drywall, rather than buy a full 4 x 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 go far invisible is the trickiest office of the how to fix drywall chore. Buy a gallon tub of drywall compound and a scroll of paper tape. You can use mesh tape, but it isn't equally strong. If y'all have a lot of repairs, also purchase a sack of 20-infinitesimal setting chemical compound. It hardens quickly and doesn't shrink, so it's ideal for filling cracks and gaps before applying the joint tape. For smoothest results, likewise pick up flexible half-dozen- and ten-in. taping knives.

Apply a coat of chemical compound and tape to each joint. Sparse the compound a flake with water to help embed the record. Smooth the tape with the vi-in. pocketknife, pulling out from the center toward each finish. Squeeze some, only not all, of the compound out from under the tape then you don't create a big hump on the wall. Immediately apply a light coating to the topside of the record, tapering it out onto the wall.

The second and third coats are to blend and smooth the taped joints so they'll be invisible when painted. Afterwards each coat is dry, set a straightedge confronting the wall to bank check for obvious dips and bumps. Knock off bumps and ridges with your taping knife. Add more coats as needed. So sand, prime and pigment. The post-obit will walk you through more important tips and steps for how to fix a hole in the wall.

Project step-past-step (12)

Step i

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

how to fix drywall

Before cut out the damaged area of this how to fix drywall project, check the wall for obstructions. Often you'll find a wire, pipe or duct. If so, piece of work advisedly around them with a drywall or keyhole saw. Or make a shallow cutting by repeatedly scoring the line with a precipitous utility knife to brainstorm a hole patch. It'south easier to add backer board than to try to cut the drywall over studs as you learn how to ready drywall. And then cut out the section with a drywall saw or utility pocketknife.

Replacing drywall section tip:

When learning how to set a pigsty in the wall, leave a few inches of drywall at corners and then you won't have to spread taping compound onto next walls or ceilings and repaint them besides! Effort to avert common drywall installation mistakes.

Step 2

How to patch a pigsty: Insert backer boards

how to fix drywall

Cut the capitalist boards virtually 4 in. longer than the height of the hole. Pino or other soft wood works well. Concord them tight to the backside of the drywall when fastening them. Hold the boards carefully so the screw points won't prick your fingers if they pop out the backside. The drywall screws will draw the boards in tight. Sink the screwheads slightly below the drywall surface.

Step 3

Record the joints

how to fix drywall

Lay a 1/8-in.-thick bed of patch drywall compound over the joints and press newspaper tape into the compound with a flexible 6-in. pocketknife. Immediately apply a thin layer of compound on top of the tape. Allow to dry equally you work your style through this how to patch drywall project.

Stride 4

Apply a second and third glaze

how to fix drywall

Apply a second glaze of compound, drawing it at least 6 in. beyond the edge of the first coat to taper the edges of the repair. Let dry, and then add a 3rd coat to smooth whatsoever remaining uneven areas.

Stride 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 alloy edges. Prime and pigment.

Step 6

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

Small holes caused by screws or hooks, wall fasteners or drywall fasteners that pop upwardly are simple to repair, but once more time consuming because you virtually always have to repaint the walls. Nail pops are common and particularly irritating, because you're likely to take more than one. But drywall screws sometimes pop upwardly as well, equally a upshot of damp framing that dries out and shrinks during the beginning year or two in new construction.

The showtime step of how to patch a small-scale hole in the wall is to drive nails dorsum down using a nail set up. If you have screws, dig the drywall compound from their heads with a utility knife and plow them in tight with a screwdriver.

Then dimple the hole slightly concave with a hammer to indent any raised edges. Merely take care not to vanquish the drywall core. In addition, cut abroad any paper tears with a abrupt utility pocketknife. This is a skillful technique to use with one-time wall fasteners every bit well. Information technology's usually easier to tap them into the wall slightly rather than pull them out.

2 coats of drywall chemical compound, applied with two swipes of the pocketknife in a "+" pattern, should fill the holes. The start coat will shrink a scrap, leaving a slightly smaller dent to be filled by the second coat. Scrape the backlog off the surrounding wall so you lot don't build up a hump. Sand lightly to blend with the surrounding wall. Be sure to prime the spot. Otherwise the topcoat will absorb into the patch and make the expanse look dissimilar from the surrounding paint. And apply a roller when priming to help raise the surface texture to match the surrounding wall.

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

Twenty-minute setting compound is a cracking product for filling deep holes and gaps and for your first taping coat because, unlike regular joint compound, it hardens apace without shrinking. That means less time spent filling. And you can apply a 2nd coat of compound as soon as the showtime hardens. Yous don't have to expect for it to dry out completely as you complete a how to fix drywall project.

For most uses, buy the lightweight type. It comes every bit a powder in sacks. Mix only what you tin can apply in about x minutes. Information technology hardens quickly, often in your pan if you're too slow! Completely clean your pan and knife before mixing a new batch in your how to set up drywall job. Otherwise information technology'll harden even faster! To avoid clogging the sink drain, throw leftover compound into the trash.

Drive a popped smash below the surface

how to fix drywall

Drive a popped smash beneath the surface of the drywall with a hammer and a blast fix. Cutting away loose joint compound and newspaper shreds.

Pace vii

Drive in drywall screws

how to fix drywall

Drive drywall screws near one-1/2 in. to a higher place and below the popped blast. Sink the screwhead just below the surface of the drywall.

Step 8

Fill the holes

how to fix drywall

Fill the holes with joint chemical compound, swiping first across the holes, then down. Let dry, employ a 2d coat, then sand, prime number and paint.

Pace 9

Cracked corners sheetrock repair

Every home settles unevenly as it ages. This sometimes causes within corners to crevice or ripple. Frequently the scissure will run from flooring to ceiling. Once you spot this problem, watch it for two to iii months for continued movement and fix it later on all movement stops.

The cardinal to renewing the force of the corner is to remove all loose tape and drywall compound. If the drywall below has crumbled, cut it away with your utility pocketknife and fill the gap with setting compound.

Retape the articulation following the techniques shown in below of this how to fix drywall commodity. Crease the paper tape down the center so information technology fits into the corner easily. It's difficult to spread compound smoothly on i side of the corner without marring the other side. The play a trick on is to apply compound for the second and third coats only on one side at a fourth dimension. Permit the one side dry, and then do the other side.

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

Cutting through the record

how to fix drywall

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

Step 10

Use joint chemical compound

how to fix drywall

Utilize a i/8-in. layer of articulation compound, then fold and press paper record into it. Stroke the length of the tape, squeezing chemical compound out on both sides. Let dry.

Pace xi

Apply 2nd and third coats

how to fix drywall

Apply second and third coats to smooth the joint, tapering the compound about half-dozen in. out. Let i side dry earlier applying compound to the other side.

Originally Published: Feb xx, 2022