Home | Blog | Subscribe | Podcasts | Donate

How To Patch a Hole in Your Drywall

How to repair drywall is one of the most common questions on a home improvement website, and here’s the reason why. It’s tough to successfully patch a wall so that you can’t even tell it was ever damaged. With drywall covering just about every square inch of your house, condo, or apartment, it’s bound to get messed up so take my advice. Learn the right way to repair holes in your drywall or make friends with someone who can.

This article is going to walk you through the process of repairing a medium-sized hole in drywall. Once you master this skill, it’ll serve you well for the rest of your life (or until people quit hanging drywall in their homes).

Materials List

Here are the materials you’ll need before you get started.

Drywall (see below)
Mesh tape (see below)
Setting compound (see below)
Backer boards (see below)
1-1/4″ Drywall screws

Drywall: A typical sheet of drywall measures 4′ x 8′, and that’s way more than we need for this project. Most home improvement centers sell smaller 2′ x 2′ sections which are great for making repairs. Plus, you can save the “leftovers” for the next time. Drywall is available in several thicknesses. Most interior walls utilize 1/2″ drywall, and ceilings are usually 1/2″ or 5/8″.

Mesh tape: If you look around online, you’ll see lots of debate over paper tape vs. mesh tape. I think mesh is easier to work with, and I have total confidence using it for repairs. If you talk to enough contractors, you’ll learn that it really comes down to personal preference more than anything else.

We need to screw the new piece of drywall into something, and a backer board gives us that surface. Size your backer board so that you can finagle it inside the hole.

Setting Compound: Setting compound (a.k.a. hot mud) is a powder that you mix with water. Unlike joint compound which dries through evaporation, setting compound dries through a chemical reaction, shrinks very little and dries very hard. Setting compound is differentiated by setting time (in minutes), and you’ll find 5, 20, 45, 90, etc. Pick a setting compound based on your skill level. For instance, if you’re new to patching drywall, 45 gives you a nice window in which to work.

Tip: It’s important to understand that mud that has “set up” isn’t completely dry. Once the mud has set up, it’s safe to apply another coat. Let the mud fully dry overnight before you attempt to sand it.

Backer Boards: To repair a medium-size hole, you’ll need some sort of backer board, and I used a small piece of 1/4″ plywood.

Tools

Drywall saw
6″ Drywall knife
Drill / driver or screwdriver
100 grit Sandpaper

Tip: A good drywall knife is made from stainless steel, and has a metal heel for pushing defects into the surface of the drywall.

Step 1: Square the Hole

The first thing you need to do is cut the hole into a square or rectangle. It may seem counterintuitive to make the hole bigger, but cutting a circular (or other oddly-shaped) piece of drywall is more work than it’s worth. Grab your drywall saw and square up the hole.