Fix a Hole in a Wall

Walls can be damaged in a wide variety of ways, from pin holes and cracks to large break outs. Each type of problem has a very different solution, the difficulty of which largely depends on the extent of the damage. This guide will provide instructions on a variety of ways to patch imperfections or holes in walls.

Steps

Fixing a Very Small Hole in a Wall

  1. Purchase spackling paste and a small putty knife if repairing a very small hole. Very small holes are usually caused by nails or screws and can be repaired easily and quickly with spackle.
    • There are a variety of spackling pastes for sale. It's usually a good idea to get a non-shrinking spackling paste, so that a crack does not develop at the seam between the wall and the patch.
    • Small cracks between molding and trim can be filled with spackling paste but it is probably easier to use paintable caulk, which is available at any home improvement store. Simply run a bead of caulk along for crack and smooth with a wet finger.
  2. Spread a small amount of spackling paste over the hole with your putty knife. Do not put a lot of spackling paste on your knife. While it depends on the size of the hole, you will usually only need a small bit approximately the size of a marble.
  3. Smooth the spackling paste out with your putty knife. The goal is to make the transition between the wall and the patch as seamless as possible. Using a damp cloth, wipe off any excess spackling paste that may have gotten on the wall around the hole.
    • If you mess up the smoothness of the patch, feel free to start over with a bit more spackling paste on your putty knife.
  4. Allow the spackling paste to dry and then paint the patch, if necessary. Sometimes a hole is so small and your wall color is light enough that retouching the paint is not necessary.

Fixing a Golfball Sized Hole in a Wall

  1. Gather and purchase all the supplies and tools you will need. To patch a hole the size of a golf ball you will need a drywall patch or sheetrock tape, a small amount of joint compound, a finishing trowel, and 120 grit sandpaper.
  2. Apply a drywall patch or sheetrock tape over the hole. A piece of sheetrock tape soaked in water is cheapest but a patch sticks, flattens better, and is thinner.
    • Drywall patches come in a variety of sizes and should be available at any home improvement store. They are made specifically to patch holes, so they stick to the wall and provide a good surface to smooth over with joint compound.
    • Holes the size of a golf ball and smaller can also be backed with some tight fitting plug or lid or can simply be taped over.
    • Any rise caused by the patch can be feathered out with joint compound.
  3. Apply joint compound, also called 'mud', over the patch. Use your finishing trowel to get it on the wall and smooth it out.[1]
    • Mud is usually held in a 'California Cake Pan' or small rectangular box about 4 x 12". If you are planning on doing a lot of sheet rock work in the future, it might be a good idea to purchase one. If you only plan on doing this one repair, don't waste the money.
  4. Allow your patch to dry, which should take at least 24 hours. Once dry, sand your patch until you cannot feel any seams between the patch and the existing wall.
  5. Paint the patch to match the rest of the wall. Make sure that you have gotten all of the dust off the area that you created when you sanded.
    • Small patches do not need to be primed although it will add a harder skin to the repaired area.

Fixing a Large Hole in a Sheetrock Wall

  1. Gather and purchase any materials you will need. For a large hole in a sheetrock wall you will need a piece of sheetrock, joint tape, joint compound, a finishing trowel, sandpaper, a sheetrock saw, and a razor-knife.
    • All of these items should be available at any big home improvement store.
    • Since you may only need a piece of sheetrock that is a few feet square, see if you or a friend has a piece of it lying around, instead of having to buy a whole sheet at the home improvement store. Make sure that whatever way you get it, the sheetrock is the same thickness as the sheetrock on the wall you are repairing.
  2. Cut out the damaged area of sheetrock. To fix a large hole you will need to cut out a piece of the wall all the way to the studs on either side of the hole. This will allow you to attach a new piece of sheetrock to the studs.
    • With your sheetrock saw cut down along the stud and remove sheetrock. Then with a razor-knife cut down at the center of the stud. This will allow you to attach your new piece of sheetrock to the stud.
  3. Cut a new piece of sheetrock the size of the hole you made. This may take some finessing if the hole is an odd shape. Screw it to the stud on both sides using one screw every six inches or so.[2]
    • Use your razor knife to make small adjustments to the size of your patch. The sheetrock saw is better for rough in cuts.
  4. Apply a thin layer of joint compound into the seam around the patch. This layer of joint compound is simply making a bed on which the joint tape can be applied.
  5. Apply the sheetrock tape to all sides around the patch. The tape is pressed into the mud completely flat and the excess mud is scraped off with your trowel.
    • Sheetrock tape comes dry but needed to be dunked in water before it is stuck to the wall.
    • Tape can be of any length and should be overlapped about an inch when put together.
  6. Apply mud, or joint compound, in a straight line over the length of tape used. This can be allowed to dry or a second coat can be applied immediately, so as to cover the tape.
  7. Allow to dry overnight. Once completely dry you may want to apply a third coat of mud if you think there will be areas where the mud is not smooth.
  8. Sand with 120 grit sandpaper or sandpaper sponge. Sand until the surface of the joints is smooth.
  9. Try to reproduce any wall texture, if necessary. When patching, one of the main problems is matching texture. Texture can be hard to match since it is usually machine blown. To texture patches, a stiff stipple brush will often do the trick, by sticking brush in plaster and stippling on finished and dry patch. If necessary, after it sets up a little, trowel over it to flatten high spots.
  10. Prime and then paint your patch to match the rest of the wall. Large areas like sheet rocked whole walls and rooms probably should be primed really well for toughness and seal. Priming really well also saves on finish paint.

Fixing a Large Hole in a Lath and Plaster Wall

  1. Gather and purchase your materials. To fix a lath and plaster wall you will need a plaster patching compound, a large joint or finishing trowel, and sandpaper.
  2. Remove loose plaster. You will need to remove all of the damaged area while making sure to not expand the damage. Gently remove any cracked or loose plaster, moving out from the center damaged area until all the plaster you encounter is secure.
  3. Screw down any loose lath to the studs underneath. Use sheetrock screws but if the lath is cracked add wide thin washers to the screws when screwing down the lath.
    • If some of your lath is damaged so much that it will not hold up plaster, you will need to replace it.
  4. Apply your plaster patching compound to the hole. This is the rough in coat, so the surface of the patch should be a bit below the surface of the wall and does not need to be sooth. Allow this layer to dry for a bit, until the surface is slightly firm but not hard.
    • The consistency of this layer of plater patch should be like peanut butter.[3]
  5. Apply a second coat with your trowel. This coat should stick to the first one but the goal here is to give the surface a smooth surface that is level with the wall.
    • This layer of patching compound should be just slightly thinner than the one underneath. This will allow you to more easily smooth out the surface with you trowel.
  6. Allow the patch to dry completely. Sand the surface with 120 grit sandpaper if you did not get the surface smooth enough with your trowel. Getting a completely smooth surface with a trowel will take a lot of practice, so don't be discouraged if you need to do a bit of sanding on your first try.
  7. Reproduce any wall texture if your walls are textured. Matching texture can be very difficult since it is usually machine blown. To texture patches stick a stiff stipple brush in plaster and apply to finished and dry patch. If necessary, after it sets up a little, trowel over it to flatten high spots.
  8. Prime and paint your patch. Always use a good primer on plaster walls, as it will protect the wall and saves on cost of finish paint.

Tips

  • Most quick dry patching compounds are difficult to sand. You should use standard wallboard joint compound for patching wallboard (drywall) or plaster.

Warnings

  • If the wall or ceiling you are repairing make sure popcorn texture is not asbestos before removing. Asbestos causes mesothelioma cancer, lung cancer, asbestosis and other illnesses. If there is any question, consult a professional.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.lowes.com/cd_Patch+and+Repair+Drywall_498789296_
  2. ↑ http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20051832,00.html
  3. ↑ http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20643822,00.html
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