Skip to main content

How to repair drywall holes in less than an hour

Holes and dents in your drywall are just about unavoidable since the inexpensive material isn’t very durable. The goods news, however, is that these damages are super easy to fix. In just an hour, you can repair these minor holes and dents whether they arose from unstable nails, errant door handles, or even furniture moves gone wrong. With the steps below, you can repair any cosmetic blemishes, and the whole process shouldn’t take more than an hour of your time.

Sergiy1975/Shutterstock

How to repair drywall: small holes, cracks, and dents

If that heavy picture pulled your screw through the drywall or years of old nail holes are starting to build up, give them a quick touch-up using just a few, inexpensive tools.

What you’ll need:

  • Quick-drying spackle
  • Putty knife
  • Sandpaper with a fine grit

How to repair:

  1. Fill the hole or crack with quick-drying spackle using a putty knife.
  2. Allow the spackle to dry for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer.
  3. Once dried, lightly sand the area with your sandpaper to make it flush with the rest of the wall.
  4. Proceed to prime and paint the repaired area.

How to repair drywall: medium-sized holes

For holes that are under four inches in diameter but too large to fill with spackle, use a drywall repair kit. These kits typically include all of the tools you’ll need to complete the repair on your own.

What you’ll need:

  • Mesh covering with adhesive
  • Drywall spackle
  • Drywall knife
  • Sandpaper

How to repair:

  1. Apply the mesh covering over the hole completely so that it overlaps onto the wall by about one inch on all sides.
  2. Use a drywall knife to apply the spackle over the mesh, covering it completely. Be sure to apply the spackle as thinly as possible on the undamaged portions of drywall to prevent bulging.
  3. Allow the spackling compound to dry for the recommended time.
  4. Use sandpaper to lightly sand down and smooth the entire spackled area.
  5. Proceed to prime and paint the repaired area.
SJ Duran / Shutterstock

How to repair drywall: large holes

For larger holes in your drywall that are bigger than four inches in diameter, you won’t be able to use putty or spackle to repair them. When repairing larger drywall holes, you’ll likely need to cut out some of the existing drywall. For this step, be cautious and avoid cutting any wires that run behind the walls. Typically, wires are attached to studs, so if the drywall hole is near a stud, call a professional for help.

What you’ll need:

  • Piece of drywall larger than the hole itself
  • Drywall saw
  • Pencil
  • Wood furring strip
  • Electrical drill and screws
  • Drywall tape
  • Joint compound or spackle
  • Drywall knife
  • Sandpaper

How to repair:

  1. Hold your new piece of drywall over the damaged area and use a pencil to trace its edges onto the wall.
  2. Use a drywall saw to carefully cut out the damaged piece, following the pencil marks.
  3. Hold the wood furring strip vertically in the center of the hole, making sure the top and bottom of the strip extend a few inches behind the edges of the hole.
  4. Use an electric drill to put screws through the drywall on the top and bottom of the hole. The screws should burrow beneath the surface level of the drywall so they aren’t visible once the repair is completed.
  5. Place the drywall piece into the hole and drill it into the furring strip.
  6. Apply drywall tape on all four borders of the new drywall patch, overlapping both the old and new drywall.
  7. Use a drywall knife to apply joint compound or spackle over the entire patch as well as the drywall tape.
  8. Allow the joint compound to dry for the recommended amount of time.
  9. Once dried, sand down the patch to make it smooth and flush with the rest of the wall.
  10. Proceed to prime and paint the repaired area.

When a hole in your drywall appears, it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune to repair, and a DIY fix doesn’t need to take all day. Regardless of the size of the damage, you can flex your DIY muscles to fix it in as little as an hour, leaving your wall looking as good as new.

Editors' Recommendations

Veronica Sparks
Veronica Sparks is a writer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who loves writing about gardening, home décor, and DIY life. She’s…
How to remove old caulk: A 4-step guide to get this tedious job done quickly
This is how to remove old caulk the right way before slapping on the new stuff
Man caulking around window

Sealing certain areas in your home against both moisture and escaping air is a good practice for preventing heat loss and water damage, and caulk is a tried-and-true sealant to use. Whether it was used in the bathroom, on exterior windows, or on your welcoming front door, caulk can not only get grimy and stained after a while, but it can also start to break down and lose its effectiveness. That's why periodic re-caulking is a recommended practice, but you need to get rid of the old gunk before applying the new stuff. Here's a guide on how to remove old caulk.

How do you know when it's time to re-caulk?
When caulk loses its elasticity and waterproofing abilities, it's time for replacement, and knowing when it's time to re-caulk is pretty simple. Signs of deteriorating caulk include visible cracks or gaps, peeling, or a discolored and moldy appearance.

Read more
The October home maintenance checklist everyone needs
What to do in the fall to prepare your home for winter
Blue house in autumn

October is the prime time for home maintenance. Fall is the best season to prepare your home and landscape for the upcoming change in weather and ensure your family stays cozy through the colder months. This October home maintenance checklist has all the weekend DIY projects for fall you need to know about, and it will help you focus on the right tasks. Wrap up the gardening and lawn care season so your house can withstand the winter.

Why is October home maintenance important?
Following a fall home maintenance checklist is a proactive defense against a host of potential issues that could arise when the coldest weather hits. These issues could disrupt your home's functionality, safety, and value. By taking proactive steps during this season, you can prevent:

Read more
How to soundproof windows so you can finally get a good night’s sleep
Noisy neighbors keeping you awake? Here's how to soundproof your windows
three vertical windows with a view of nature

There's a lot of racket out there in the world, and if that noise is seeping in through your windows at night, it can really disrupt your life. Maybe you're hearing the noisy street down below, your loud next-door neighbors, or even the sounds of a long-term construction project nearby. Sometimes there's just a pesky flock of geese living on your lawn that love to honk the day away.

Whatever the source and level of noise you're hearing, it can really disrupt your days, and especially your nights. The good news is that we can help you navigate some home improvement ideas for window soundproofing based on the level of noise you're hearing and your budget. Here's a guide for how to soundproof windows so you can live and sleep in wonderful silence.

Read more