How To Repair a Small Drywall Hole

Everyday life leaves its reminders on our homes. If your family room walls are starting to look like Swiss cheese, relax, you can fix them in minutes.

Tiny reminders of those hanging prints you moved ages ago. A puncture wound in the wall from that time the neighbor boy helped you move that table from one room to the next. The divot left by your sister's kids playing pirates in the dining room. Yes, those holes in the wall are like a little time capsule of your home's mishaps.

The good news is that fixing those little cavities is one of the easiest and satisfying fixes you can do yourself with no special tools or expertise, you can make a small hole disappear in less time than it takes to read the morning paper - and you're guaranteed to feel better about yourself and the world afterwards.

If your hole is smaller than a quarter of an inch across (pinholes from posters, the tiniest of nail holes), just grab a putty knife and a dab of spackle, then fill in the blank, said, and touch up the paint. This article will teach you how to handle the small (not tiny) stuff. Got bigger problems (e.g. a hole larger than 6" at its largest point)?

Tools:

Keyhole saw or utility knife (even a steak knife will do)
Ruler
Pencil
Putty knife
Fine paint brush

Supplies:

A scrap piece of drywall(Don't buy a full sheet; your hardware store will probably sell you or even give you part of a damaged sheet)
Spackling or caulking compound(aka joint compound, drywall compound or plaster wall fix)
Fine grade sandpaper (#150-180 grit)
Primer
Paint to match your wall color

Step 1: You want me to what?

First off, you'll have to make the hole bigger. Bigger? Yes, bigger. The hole needs to be uniform to create a proper patch, so using your keyhole saw or a utility knife, cut a square or rectangle around the hole to be patched.

Step 2: Patching things up

Cut a piece of drywall 2" longer and 2" wider than the hole to be patched. Remember, always measure twice and cut once for accuracy. Lay the piece of drywall down on a flat surface, shiny side down. Measure in 1" from all four edges and, using your ruler, draw out the lines. The lines will form the exact shape and size of the hole. The idea is that the replacement piece will fit like a puzzle piece into the hole, with some paper extending beyond it to help bond it to the existing wall.

Using your ruler and utility knife, cut along the lines through the drywall to the bottom layer but do not cut the bottom layer of paper. This will be your patch. Using a putty knife, remove everything but the bottom layer of paper, making sure to keep the bottom layer intact.

Step 3: Fill in the blanks

Place the patch over the hole to measure it. The cut part should fit into the hole, and the paper should spread out an inch on each side. If not, go back to step 2 and try again, and remember, accuracy counts when measuring and cutting!

Put the patch down for now, and pick up your putty knife. Spread a little spackling compound around the hole - not much, just enough to coat the surface. Place the patch back into the hole, then smooth the outer edge of the patch down onto the compound. Spread a small amount of compound over the edges, feathering the edges as you smooth it out. Allow it to dry, following the drying times on your compound. Short on time? Aim a hairdryer at the spot on low heat to speed up drying time. Not too hot, though, or the drywall and paint surrounding the hole will crack.

When it's completely cured, sand it lightly until the patch is flush with the wall. If you wall is textured, apply more mud and smooth it with a putty knife or even with your fingers until the texture appears even. If it's an "orange peel" texture, you might consider purchasing a can of sprayable texture. Just point the can at the affected area, spray, dry, sand if necessary, prime and paint.

Step 4: Gloss over it and pretend nothing ever happened

The toughest part of patching a hole is getting the paint to match, so hopefully you have some of your color left over from your original paint job. Apply a thin layer of primer first, and feather the edges so they blend into the rest of the paint job. When the primer is completely dry, apply paint lightly, feathering the edges to blend it in. Don't judge your work until the paint has time to cure. Once it's dry if you find you've been a bit heavy-handed, re-sand, re-prime and hit the paintbrush again. Too light? Add another coat!

There's no need to let your walls look like Swiss cheese. Learn how to fix life's little mistakes because it's just a matter of time before someone pokes a hole in your house. Being able to smooth things over also means you'll be less wary about hanging new prints or putting up shelving. It's your house and you can have it your way!

(By Be Jane)