How To Repair Drywall

Many of us are spending more time at home lately. And some of us may be noticing – more and more – a few home repair projects that could use our attention. The team at Modern Hardware put together some helpful how-to tips to help those who are looking to be a bit more productive during these unprecedented times. This week we’ll be covering a basic tutorial on how to repair drywall. 

Over time, pesky dings, chips, dents, and even full-fledged holes can happen to your drywall. Following these do-it-yourself steps you’ll be feeling like you’re ready to bring your living space back to new. Let’s get into it.

For small dents, chips, or dings: 

  • Scrape away any loose debris or flaked paint that may be present
  • Apply spackle to the hole, smooth over, and let it dry
  • Once dry, ensure hole is fully filled, flush with the rest of the wall. If a divot still remains, fill with more spackle, smooth over again, and let dry
  • Sand the area smooth with a sanding sponge, and touch up with matching paint.

For slightly larger holes, like ones caused from a door knob slamming against the wall, you’ll want to have a drywall patch screen, some compound, and a drywall/putty knife on hand. 

It’s helpful to apply the compound in overlapping strokes (spreading horizontally, then vertically, and repeating).  Smooth the edges out so it blends in flush with the wall.  Let it dry, then add more compound if needed. When appropriately filled, lightly sand, then add primer and paint to match the wall. 

Holes that are larger yet, say 6 inches or greater, may seem intimidating to fix, but don’t be afraid! These bigger drywall repairs get a little more intensive, but are still very manageable if you have the right supplies. 

  • To start, you’ll want to cut a piece of drywall panel (smaller panels are available for repairs) that is slightly larger than the hole. Hold the piece of drywall over the hole ensuring that it covers it entirely, and trace around the piece you cut with a pencil. 
  • Then, using a drywall hand saw, cut out the area you traced and remove the damaged drywall. Be sure to check for electrical wires before and after cutting into the wall. 
  • To secure the panel to the existing drywall, use drywall repair clips. Alternatively, you can  reach into the exposed area of the wall, and mount small wooden furring strips on the inside of the wall around the edges of the exposed area. 
  • Then, set the extra drywall patch that you cut into the exposed area, and mount to the furring strips or repair clips with screws. 
  • Apply joint tape around the edges, and apply drywall compound over the whole area. 
  • Let dry, lightly sand smooth, apply primer, then matching paint. 

We hope these tips make you feel more confident in knowing that you can repair your own drywall damage. With the right tools we think you’ll find these fixes much more approachable than you might initially think. This is a stressful time in most folks’ lives during this global pandemic, we hope that staying occupied by making small updates and repairs around your home can help you find some moments of peace. 

If you have any questions about these how-to steps or about supplies that you might need to tackle your next repair, don’t hesitate to contact our team at (616) 241-2655. Modern Hardware is a family-owned and operated neighborhood hardware store that takes great pride in serving our community.