Patch It Up - How to Prepare and Fill Drywall Holes

Whether you rent or own a house, it is important to know how to complete some basic maintenance and repair tasks - it makes for much quicker and economical job completions. Below we’ve made an easy step-by-step process on how to fill in small and large drywall holes.

Small Drywall Holes

Holes that fall under this category are no bigger than a coin, such as a quarter. For this job you will need a few tools, which are listed below:

  1. Sandpaper

  2. Spackle paste

  3. Putty Knife

  4. Paper towel or cloth

  5. Paint and brushes

Now that you have the tools you need, here are 5 easy steps on how to prepare and fill in your small drywall hole.

Prepare the Wall

We are going to start off by cleaning out the hole with a paper towel as much as we can - making sure there is no dust or chips in there. Then, gently sand the area and wipe clean with a paper towel.

Spackle Time

Get a small amount of spackling paste onto your putty knife and press it into the hole. Slowly and gently spread the paste on the wall, making sure the hole is completely filled and covered.

Wait

Let the putty dry for at least an hour (or whatever the packaging recommends). When the time is up, lightly touch the putty with your fingertip to check if it is fully dried. If not, leave for another hour and check again.

Clean Up

Now that your putty is completely dry, sand the area again to make it smooth and well blended with the rest of the wall. 

Final Touches

Now that you have filled the hole and it is even with the rest of the wall, all you have to do is paint over the putty! Rule of thumb is to always do two coats of paint. Depending on how large your hole is you can wait about four hours between each coat - just make sure it is completely dried.

Large Drywall Holes

These are going to be holes that need more than just putty - you will be installing a new piece of drywall to cover this up. Here are the tools you will need to complete the job:

  1. Pencil

  2. Paper towel or cloth

  3. Carpenters Tape Measure (One that has a solid, hard line or have a ruler close by)

  4. Stud Finder

  5. Keyhole Saw or Utility Knife

  6. Scrap Lumber, approximately 1x3 inches or if using plywood, ¾ inch, these both will be 2 - 4 inches long (depending on size of hole)

  7. Screwdriver and screws (x 8)

  8. 2x2 inch drywall cut to fit the hole we will make later

  9. Self-adhesive fiberglass drywall tape

  10. Paint and brushes

That’s all the tools you should need! Now let’s get started with these 7 easy steps to prepare and patch a large hole in a drywall!

Measure the Wall

First we are going to measure around the hole, leaving at least 1 inch space between our line and the hole above and below the damaged area. 

Find the Studs

Grab your stud finder and locate the studs on the left and right sides of the hole. Mark these studs and extend your line to here.

Cut Along the Lines

Using your keyhole saw or utility knife, cut along the lines you have made. Note that the cuts on the sides of the hole should be directly over the studs - not cutting into them. This allows our replacement drywall to rest on top, giving it extra stability. 

More Support

Take your scrap lumber or plywood and cut it to be 2 - 4 inches longer than your hole. Screw in this support vertically behind the opening to keep the patch from cracking. 

The Patch

With the 2x2 inch piece of drywall, measure and cut it to fit snugly into the hole. Then, use screws to attach the drywall to the supports.  

Extra Strength

The self-adhesive fiberglass drywall tape will help secure your patch even more. Tape around the patch, creating a smooth, flat surface. Let this dry overnight and repeat this step another 1-2 times - depending on how secure and large your hole is. 

Final Touches

Wipe the surface clean with a paper towel or cloth. Now, you are ready to paint your patch. Rule of thumb is to always do two coats of paint. Depending on how large your hole is you can wait about four hours between each coat - just make sure it is completely dried.

There You Have It

By following these steps you should be able to easily prepare and fix any holes that you may have in your drywall. The hardest part is making sure your measurements are exact, the saying “Measure twice, cut once” is crucial here. Now that you know the basics, it’s time to take on those other home renovation projects you’ve always wanted to do!

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