Hole in the Wall: Now What?

Having a hole in the wall is a problem that no one wants. But there are options to perform a wall repair, depending on the size of the hole, that any do-it-yourself beginner can manage. Follow these tips for easy repair.

Small Holes

When dealing with small holes from things such as screws or nails it is rarely necessary to perform a patch job. With these small holes you can apply a thin coat of spackle to fill the hole. Once the spackle has dried, sand it gently until it is smooth and then apply a thin coat of paint to finish it off.

Medium Holes

For medium-sized holes there are drywall repair kits available that can help. These simple kits contain a metal mesh screen that sticks to the wall around the hole. You then apply a composite material or spackle over the metal screen and allow it to harden. It may become necessary to apply two to three coats of the material before the hole is fully sealed in. Once it has hardened, simply sand it off until the surface is smooth and well blended with the rest of the wall and then apply a thin coat of matching paint.

Large Holes

For larger holes, it may be necessary to patch the damage with a new piece of drywall. In this case you will first need to cut the hole out to make it rectangular or square. You then cut a piece of drywall as close to the size of the hole as possible and apply drywall tape on two of the sides. Once this is done, stick the replacement piece in the hole, using the tape to hold it in place. Then gently apply spackle or adherent to the two sides which are not taped, and allow this to set for four to six hours. After it has dried, remove the tape and apply a coat of drywall adherent to the remaining two sides. Finally, sand off the compound until it is smooth and apply a new layer of paint.

To ensure that the paint blends as seamlessly as possible with the existing wall, it is best to bring in a sample of the existing wall. If possible, remove a sample and bring it to your local paint shop. They will be able to match the color almost perfectly.