How To Patch A Hole In Drywall

"How To Patch A Hole In Drywall" Do you want to learn how to patch a hole in drywall, do you want to learn the complete step by step guide of how to fix a hole in your drywall. Are you searching for how to patch a hole in drywall, how do you patch a hole in drywall, how do i patch a hole in drywall, how can i patch a hole in drywall, how to patch a hole in the wall with drywall, how to repair a hole in drywall, how do you repair a hole in drywall, how to patch a hole in wallboard, how to patch a hole in sheetrock or how to repair a hole in sheetrock. If yes, Infoguide Ng has brought a complete step by step guide on how to patch a hole in drywall. In this article, you will learn drywall damage and how to repair holes and texture. Sometimes bad things happen to your drywall, and this guide will cover how to fix four common types of damage, showing the best and quickest way to handle each situation. Chapters are provided below so you can skip ahead to the section that best matches your situation. After covering the patch methods, we will show you how to match the texture to make the wall look smooth, whether you have orange peel, Santa Fe, knockdown, or a completely smooth wall.

The Four Types of Drywall Damage

Just about every hole you find in drywall falls into one of four types:

1. Really small holes: About an inch, inch and a half, or smaller (maybe 2.5–3 centimeters).
2. Fist-sized holes: Anything between the small size and perhaps four or five inches.
3. Bigger holes needing support: Damage that is large enough that it is between studs, or even over a stud, requiring support. We are talking about holes up to seven, eight, or nine inches in that range.
4. Major damage: This requires a whole section to be replaced.

Type 1: Patching Small Holes (1.5 inches or smaller)

For small holes that are about an inch or so (maybe 2.5 centimeters or smaller), you can often patch the damage using just mud. You don't necessarily need tape or a patch kit, as they won't help much with such a small hole.

To start, you can purchase mud in a large bucket, or you can buy powder to mix yourself, or a really small container if you only have a small hole. Use a putty knife that is at least three or four inches in width. Take the mud knife and fill in the hole, pushing the mud back into the hole generously to ensure it is backfilled with plenty of mud so it will be strong when it dries.

The first coat may result in some bubbling or bulging, and it may not want to stay in place well, but this is okay. Just cover the hole as well as you can and let it sit.

Type 2: Patching Fist-Sized Holes (4–5 inches)

For a fist-sized hole, there are three main ways to tackle the repair.

Option 1: Mesh Adhesive Patch

With this method, you can buy a large mesh adhesive patch, such as an 8x8 size, and apply it over the entire hole.

1. Prepare the Patch: Clean up the edges of the hole and smooth the patch out as best you can to ensure there are no creases, wrinkles, or issues.
2. Apply Mud: Take your mud and fill it in, pushing a lot of the mud into the area that has the hole. When you push the mud through these patches, it creates a "Play-Doh fun factory effect," which is desirable because you want to get a lot of mud back there to rebuild the drywall.
3. Cover the Patch: Once the area behind the patch is filled nicely, cover up the whole patch itself using the same knife. The goal for this first coat is to get it nice and clean, covering everything without needing to be perfect.

Option 2: The Presto Patch

The Presto patch is a simple solution. It is essentially a four-inch circle of half-inch drywall surrounded by a larger section of paper used to blend it with the surrounding wall.

1. Prepare the Hole: Use the styrofoam template that comes with the patch to trace a circle with a pencil. Cut that circle out with a knife to match the size of the Presto patch.
2. Apply Mud: Apply mud liberally all around the inside and outside of the cutout circle (where the paper goes). Don't forget to apply the mud liberally also to the plug itself, especially on the top of the circle, where gravity might pull it down from the hole.
3. Install and Smooth: Push the patch in. Use your knife to pull across from the center outward to smooth all of the mud out from underneath the paper, making it smooth and matching the contour of the wall.
4. First Coat Coverage: Cover it enough so nothing is "peeking through," but avoid using so much mud that it takes too long to dry or requires excessive sanding.

Option 3: The California Patch

The California patch technique is similar to the Presto patch, but you cut the patch yourself out of drywall.

1. Cut the Hole: Cut out a square hole big enough to ensure you have good, strong drywall all around it, removing anything roughed up or broken, especially on the backside. If the existing hole is 5x5, for example, you might cut out that square.
2. Create the Patch: Cut a piece of new drywall that is about an inch and a half bigger on all sides than the square you cut out (e.g., if the hole is 5x5, cut an 8x8 piece of drywall). Hold the new piece up to the wall. Use your knife to score a line all the way down one side and the inside of the other side, making the square in the middle just a little bit smaller than the hole. Flip it for the height and do the same thing.
3. Prepare the Plug: Snap off the scored edges and peel off all the gypsum and the back paper on all four sides. This leaves you with a plug, similar to the Presto patch, but one you made yourself.
4. Installation: The rest of the technique is exactly like the Presto patch. Line the outside of the patch and the inside of the hole with mud. Apply mud all over the inside of the patch itself. Push it in (after dry-fitting it to ensure it fits). Smooth out all the mud from the paper, and then cover the entire thing in its first coat.

Type 3: Patching Larger Holes (Requiring Backing)

The only difference between the second type of hole and the third type is the need for backing. If the hole is anything bigger than about fist size, it is recommended to install backer boards.

1. Prepare Backing: This technique is simple and uses a couple of scraps of wood. Plywood works well because it doesn't split easily, but you can also use leftover MDF, trim, or one-by pine.
2. Cut and Install Backing: Cut the wood so that it extends out a couple of inches past the width (or height) of the hole on both sides. It does not matter if these boards are placed horizontally or vertically. The goal is to provide four corners for the patch to screw into. Drive screws through the drywall and into the boards to pucker the boards tight against the back of the drywall.
3. Patching: Once the two backer boards are installed, you have a nice, supported area for your patch. A fix like this can cover fairly large holes, such as a 10-inch hole. It is crucial to clean up the square and ensure you have strong drywall surrounding the area, as the effectiveness of this patch depends on the strength of the surrounding drywall.

Type 4: Replacing Major Damage (Stud-to-Stud)

For the largest type of damage, such as when a whole section is severely beaten up (e.g., someone "body checked the whole wall"), it is recommended to cut the damage out from stud to stud.

1. Locate and Mark Studs: Use a reliable stud finder to locate and mark the studs on the wall.
2. Cut the Section: Use a jabsaw or drywall saw (or a box cutter) to cut from stud to stud. Cut right along the inside of the two studs where you are working.
3. Create a Lip: Since you know exactly where the inside of the studs are, come over about three-quarters of an inch (about half the thickness of the stud) and use a knife to open up that section. This creates a lip or a secure area for the new piece of drywall to sit on.
4. Install the New Drywall: The new piece should span from stud to stud and will use those studs to fasten in and hold in place well. Fasten the new piece using drywall screws.
5. Tape and Mud: While you could create a large California patch for this area, using mesh tape is a very common method for larger repairs. Apply yellow adhesive mesh tape along the seams, using one piece on each side. Try not to overlap the tape, as this increases the required thickness of the covering. Use a knife to tear the tape for a nice straight line.
6. First Coat Application: Apply mud into those seams. Push the mud really thick into the area to cover as much of the half-inch or five-eighths inch section as possible. Cover the seams entirely so you cannot see the tape anymore. The first coat does not have to be perfect.

Sanding and Skim Coating

After the first coat has dried (typically by the next day), you can sand the patch.

• Sanding Tools: Use a hand sanded sponge, an orbital sander, or a palm sander.
• Safety: Make sure to wear proper respiration gear, as sanding drywall compound kicks up a lot of dust. Goggles or safety glasses are also recommended.
• Second Coat (Skim Coat): After sanding, use a larger knife to cover up and smooth everything over. This is called a skim coat.
• Mud Consistency and Tools: It is recommended to mix some water into your mud pan. Mud pans are helpful because they have a blade on either side to scrape off extra mud, ensuring a clean knife blade every time. A metal blade is highly recommended, as they are cheap (around $10) and make the process easier.
• Application: Skim across the area to achieve a smooth finish. Feather the mud on the outside edges (top, bottom, and sides) to create a nice, smooth transition with the surrounding wall.
• Repeat: Depending on the result of the second coat, you might need to sand and apply a third coat, or you may be ready for texturing.

Matching the Texture.

No matter the size of the patch, you must use something that matches the wall's existing texture afterward. If you finish an orange peel texture smooth, or vice versa, it will look like it was patched.

You can purchase different textures in a can online or at a local hardware store, often available in orange peel or knockdown varieties.

Applying Canned Textures.

• Adjustments: Canned textures usually have settings: a tab can be moved side-to-side to adjust the spray pressure, and a knob can be twisted to adjust the coarseness or fineness of the spray.
• Experimentation: It is advised to experiment on a piece of cardboard or an unseen area before applying it to the actual wall.
• Orange Peel: Spray in a circular motion.

• Santa Fe or Knockdown: This texture is characterized by raised and lowered areas and is sometimes described as a "Euro texture". Spray the canned texture in a random pattern around the area. Then, use a 10 or 12-inch knife and pull across it really evenly. The goal is to leave this coat as smooth as possible without any little streaks, cuts, or scrape marks, as this is essentially the final coat.

Hand-Applied Knockdown/Santa Fe Texture.

If you don't want to use the can, you can create knockdown texture by hand using mud.

1. Dabbing: Dab some mud onto the wall randomly in different areas, ensuring it does not look like it is in rows or lines.
2. Knockdown: Take your 10 or 12-inch metal knife and pull it across, going in various directions if necessary, to get a nice smooth finish. A metal blade is significantly easier to use than plastic.
3. Result: Your goal is to leave some areas a little lower and some a little higher to achieve that specific knockdown or Santa Fe look.

Finishing the Repair.

The last step is to paint. Make sure to get all the dust off the surface, as the patch material can be very porous and soak up paint. You do not want dust on your roller while painting.

The wall that was full of holes just a couple of days prior will now be patched up and look good. For larger patches, a good stud finder is a helpful tool for knowing exactly where the stud is and having an accurate representation of its location.

I believe with the step by step details outline in this article, you should be able to learn How To Patch A Hole In Drywall.

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