Drywall patch

What It Means

A drywall patch is a repair to a damaged spot in a drywall wall or ceiling. Small dents, nail pops and hairline cracks are filled with spackling or joint compound. A small hole gets a self-adhesive mesh patch first, which is then covered with compound. Every version ends the same way: sand it smooth, prime the repair and repaint.

How It Sounds at Home

• "The doorknob went right through the wall."
• "There's a nail popping out in the hallway again."
• "Just spackle it, sand it and touch up the paint."

The Breakdown

How to patch a small hole

1. Clean loose bits of paper and gypsum away from the edge of the hole (Buhata's own suggestion).
2. Press a self-adhesive mesh patch over the hole.
3. With a drywall knife, spread spackling compound or lightweight joint compound over the patch in a crisscross pattern.
4. Feather the edges: press harder and tilt the knife as you reach the outside so the compound thins out into the wall.
5. Let it dry. Add a second coat if the patch still shows, sanding between coats.
6. Sand smooth, prime the repaired area and repaint.

For a nail pop. Drive a drywall screw into the stud about 1 to 2 inches above the popped nail, sinking the head just below the surface. Tap the old nail back in with a rubber mallet, taking care not to break more drywall, then cover the screw and nail heads with spackle, sand, prime and paint.

For dents and small cracks. Fill with spackling or joint compound, let it dry, sand smooth and paint.

Try it today. Walk the house with a pencil and circle every dent, crack and nail pop you find. Patch them all in one session, then prime and paint once everything's dry.

Good to Know

The guides all end with priming the repaired area before repainting, so don't skip it. Before driving a screw into a wall, check for wires and pipes behind it (Buhata's own suggestion). If your home was built before 1978, EPA says it's more likely to have lead-based paint, so read EPA's guidance before sanding old painted walls. Follow the compound's label for drying time.

Related Terms and Categories

• Paint sheen

  How shiny a paint dries, from flat and matte through eggshell, satin and semi-gloss to high-gloss. More shine usually means easier cleaning.

• Punch list

  A list of the small unfinished or faulty items left at the end of a building or remodeling job that the contractor must fix before the work counts as done.

• Caulking

  Sealing cracks and gaps between parts of a house that don't move, such as around window and door frames, with a flexible filler called caulk.

• Licensed contractor

  A contractor who holds the license your state or local government requires for the kind of work being done, which you can check before you hire.

Home maintenance and repairs