How do I patch a hole in my drywall?: Ask Biiibo

The bad news is: you have a hole in your wall.

But the good news is, with a few tools and a bit of patience, you can repair it yourself at a low cost.

Unsure where to start? First, you need to identify the type of hole and the materials required to fix it.

Small hole 

If you are looking to patch a small hole in your drywall, such as that caused by a nail or screw, you only need a few products to repair it.

What you'll need:

• A putty knife

• Spackling or joint compound (also known as mudding)

• Sander

• Paint and paint supplies (roller, tray)

With a small hole, you will put a small amount of spackling or joint compound on your putty knife and spread it over the hole in different directions to make sure it is fully covered, but still fairly smooth (don't pack it on too thick). 

Then, you can put away those materials and wait for the mudding to dry. Once dried, use your sander to make sure the area you covered is smooth and flush with the drywall. After that, you can choose to paint over that area.

Medium-sized hole

If you have a hole that is somewhat larger, you may be able to repair it with a drywall patch. Drywall patches are mesh adhesives that usually come in 4" x 4", 6" x 6" and 8" x 8" squares.

What you'll need:

• A drywall patch

• A putty knife

• Spackling or joint compound

• Sander

• Paint and paint supplies (roller, tray)

With a medium-sized hole, you will stick the most appropriately-sized drywall patch onto the area. Then, with your putty and putty knife you will start to cover up the entire patch, working from the centre outwards. 

Once this is done, you will wait for it to dry, then sand it. 

You will likely have to repeat these steps a few times, until the patch looks smooth after you sand it. The mesh should not be noticeable by the time you are finished. 

Once that is complete, you can go ahead and paint. 

Large hole

For any holes larger than that, you are going to need a few more tools and materials to successfully repair it. 

What you'll need:

• A drywall knife

• A sheet of drywall

• Drywall tape

• 2x4 lumber

• Drywall screws 

• A drill

• A putty knife

• Spackling or joint compound

• Sander

• Paint and paint supplies (roller, tray)

The first thing you will want to do when patching a big hole is to make sure you have a piece of drywall that fits almost perfectly into the hole, like a puzzle piece.

To achieve this, you may have to use a drywall knife to further carve the hole in your wall to make it a square or rectangular shape. Then, you would cut your fresh drywall sheet to match the hole in your wall and put that aside.

Next, you will want to take a few pieces of wood (2x4 will work) and screw them vertically, into the drywall, behind the hole. These will serve as backings to support your drywall patch. For this step, you will use your drywall screws.

Then, you will place your patch into the hole and secure it into the pieces of wood, using your drywall screws. 

Once that is complete, you will use your drywall tape to tape around the perimeter of your patch. This ensures a smoother final product.

Then, you can begin to use your spackle on the hole, similar to the steps above for the other types of holes. It is recommended you cover the entire area and be sure to take extra care with the screws to ensure they are fully covered.

You will also have to wait for the spackle to dry, before sanding. Then you will repeat the spackling and sanding steps until your patch is smooth.

Remember: take your time and use the mudding sparingly. Too much spackle can result in an uneven finished product.

Once you are all done, you can paint over it. 

If you are looking for the right materials for the job, or want to get them delivered to your door, Biiibo can help with that. Browse our online catalogue or contact us to get in touch.