I can’t be the only one with random holes in my drywall. When someone opens a door and the stopper has disappeared, or someone unfortunately steps through the ceiling in the attic, holes happen. I hate to pay someone to fix something so small. And I especially hate to pay someone to fix something if I can figure out how to fix it myself. Patching drywall is surprisingly easy and doesn’t require any specialized equipment. It’s easy to learn how to do, and even easier once you’ve figured it out.
Patch Those Holes!
To begin, you need:
- drywall
- putty knife
- box cutter
- sandpaper
- scrap wood
- drywall screws
- drywall mud
- drywall tape
Measure the thickness of your drywall and make sure you’re getting drywall in the same thickness to replace it with. It’s easiest to patch a square hole, so cut around your hole to make it square. Get a piece of scrap wood that is just longer than either the length or width of your hole. Put the scrap wood inside your hole and screw it into the drywall to give you something to anchor the new drywall to. Be sure to sink your drywall screws so that you can easily mud over them. Then measure your drywall and cut it to fit the hole using your box cutter.
Once that is all set, fit your drywall piece into the hole and screw it into the scrap wood that you screwed in previously. Again, make sure to sink your screws so they can easily be covered with drywall mud. Spread a thin layer of drywall mud around the edges of your patch and place drywall tape along the seams. Then spread another layer of drywall mud over the tape, scraping it smooth in between coats. You don’t need to worry about getting it too smooth because you’ll sand it once it’s dry.
Once the mud is dry, use your sandpaper and sand the mud smooth. If you have texture on your walls you can use a spray texture and work to match the texture on your wall. Then you paint over the patch and voila! You have easily patched that hole!
Fix Your Walls Yourself
I love that I am able to make these repairs myself. It’s so easy and I save myself the waiting and the repair bills. I find that it is super helpful to learn how to make the simpler repairs. It makes me feel so accomplished and successful. Plus, I can feel like my house is so much more put together when I don’t have to wait for a repair.
