Do it yourself drywall repair
by Chuck Lunsford

A word of caution regarding drywall repair. Always check for in wall electrical wiring. Nothing can ruin your day faster than cutting into hidden wiring. I prefer to use a hand saw versus a power saw as it gives me much more control over what I'm doing.

Typically this type of repair isn't difficult if you have the correct tools. I suggest the following:

Utility knife
Drywall T-square
Claw hammer
Screw gun
10- or 12-inch taping knife
Sanding block

Filling tiny holes
Steps:

1. Apply a dab of caulk with your fingertip or apply premixed interior spackling compound, available in very small cans, with a putty knife. Fill the hole but don't leave any residue on the surrounding surface.
2. If the compound shrinks as it dries, leaving a dimple, apply another coat. When the compound is dry, touch up the paint.

Repairing a small hole or gouge
Steps:

1. Place an appropriate quantity of premixed joint compoundinto a metal bread pan.
2. Pick up a small quantity of compound on the corner of a spackle knife and spread it over the damaged area. Hold the knife on the wall at a low angle and draw it across the compound horizontally; then wipe the knife clean on the edge of the pan and make a second pass vertically.
3. When the first coat dries (it will turn from gray to bright white), apply a second coat, but use more compound and extend it a little beyond the first coat. In the rare case when two coats are not enough, apply a third coat.
4. When the patch is dry, sand lightly and apply primer over the repaired surface before applying a paint topcoat.

Repairing larger damaged areas
Steps:

1. Apply joint tape wherever the paper facing is badly damaged or missing. To embed paper tape, cover the damaged area with a thin layer of joint compound, press the paper into the compound and smooth it by drawing a clean spackle knife across it with firm pressure. If you're using adhesive-backed fiberglass tape, just press it onto the drywall.
2. When the first coat is dry, scrape off any dry bits on the surface and apply a second and third coat.

Patching a large hole
Steps:

1. Cut a drywall patch. Place it over the damaged area to trace it. Cut along your lines with a drywall saw (see B) or by making repeated passes with a utility knife. Remove the damaged pieces and clean up the cut with a utility knife.
2. Install drywall clips near the four corners of the opening. Slip them over the drywall (narrow spring tabs out) and secure them with 1 1/4-inch (3-cm) Type W drywall screws (see C). Position and screw the patch to the clips.
3. Grasp the clip tabs with long-nose pliers and twist to break them off below the surface. Tape and finish the seams.