How to Patch a Hole in Drywall, From Nail Holes to Fist-Sized

A doorknob that swings too hard or a nail that works its way out: drywall damage is one of the most common small home repairs. USG, the maker of Sheetrock drywall and joint compound, publishes repair instructions sorted by the size of the damage, so measure the hole first.

1. Before you start: conditions and compound

USG's repair kit instructions set two ground rules:

• Temperature: keep the surface, water, mix, and air at 45°F or above while mixing and applying compound.
• Surface: it must be clean and dry, with loose paint, dust, dirt, and grease removed.

USG's installation guide names its lightweight setting-type compounds as the ideal products for repairing damaged panels. Setting-type compounds harden within a fixed window, while the guide's finishing steps for ordinary coats allow each one to dry overnight. USG's instructions for its Easy Sand 90 product give a sense of how a setting compound works:

• Mix 2 parts powder to 1 part water: empty half of a 1-pound bag (8 ounces) into 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of clean water and stir until smooth with no lumps.
• A 1-pound bag makes about 1.3 pints of mixed compound, so mixing half a bag gives you roughly 0.65 pints, plenty for several small repairs.
• It hardens in about 85 to 130 minutes, and adding more water does not change that. Mix only what you can use in 60 minutes; leftover mixed material cannot be stored.
• Do not mix setting compound with other joint compounds, wet or dry.

2. Size 1: Dents, small holes, and cracks

USG's method for minor damage:

1. Dents: sand the area lightly, then fill with compound.
2. Small holes or cracks: trim any loose pieces, wipe the area clean, then fill with compound using a putty knife.
3. Let it harden, and add a second coat if needed.
4. Sand and prime when dry.

3. Size 1, special case: Popped nails

A nail head pushing out through the wall is a sign the nail has lost its grip. USG's fix:

1. Drive a new nail about 1-1/2 inches away from the popped one and "dimple" it, setting the head slightly below the surface.
2. Drive the popped nail back in and dimple it too.
3. Cover both dimples with compound.
4. Sand and prime when dry.

4. Size 2: Medium holes, about 2 inches

For holes around 2 inches across, the kind a doorknob makes, USG's repair kit uses tape rather than a solid patch:

1. Trim loose pieces and wipe the area clean.
2. Apply compound generously around the edges of the hole.
3. Criss-cross two or three strips of joint tape over the opening to bridge it, and embed the tape in the compound.
4. Wipe away the excess and let it harden.
5. Apply a second coat over the taped area and let it harden.
6. Sand and prime when dry.

For a large crack (USG uses about 1/8 inch wide as its example), the method is similar: bridge the crack with tape, usually one strip, press and smooth compound into it, let it harden, add a second coat, then sand and prime.

5. Size 3: Holes up to about 6 by 6 inches, the "California patch"

USG describes a no-tape, no-backing method for impact holes that are too big for touch-ups but too small for a full panel repair. It works for holes up to roughly six by six inches:

1. Measure the hole. From a scrap of drywall, cut a square 2 inches larger than the hole in each direction.
2. Lay the square face-down. Score the brown back paper to the size of the hole and snap away the gypsum, being careful not to cut the face paper. You are left with a gypsum plug that has a 1-inch border of face paper on every side.
3. Hold the plug over the hole and trace around the gypsum part with a pencil.
4. Cut along the line with a drywall saw, making the hole match the plug.
5. Coat the paper edges with a thin layer of joint compound using a 4- to 6-inch knife, just enough to make the paper stick.
6. Press the patch in, then apply a thin layer of compound over the entire patch.
7. Let it dry, sand, and repeat until the wall is smooth.

Before cutting into any wall, check for wiring, pipes, and studs behind the spot you plan to cut.

6. Size 4: Larger holes or water-damaged areas

For holes over 2 inches that need a new piece of drywall, or for water-damaged sections, USG's repair kit uses metal repair clips:

1. Cut out the damaged section with a utility knife along the studs and a keyhole saw between them, and remove old screws or nails.
2. Slip repair clips onto the edges and screw through the wall into each clip about 3/4 inch from the edge.
3. Screw a new drywall piece into each clip, also about 3/4 inch from the edge, then snap off the clip tabs.
4. Tape and compound all four sides, without overlapping the tape.
5. Apply second and third coats, letting each harden and feathering each past the last, then sand and prime.

7. Sanding, priming, and matching texture

• Sand gently. USG's finishing guide says not to sand unless needed, and to use fine-grit paper (150- or 220-grit is on its tool list) without scuffing the drywall's face paper. If you do roughen the paper, cover it with a little compound.
• Try wet sanding for small touch-ups. USG says a damp, small-celled sponge eliminates dust and does not scuff the paper. Wring it out, rub the high spots in as few strokes as possible, and rinse often.
• Prime before painting. USG recommends its drywall primer or a high-quality, high-solids flat latex paint as a prime coat, so the patch does not show through the finish.

8. Key takeaways

• Work at 45°F or warmer on a clean, dry surface, and mix only as much setting compound as you can use in 60 minutes.
• Dents, nail holes, and small cracks need only compound, sanding, and primer; fix popped nails with a new nail 1-1/2 inches away.
• Bridge holes around 2 inches with two or three criss-crossed strips of tape embedded in compound.
• For holes up to about 6 by 6 inches, a California patch with a 1-inch paper border needs no backing.
• Bigger holes and water damage call for a new drywall piece on repair clips, three coats of compound, then sanding and primer.