Patching Drywall

Depending on the size of the patch, drywall repair can be 5 minutes to, well, too long.  So we'll start small and work our way up to that giant hole you put your dresser in front of. Scroll down and you'll be introduced to the tools/materials you'll need for three different types of drywall patch. I know a lot of this wont sound easy, but if you want to do it you can.  Just take your time, go step by step and have fun with a new task.

First thing I want to mention to anyone doing any drywall work is how to go about cutting boards with little mess.  Don't just start going at drywall with a saw, it's a mess and not worth the hassle.  Just simply score your cut line with a utility knife.  Holding a square or level on your cut line will make this a lot smoother and straighter.  The smaller of a piece you want to cut the deeper you'll have to score it. After you run your blade a few times, snap your board on the scored line.  If your having trouble breaking it just run your blade down it a few more times (you shouldn't need a straightedge since the cut will act as a track).  Not it should be just holding on by the back paper.  Fold your piece all the way back to crease the paper. Then run your blade down the crease line. At this point you should be finished with your cut. If your edges are bumpy use your knife or a drywall rasp. Sounds confusing but it's super easy. Do it once or twice and you'll get it.


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Spackling

Required Tools

• Puddy knife (or a finger for small holes)
• Utility knife
• Sanding block

This technique only works on small holes think nail holes up to larger bolts.  You can also use spackling for thin cracks or dents in your walls.  

1. Cut any loose paper out of hole - you want a smooth hole with the inside smaller than the outside - For smaller holes just make sure no loose paper is protruding.
2. Fill hole with spackling with either finger or putty knife - At this point it doesn't have to look pretty, try to keep the spackling confined to hole and slightly around.
3. Allow spackling to dry - Some products will change color when dry, which is very useful.
4. Sand dry spackle with sanding block - this is when you make it pretty, remove any chunks or waves that may have formed 
5. If you need to apply more due to sinking or not completely filling your hole, that's perfectly fine. Just remember, you don't want to fill in too much texture on your wall or ceiling. 
6. At this point you can usually apply paint and be done.
7. If after applying paint it's too noticeable, grab a bottle of texture and match the surrounding wall as best you can.

Materials

• Spackling

Small/Medium Drywall Holes

Required Tools

• 2 Drywall Blades 
  • small 4"/6"
  • Large 8"-14"
• Utility Knife
• Mud Pan
• Sanding Sponge
• Texture Can

So now you got yourself a hole. Patch kits come in sizes from 4 " up to about 12". If you think the 4" patch is too large, you can also use mesh tape.

1. Clean out your hole - Use your utility knife to cut out loose chunks and paper 
2. Insert backing - If your hole is more than a couple inches you may want to insert backing​​
   1. To do this secure a piece of scrap across the hole at least 3/4" overlap on either end and at least 1" wide. 
   2. Screw it in with drywall screws - One screw on either side of the hole is fine, two for larger holes is plenty.
   3. Use a piece of scrap that's the thickness of your drywall - Some hardware stores will sell smaller amounts of drywall for pretty cheap.
   4. This piece does not need to be the same shape or size as the hole - Just a little backing to keep from having a thin spot in your wall.
   5. Screw this piece into your brace
3. ​Place patch - The patches are pretty sturdy, so you usually wont need backing - Cover hole with plate as much as possible - Press down all edges and make sure your patch is sitting flat.
4. Joint compound - Just get the pre-mix - Put pre-mix into your mud pan - I like to thin it out with a little water, very little.
5. Cover patch - Use your small knife to cover your patch in mud (joint compound) - Hold your knife at a 45 degree angle to the wall - With each pass scrape knife clean on edge of mud pan - Keep the layer of mud thin on your patch and try to avoid large humps - Let dry.
6. Use your larger blade to scrape off any clumps or ridges - Sand down your patch so the outer edge is see through and the inside is thick enough to cover your patch or tape.
7. For larger patches - Take your larger blade and your filled mud pan - Apply mud with full blade on all sides - Scrape blade clean on pan between each pass - Pass over each side while applying pressure, twisting blade away from the center of the patch for a long, smooth gradient away from your patch - Avoid large ridges or obvious obscurities, but most imperfections can be sanded - Let dry
8. Sand smooth making sure there is no hard line on the outer rim or in between gradients.
9. Match your texture whether it's orange peel or knockdown you can do it, just match the rest of the wall and blend it into your existing a little
10. Apply texture - Shake your texture can, this will take at least a minute and be kind of annoying - Apply texture in a circular motion, perpendicular to the wall - The thickness will depend on your existing texture
11. For a Knockdown wait until the texture starts to dry - The bottom of each droplet will start to change color and if you poke it it wont completely stick to your finger - Gently run your blade over the texture - Make sure your blade is clean, wipe between each pass
12. Paint and Prime!!

Materials

• Joint Compound
• Patch

Large Hole/Full Sheet Drywall Repair

Required Tools

• Electrical Box Locator
• Stud Finder
• Vibratory Saw
• Level (2' will work, bigger is better)
• Various Drywall blades, at least a 6" and 12", and a mud scoop
• Mud pan
• Respirator

In the situation that you have damage that's just too large for a patch, you'll be best off replacing a 4' by 8' section of your drywall.  For this technique you will need some other tools so please read this manual in full before deciding it's something you want to do.

1. Locate studs - Locate studs around your damage area with stud finder
2. Find two marks that are closest to 4' - Can not be over 4' 1/2"- Max gap of 1/4 in. on either side
3. Using your level, draw a plumb line from ceiling to floor with a dark marker or pencil
4. Any electrical needs to be disconnected from the wall - See our basic outlets and switches tutorial
5. Demo the existing wall - If you have baseboard you'll need to carefully remove it first, tutorial. - Make sure to run a utility knife in any corners, including the ceiling - Next just take your vibratory saw and cut your two lines - The goal is to be as close to the center of each stud as possible - any nails you run into just hop over and keep cutting - Either bust a small hole in your wall or reach into your existing one - Start pulling the drywall down with a rocking motion, this will keep you from pulling away tiny pieces - Remove all exposed nails or screws
6. If you have any electric boxes you can use an electrical box locator - They are extremely easy to use and take away one of the more difficult parts of this project.
7. Mark your studs on the floor or ceiling with a pencil - Try to put your mark as close to center on the stud - Remember your drywall is probably 1/2" thick, so don't put your mark where it will be covered.
8. Take the measurements of your new opening - Leave about 1/2" on the bottom - Try to get the sides to the middle of the stud, that's 3/4" from the edge.
9. Cut your drywall, as described at the top of the page - You shouldn't have to cut the long side since your opening is 4'
10. Put your new piece into the slot - If in some areas you're too wide, just run your vibratory saw, using the edge of your new piece - This is easiest done with two people - Alone marking with a pencil the cutting is easier
11. Time to secure your new piece - Remember to lift your piece to the ceiling - If it doesn't sit flush don't worry, just make sure your gap is less than 1/4" at any point, <1/8th inch preferred - Secure some screws in the vertical sides - Now take your level and draw a nail line where your studs are - Begin screwing up board with drywall screws - The head of your screw has to be sunk below the level of the paper - Try not to rip the paper (over tighten) the paper will hold the head tightly.
12. Now it's time to tape - There is a taping system that is getting pretty popular - You're just going to simply put mesh tape over your two vertical joints - For the ceiling you should use corner bead but we're not going to get into that - Just put mesh tape on wall flush to ceiling - If you have any areas that have a wide gap you might want to put some mud behind the tape, and allow to dry, before taping - DO NOT TAPE SCREWS OR BOTTOM.
13. Get your mud in your pan, a couple rules you need to follow:
    1. Put mud (Joint Compound) on wall with blade at 45 degree angle
    2. ALWAYS scrape your blade clean on your mud pan between strokes
    3. ALWAYS work in long even strokes 
    4. To take mud off of wall scrape, with blade at 90 degree angle to the wall
    5. If mud begins to dry in pan clean out pan with water
    6. DO NOT work mud while dry, you will only pull it and create runs
    7. Don't be afraid of "good enough" you will sand it to "perfection"
14. First coat - Take a 6"-8" taping knife and apply mud to Joints - Move in the direction of the taped joint - Make sure your blade has mud across the entire width on each pass - Try to run straight and smooth at a 45 degree angle not stopping until mud is not longer trailing you - Pass over (no mud) with a lightly steeper (closer to 90 degree) angle to smooth out and remove extra mud - Try not to expose tape
15. Do the same with your ceiling joint just working from the ceiling down (or put in a corner bead) - Go over each screw at a 45 degree angle with a full blade and a 90 degree angle with a clean blade - Let all mud dry.
16. Take blade at an acute angle less than 45 degrees and scrape off any chunks of mud or high ridges - If you have any high areas sand them down, but don't worry too much at this point - Put your blade at a 90 degree angle over your joint to see how consistent you are
17. A lot of people do three coats - The second coat will be with a 8" or 10" blade - You're going to set the edge of your blade on the center of your covered seam - Use the same technique as described above to apply mud - After you have applied mud you will have to "feather" it:
    1. "Feathering" is a technique used to slope your mud, gradually, away from a joint. This will give the illusion of the wall being flat. - To feather you will be putting pressure on one side of the blade more than the other - Using only the hand your holding your blade with, apply pressure using your thumb for more pressure on the inside. Middle finger or ring for outside pressure. Feathering will create waves leading toward the center, this is what you're looking for. Try to make the edges seamlessly blend into the drywall.​
18. Allow to dry an then sand down large waves and ridges - Run your hand along your seam to feel for high areas - Make sure to scrape with blade same as before to remove chunks - Sand any hard lines
19. For the final coat You will need to get out either your 12" or 13" taping knife (blade) - Do the same as the second coat and feather it as well - It should be hard to tell the wall bumps out at all due to your feathering.
20. At this point you will scrape and sand for one final time - Put your blade at a 90 degree angle from the wall and look for light along the blade - You can also rub the palm of your hand along your work to feel for bumps - don't forget to sand down your screw patches as well.
21. Follow instructions in our texture tutorial and paint to finish your new wall - If you do a whole wall you will need to learn how to install inside and/or outside corner bead, you won't need additional tools just the corner bead itself.

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Materials

• Joint Compound
• Mesh Tape
• 4'x8' sheet of Drywall to match existing

​Tutorials

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