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I've got a hole in my wall that I would like to fix myself if possible, what would be the easiest / least expensive way of doing this? Here is a pic, taken on a cell phone sorry for the crappy quality:



It's kinda big, a piece of printer paper will cover it up to give you an idea how big it is. Any help on what I can do to fix this? Any help very much appreciated, thanks!

Dilbert1234567

Lots of spackle. when I had to patch the holes in my last place up when I moved out, I took a piece of wood rufly the same size but could be slid into the hole and drilled 2 holes in it, ran a string through it and slid it into the wall, pulling the string I was able to get a flat piece to spread the spackling onto so i could patch the holes easily, then once it dried I cut the strings, and spackled over them.

More importantly, how'd you manage to do that?

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fastback

Thanks for the reply! What is spackle? I guess I can get it at a home hardware type store?

My brother and I had an arguement and he got ticked off and threw his chair at the wall, broke the leg off of it too, lol.

Psycho Dad

I've had success with crumpled newspaper filling the void, a layer of mesh drywall tape and then applications of drywall mud (joint compound). The joint compound will shrink so you won't want to expect to fill the whole thing on the first coat. Use a wide putty knife, gently apply an even layer and let it dry overnight. Add another layer until it is filled in. If you don't get carried away and put it on neatly you will only have to smooth the finished drywall compound with a damp spong before painting.

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Charlatan

Psycho Dad has it right... use drywall tape (the fibergass mesh is better) and compond (Sheetrock 20 should do you fine for something this size).

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ratbastid

So shouldn't he be fixing the wall?

edmos1

cheapest way is as described by Psycho Dad and Charlatan described, they have a roll looks like screen wire.

The best way would be cut the hole out (resulting in a bigger hole) spanning to both studs, and cut a new peice of dry wall, and tape the new seams. I would suggest at least a 4 inch blade putty knife so you can cover the tape line well. Also this may be big enough to provide some texture from some of the spackle.

as far as the easy way, you can probably get away with some non-lightweight spackle (the quick dry stuff) would not be best for this. and you will need to put several layers on as it will shrink. also a plastic putty knife will work, you should be albe to fix the entire thing for about $ 10.00

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Thank you all for the help, i'll be going down to the hardware store today to get drywall fiberglass mesh tape and compound. I intend to paint the wall to blend in, so I guess I would need a bit of sandpaper to smooth it? What about primer? Also can I just take a piece of the broken wall with paint surface intact and get the paint matched at the hardware store? Do they do that? Thanks again, this is a great help. This forum is awesome!

You're right, he should. He's broke though and he wouldn't have a clue how to fix it, or where to ask for help to fix it.

Dilbert1234567

Remember, my way was a 'oh shit I want my deposit back and I forgot to patch these holes' not a professional approach as Psycho Dad has offered, my votes for Psycho Dad’s solution.

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3Z3VH

Ok, now for a bit more of a difficult question.

How would one do this on a textured wall ?

Let's just say a drunk friend took a bit of a tumble down my stairs, and the wall at the end of my stairway stopped them nicely, though their knee made a nice 3" dent in my textured wall

Psycho Dad

If it is just a dent and not a hole, it would be easier to fix the dent in the same fashion. If it isn't very deep, you won't even need the tape and maybe could get by with spackle. Matching the texture is the tricky part.

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3Z3VH

Indeed. I grew up with a do-it-yourselfer sort of dad. If I didn't find something to do with friends OUTSIDE of the house every weekend, I was pretty much stuck running some electrical lines, or sweating pipes or moving a wall or whatever. I got the spackle part down. Problem is all the walls I have built were un-textured (I actually prefer it that way). I have no idea where to begin matching this texture.

Psycho Dad

Is it a stimpled texture like the roll-on stuff or an orange-peel type texture? The roll on is easier to match but the other types can be matched too. Try this link from Lowes for some tips.

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3Z3VH

It's like orange-peel with larger spaots that have no dimples than your typical orange peel.

Psycho Dad

I've not done that type of texture but I've seen websites describing it. I think you would find that were you to practice with a bit of drywall compound on a scrap piece of sheet rock you could do it.

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3Z3VH

Heh, now to find some scrap sheetrock

Psycho Dad

Carboard would likely suffice as well.

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Hard8s

Found a great How To Site for Drywall repair. As for Texture, I bought a can of spray texture that came with 3 different spary nozzles to match different textures.

And Here for texture tips.

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BigTruck1956

sometimes you can use a sponge to texture the wall, i guess it depends on the texture pattern

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Plaid13

Over the years i have knocked a few holes in drywall and i have always just cut out a square around the hole between the studs so the hole was halfway across each stud then cut a peice of new drywall to fill the hole so i could nail through that drywall into the studs. just huge amounts of spackle in a holeis easy to break again if you bump into it. and its hard to ever get it to look as good as the rest of the wall. If your going to take the time and effort to fix it might as well do it right. Spending the extra 10 min or whatever to do it right is normaly worth the effort.

Psycho Dad

That is indeed a much stronger repair method and likely for the size of this hole a much better option.

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edmos1

I noted the same as plaid, however when renting it tends to be difficult to buy $ 30 in materials, sheetrock, tape, mud, several knifes.
I did note not to use the lightweight stuff, and to use several layers, and the mesh type tape.

Plaid13

If it was only a one or two inch hole i would say yah just toss some mesh tape and slather it in spackle. but something as big as that hole is just dosnt seem like a good idea. if you dont care about doing it right just get some white duct tape throw it over the hole and paint it to match the wall. and hang a poster there.

troit

Just be prepared to sand it down and reapply - this may have to be done a couple of times to make it smooth.

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james t kirk

Speaking as a guy who has drywalled more walls than I want to remember:

The advice to cut it back to the adjacent studs is correct.

Use a carpenter's square to make it neat.

Screw, don't nail the patch drywall in the hole.

Take a utility knife and cut the edges of the adjacent drywall and the patch piece to a V shape.

Apply the mesh tape.

Use drywall compond (I have never in 20 some odd years of doing this heard it refered to as "spackle")

First you use a 6" drywall compound knife to cover the mesh.

Let it dry.

When dry, take a putty knife and raze any high spots.

Apply another coat of compound, slightly larger than the last coat.

When that drys, use a piece of 80 grit sandpaper to smooth it up, doens't have to be 100%.

Apply another coat of compound, larger in width than the last coat. By now, you are probably covering the whole patch, so beit. You may want to use a 12" drywall knife which will cover it beautifully.

When dry, use 80 grit to sand to good. Then use compound again to touch up any divets you see.

80 grit again.

Now here's my own trick. Take a bare light bulb and bring it up to the compound. This will hilight any imperfections that you will see later in a different light.

80 grit.

Finish with a 120 grit sand to the entire area using the light.

Oh, and one other thing, always vaccuum up the dust between coats and before you primer.

Primer with latex or oil primer (if your adjacent walls are oil, you must use oil primer)

Once primered, do the light trick again. Touch up any imperfections you see.

Primer again.

Paint.

You'll never see it, trust me.

My kitchen at the moment:

All framing, wiring, plumbing, insulating, heated floors, drywall, tiling, windows, etc. by yours truly.





Like my stove?

3Z3VH

Tiling ? I see no tiles.

Hehe, nice job on the joints ! Those pictures bring back way too many memories of my parents' houses as I grew up... I don't think I EVER lived in a completed house with them. We were always knocking down walls, moving doorways, adding electrical outlets, building additions, replacing floors or cabinets, reversing stairs so the up is now down and down is now up.. whatever they could do to keep busy. I may not be a pro, but if it was required, I can build an entire house if someone held a gun to my head.