How to Repair Drywall in One Room

Repairing a Small Hole in a Wall

• 1

  Smooth down ragged edges surrounding a small drywall hole with a sharp utility knife and sandpaper.

• 2

  Cut a strip of adhesive fiberglass mesh tape long enough to overlap the hole by about an inch on either side. Place the tape over the hole and press the edges against the wall.

• 3

  Scoop a small amount of all-purpose drywall compound onto the tip of a 4-inch drywall knife. Place the front edge of the knife against the tape while holding the handle at a shallow angle. Move the knife across the tape and apply enough pressure to smooth a thin layer across the repair while pressing compound through the mesh tape and into the hole. Go over the patch two or three times with the front edge of the knife to smooth the compound down as flat as possible. Allow 15 minutes for the compound to dry.

• 4

  Sand the surface down with a piece of sandpaper wrapped around a sanding block; brush off loose dust with a dry rag. Apply a second coat of compound covering a wider area. Wipe the drywall knife over the outside of the patch to feather the edges in. Allow another 15 minutes for the second coat to dry.

• 5

  Sand the surface smooth with sandpaper and a sanding block. Wipe off surface dust with a dry rag and paint the repair to match the surrounding wall.

Replacing a Damaged Section of Drywall

• 6

  Wipe an electronic stud finder across the wall on both sides of the hole. The instrument will beep when it reaches the edge of a hidden stud. Mark the midpoint of the two studs on either side of the hole with a pencil.

• 7

  Measure and mark a point 3 or 4 inches above and below the hole with a measuring tape and pencil. Place a long spirit level horizontally across the marks, center the bubble and draw lines across the wall between the two adjacent studs. Repeat by drawing vertical lines through the center of each stud to form a square.

• 8

  Place the edge of the spirit level across the top line to act as a guide. Score the drywall repeatedly with the tip of the utility knife until you cut through the drywall. Repeat on the three other lines and lift out the damaged square. This will expose half the width of the two adjacent studs. Use the utility knife to clean up the cut edges.

• 9

  Lay a new drywall panel on the floor. Mark a line across the panel the same width as the square you just removed. Fit a new blade into the utility knife. Place the edge of the spirit level on the line and cut through the surface paper lining the drywall. Invert the panel. Lift one end and push sharply downward next to the cut line with the heel of your hand. The drywall will snap cleanly in two across the cut line. Repeat by measuring and cutting the piece of drywall to form a patch the same size as the square cutout.

• 10

  Insert the newly cut square into the hole. Press the edges down on all four sides until the patch is level with the surrounding surface. Insert three equally spaced drywall screws into the studs on either side with a cordless drill/driver. Run a sanding block over the joints to smooth off any ragged edges.

• 11

  Wipe a thin layer of all-purpose drywall compound over the joints and drywall screws and feather the edges in. Apply another thin layer of compound and place strips of drywall paper tape to the surface to cover the joints evenly on each side. Press the tape onto the compound by wiping the tip of a 4-inch drywall knife firmly across the surface.

• 12

  Load the drywall knife with small amount of compound. Hold the handle at a shallow angle and apply a thin layer of compound over the joints by pressing inward and wiping the knife across the tape. Repeat a few times to smooth down the surface as much as possible. Feather the edges in and allow 15 minutes for the compound to dry.

• 13

  Sand the joints smooth and level with the surrounding surface with sandpaper wrapped around a sanding block. Apply a second, wider strip of compound over the joints with a 6-inch drywall knife. Smooth down the surface and feather the edges in with the tip of the knife. Allow another 15 minutes for the second layer to dry. Sand the surface flat with a new strip of fine sandpaper wrapped around the sanding block.

• 14

  Mix a little water into a small amount of drywall compound to thin it down. Use an 8-inch drywall spatula to apply the final coat of compound over the patch until the surface is smooth and level. Allow 15 minutes drying time and sand the repair lightly with fine-grade sandpaper and a sanding block. By this time you will be unable to detect the joints between the patch and the surrounding drywall.

• 15

  Wipe off the surface dust with a dry rag and paint the patch to match the surrounding wall.