How To Repair A Sizeable Hole In A Wall

How to repair a hole in drywall no matter how large information technology is

A hand using a putty knife to apply spackle to a yellow wall — Small holes are piece of cake to fill, but larger ones will demand a few more materials.

Small holes are quick and easy to prepare with joint compound and a putty knife.
Medium and large holes are more extensive and also crave a slice of drywall to use equally a patch.
Both the prep and awarding processes are essential to achieving success.
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A pigsty in the wall is unsightly and could be a point of entry or resting place for critters y'all don't want in your domicile. You should repair the hole as soon as possible, but according to Dennis McGee, owner of Mr. Handyman in Leesburg, FL, this type of repair can be tricky.

All the same, if you lot're pretty handy, this is a project y'all should exist able to tackle yourself with some care and patience. And if you become the DIY route, he says the steps to repair the hole volition depend on how big it is.

Tips and tricks for drywall patching

Regardless of the size of the pigsty, there are some steps you should accept to ensure your repair is virtually undetectable one time it'due south finished.

Lucifer the paint. David Steckel, a home expert at Thumbtack, says that paint shouldn't exist an afterthought. "If yous don't accept the correct pigment, you might be painting the entire wall from one corner to the other to ensure your repair doesn't stand out," he says. "So I recommend ensuring you lot take the exact paint before fixing the pigsty."
Don't forget the texture. If the area is textured, you'll also need to apply that texture and so the repair blends in. McGee says "orange pare" and "knockdown" are common types of textures. You can purchase drywall texture spray cans and apply them like spray paint.
Primer makes a difference. Earlier you paint, McGee recommends applying a primer to that expanse to seal the new drywall and joint compound. "The joint compound and new drywall volition react differently to the finished paint if it is not sealed, and the repair will exist obvious," McGee explains. But if you seal it before applying the terminate paint, he says the repair volition be undetectable.
Keep things clean. Likewise be proactive as it relates to messes. "Fixing a wall, even a small repair, more oftentimes than non will create a mess, so movement annihilation that you don't desire grit or plaster on out of the way," says Steckel.
Prep your tools in advance. "Get all of your tools prepare so that yous don't accept to look for them after you've mixed your plaster — because it volition dry out out," says Steckel.
Prep the expanse y'all're patching, too. Regardless of the hole'southward size, he says you'll need to do some prep work. "You can prep the wall to receive the repair by scraping a clean putty knife across the damaged expanse to remove any loose debris or chipping paint - and then wipe away the dust with your dry out cloth."

What y'all need

How to patch large holes

Clear away any debris and cutting the hole into a rectangle for easier repair.

When information technology comes to big holes, calling in a professional can help you avert errors that may crave fixing the hole again in the time to come. "Particularly with big holes, because new drywall volition likely need to exist installed, you could end up with an uneven or patchy wall," says Steckel. "Plastering is an art and doing it right is not like shooting fish in a barrel. It can be incredibly frustrating and messy, and if at that place are any imperfections, once you lot pigment, there is no other choice than to do it over again."

Still, if you decide to patch a big hole yourself, Steckel provides ii options.

Option ane: Chicago patch

This is the more complicated method but will yield the virtually seamless-looking results.

1. Square off the hole. If the hole is irregularly shaped, employ a small saw bract or razor knife to transform it into a square. Remove any drywall debris or chipped paint and sand the area smoothen.

2. Caryatid the hole. Place a piece of wood through the hole and attach it on both sides beyond the opening using drywall screws. It should exist long enough to extend at least one inch past the edge of the hole on either side.

three. Gear up the drywall patch. Have a slice of drywall well-nigh twice the size of the hole. Line it upward to the squared-off pigsty and utilise your sharp utility knife to trace the back of the drywall along the elevation and bottom edges of the hole. Carefully cutting the lines deeper. Do non cut through the front paper. Snap off and peel away the excess drywall while leaving the front end paper intact. Echo, this fourth dimension tracing the right and left sides of the hole. You should at present have a slice of drywall that matches the pigsty completely with the front paper still attached.

iv. Apply the patch. Put a generous coat of drywall compound on the wall surrounding the hole. Put a generous coat of chemical compound on the inside paper portion of your custom piece. Press the patch into the hole, and use your biggest putty knife to flatten the paper to the wall. Permit the putty to dry (it volition have near an hour).

five. Apply a second coat of compound. This time, add together a thinner coat of drywall compound, taking intendance to spread it an inch or two past the original awarding. Then, smooth the edges until the compound is flush with the wall. Allow this glaze dry. If the patch still isn't smooth, utilize a third coat (skim coat) and feather the bumps out to brand the edges as affluent every bit possible.

6. Lightly sand, prime number, and paint. Sand the expanse, wipe with a clammy cloth, let it dry, then prime and paint. If your paint includes primer, you lot tin skip the priming step.

Option 2: Regular patch

1. Square off the hole. If it is circular or irregular in shape, apply a razor knife or small saw blade to make the pigsty foursquare. Clear any chipped paint or debris and sand shine.

two. Brace the pigsty. Insert a piece of woods into the hole and screw it in on the left and the right. Information technology should be long plenty to extend at least i inch past the edge of the hole on either side.

iii. Ready the drywall patch. Cut a slice of drywall (all the manner through the paper) so that it fills the hole, leaving less than a ½-inch gap all the style effectually.

4. Secure the patch. Using drywall screws, adhere the patch to the wood brace behind it.

5. Apply mesh tape. Identify the mesh tape over the gap (extend a inch or two by the pigsty) and use your knife to flatten it and make certain information technology is adhering.

vi. Apply the patch. Put a very generous first glaze of mud forth the gaps. Go a few inches further on either side of the tape, Flatten the drywall mud and let information technology to dry (it will take about an hour).

7. Utilize a second application. Add a thinner coat of drywall mud, extending information technology an inch or two past the previous application. Smooth the edges until the compound is affluent with the wall. Let the coat dry. If the patch isn't smooth, apply a third (skim) coat and plume the bumps out to make the edges as flush as possible.

viii. Lightly sand, prime number, and paint. Sand the expanse, wipe with a damp fabric, let dry, so prime and paint. Skip the priming pace if your paint includes primer.

Insider's takeaway

The steps to repairing a hole in the wall will depend on the hole'southward size. A pocket-size hole needs to exist cleaned and sanded before applying drywall chemical compound. Mid-size and large holes will require a wooden brace, a drywall patch, drywall mesh tape, and drywall compound.

When she'due south non writing about business trends for The Economist, or legal trends for the American Bar Association Journal, Terri spends her time covering trends in buying and selling homes, mortgages, domicile improvement, and home products. She has bylines at Realtor.com, Bob Vila, Apartment Therapy, The Spruce, Real Unproblematic, Existent Homes, Yahoo, The Daily Beast, Investopedia — and several other companies that you've probably heard of.