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Patch a hole in your drywall? You can do it for less than $15

Erik von Ancken hosts Getting Results At Home

WINTER SPRINGS, Fla. – In the latest installment of Getting Results at Home, News 6 anchor/reporter Erik von Ancken shows you how to patch a hole in your wall.

Here are the items you will need and the four steps to take to get the job done right.

Materials:

  • drywall patch compound (aka mud, spackling, joint compound - amount depends on size of the hole) DAP Bondex Ready to Use White Patch 1 qt - Ace Hardware
  • spackling/putty knife (you can use your finger if you’re just filling nail holes)
  • sandpaper
  • drywall tape (depending on how big your hole is)
  • drywall texture (orange peel or knockdown)

Step 1

Sand down the edges of the hole. If your drywall is jagged or the cardboard edges are sticking out, sand them down.

Step 2

This depends on the size of your hole. If it’s much bigger than your thumb, you’ll probably want to place a piece of drywall tape over the hole. What this does is give some rigidity to the patch. Place the tape over the hole and then use the spackling knife to push the patch/joint compound into the hole. Keep adding compound until you can scrape the putty knife across the hole and make the hole as flat as the wall.

Step 3

Let it dry! If you use a regular compound, it will take around 24 hours for it to fully cure. After that, sand it. Some people prefer to “wet sand” - meaning they wet a rag and rub the patch until the compound wipes away. The big benefit of this method is it eliminates dust. But sandpaper is the more preferred and accepted method - sand the hole until it’s flat. 120-grit sandpaper or anything close to that is fine. Wear a mask, it gets dusty!

Step 4

You might be done depending on how big the hole is. If it’s large and the patch is noticeable, use your texture spray to try and match the existing texture. Orange peel is easy. Read the instructions on the can! Generally, you’ll want to stand back a few feet and spray moving the can in a sweeping motion. Knockdown is a little trickier - trying to match the existing knockdown texture perfectly is nearly impossible.

You did it! Congratulations! You’re Getting Results at Home!

If you have a home repair that you’d like Erik to look at, just send an email to gettingresultsathome@wkmg.com with your name, address, phone number, a brief description of your project plus photos of what you’re looking to fix.


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