Holes are easy to make in drywall, but fortunately they’re just as easy to fix.
To fix a small hole, fill it with vinyl spackling compound, but first slightly dent the surface with a hammer to produce a void. Clean the hole and dampen it with a sponge. Apply the compound with a putty knife, drawing it smoothly over the dent, flush with the wall's surface.
For deeper or larger holes, repair kits are sold that usually include either simple metal clips that support a replacement piece or some sort of backerboard that inserts into the hole and suspends itself in place while you cover it with joint compound. Before applying the patch, you cut the hole in the wall to a rectangular shape that fits the patch, using a utility knife, saber saw, or jab saw.
The dried compound and the backerboard become part of the wall; the rest of the job is just smoothing over the damaged area and repainting to match the rest of the wall.
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Why we like it:
• Great price • Fast and easy way to support a replacement piece
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You can also make your own backerboard from a piece of scrap plywood or drywall. Thoroughly smear the backerboard with joint compound (this “glues” it to the inside wall face), and use a string to hold it in place while the compound dries. Then just cut the string off and use more compound to smooth out the repair, as detailed above.If the hole is deep, allow the patch to dry, sand lightly with 120-grit sandpaper, and reapply spackling compound. Sand very lightly and then touch up with paint to match.
If the hole is very large, it's often better to cut the drywall back to a stud on each side of the break. Use a screw gun to fasten a 2-by-4 nailer to the open face of each stud and then cut a new piece of drywall to fit the opening. Tape and compound all of the joints as you would in new drywall installation. (For more about repairing the surface, see How to Repair Drywall (Sheetrock).
