Should you attempt to do-it-yourself or hire a drywall contractor? The answer depends on the size and type of the needed repair. If the job is large and requires specialized knowledge, equipment and a significant investment of your time, you might want to hire a drywall contractor. However, scratches, dents and small to medium sized hole repairs can be easily mastered by even the beginner.

Drywall is truly one of the greatest inventions to come along within the last 80 years. And for some very good reasons; it is an inexpensive wall covering that goes up quickly. It is neutral and can be decorated to individual taste. The invention of drywall saved contractors and homeowners thousands of dollars in construction costs and repairs.

Drywall, or gypsum board, is made of a crumbly fire resistant substance that is wrapped in a thick paper coating. It is very durable and can be easily cut, sawed, drilled, bent, nailed, glued, screwed, painted on and papered over. It even helps to sound proof and insulate a room. But even as durable as it is, eventually, you’ll need to patch some area of drywall in your home or business.

Commonly, you will be dealing with one or more of three different types of wall holes – nail holes and dents, small doorknob size holes and larger holes caused by fists and furniture. In this article I’ll explain a very simple repair technique for a small drywall holes. This will work great on holes less than 6 inches, such as doorknob holes.

THE “HAT PATCH” REPAIR METHOD

Using a keyhole saw, cut a square around the hole (the hole is now square). Keep it as small as possible. Sand the edges to the hole lightly to remove burrs from the sawing. From a new piece of drywall, cut a square piece of drywall about 3 inches larger than the hole that you’re trying to cover. (Now follow me closely here, because in this next step you’re going to remove some of the drywall backing from your new patch.) TURN THE NEW PATCH OVER and cut 1-1/2 inches on each side with a razor knife. Be very careful not to cut completely through the face paper (you want to leave the facing paper intact). Now carefully peal the 1-1/2 inch pieces off the face paper and discard. Clean the back of the face paper on the patch to remove small bits still attached.

Place joint compound around the edges of the hole for at least 2 inches on each side. Be sure to mud the raw edges of the old drywall. Insert the patch into the hole and drag mud down each side. Now cover the entire area with a very thin coat of mud and let it dry. When completely dry sand the area very lightly.

If necessary, apply a second coat and allow it to dry. Sand the area lightly and you are ready to paint.

If this sounds more complicated that you’d like, your local hardware store will sell you a drywall repair kit. The kits come in various sizes and types for different applications. Simply follow the manufacturer’s instructions and you should be all set.

To learn more about drywall repair and services visit our website:
www.custom-textures-drywall.com
Diane, along with husband Dennis, has been in the drywall business for 40 years. They write how-to and do-it-yourself articles, and provide information on money saving tips for consumers.