How to Fix Damaged Drywall

Learn how to repair damage in your drywall.

Drywall helps to transform an unfinished space in your home. Unfortunately, it is very fragile and you may damage some of the drywall when you are installing it. After installation, a door constantly banging into the wall or the removal of a nail might leave a hole. Whether you need to repair small nail holes, door knob holes, crack lines or large areas of damage, a solution is available to fix your damaged drywall.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Drywall
• Drywall saw
• 2 1-by-2-foot pieces of wood
• Drywall screws
• Drywall compound
• 4-inch drywall knife
• Screen
• Sandpaper
• Sanding sponge
• Putty knife
• Elastic crack coating spray
• Prime
• Paint
• Drywall patch

Large Holes

1. Measure the damaged area. Cut a piece of drywall a few inches larger than the damaged area with a drywall saw.

2. Hold the piece of drywall over the damaged area. Use a pencil to trace the shape of the piece of drywall onto the wall.

3. Saw along the outline you drew with a drywall saw. Don't saw past the penciled area. Saw around the outline until you have trimmed out the outline, making the hole equal to your drywall piece.

4. Cut two 1-by-2-foot pieces of wood at an inch or 1 1/2 inches longer than the height of your piece of drywall. Place one wood piece inside the drywall hole. Drill 1 1/4-inch drywall screws into the wall about 1/2 inch from the hole at the top and bottom to make the wooden piece stay in place. Repeat the process on the other side of the hole with the other piece of wood.

5. Place the piece of drywall you cut inside the hole. Use 1 1/4-inch drywall screws to attach the piece of drywall to your wood pieces.

6. Spread drywall compound with a drywall knife over the piece of drywall you put in the hole. Spread the compound around into a thin layer.

7. Place a piece of screening the same size as the hole into the compound. Add more compound on top of the screen. Let dry.

8. Sand the compound. Add two more layers of compound and sand after each layer dries.

Cracks

1. Smooth the cracked drywall surface with a sanding sponge. Rotate your hand clockwise along the crack line from the top of the crack to the bottom.

2. Dip a putty knife inside your drywall compound. Add a thin layer to the knife.

3. Apply the compound along the crack line. Use a thin layer that barely extends past the crack line in as smooth a layer as possible. Let dry.

4. Sand along the crack line. Follow with another layer of compound and sand again.

5. Use an elastic crack coating to prevent future cracks. Make sure the room is well ventilated and spray the coating along the crack line. Let dry before adding any primer on top of the drywall.

Small Holes

1. Cover small holes with a peel-and-stick mesh patch. These patches are ideal for small damage such as door knob damage. Make sure the patch completely covers the area, including any residual cracks.

2. Add drywall compound with a 4-inch drywall knife over the patch. Dip the knife in the drywall compound container until it has a thin layer of compound on it. Angle the knife at a 45-degree angle against the wall and scrape the knife against the wall and the mesh patch. Cover the patch completely with the compound.

3. Let the drywall compound dry completely. Some products will change color to indicate when the compound is completely dry.

4. Add two more layers of compound over the damaged area. Let each coat dry completely before you add the next layer. Use thin layers of compound only.

5. Sand the compound until the area is smooth. Cover with primer and paint if necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Spread compound over nail holes to repair tiny holes. Sand as usual.

References

• This Old House; How to Patch Drywall; Tom Silva
• This Old House; Fixing Damaged Drywall Surface; Steve Thomas
• Popular Mechanics; Drywall Repair; Merle Henkenius; Feb., 2005