Patch small to medium wall holes with this guide
Every house will get cracks in them at some point or the other, no matter how well you maintain it. The longer you stay at a house, the higher the chances of finding holes in the walls. Sometimes, it’s not only about the holes but also about stained walls that are damaged to the point of no return, making you cut that area out and then fix it.
In a lot of situations, you might have to call in a professional to do the job for you, especially if it involves any form of heavy renovation or something that might need extensive repairs. For example, if your home’s plumbing’s involved or if you have to also do a repainting after fixing the wall, it’s a good idea to call for professional help.
However, if it’s to patch small to medium wall holes, you can also try to do this on your own. It doesn’t need a whole lot of experience, and if you follow some simple steps, it should be fairly easy. Several hardware stores have wall-repair kits available that can make the process even easier. When fixing a wall, you should decipher its size and then do the needful.
Fixing a small hole
Smaller holes are easy to fix on your own and in most cases, you don’t even have to call in a professional to help. Here’s how you can patch a small hole.
Nail and screw holes
Nail and screw holes occur when you’ve made a hole before to fix a cabinet or a painting but have now moved the location of the said item. These are super easy to fix and all you need is a putty knife. Use the knife to fill the hole with a wall joint compound or spackling. Make sure that the area dries fully and then you need to sand it slightly. If the area is larger than a nail or screw size, you must first cover it fully with a bridging material, to give it an extra dose of strength, and then apply the patching compound.
Holes that are slightly larger in diameter
For smaller holes that are larger in diameter than a nail or screw holes, you must bridge the gap using fiberglass mesh that’s backed by adhesive. You can get kits in the market for the same.
Here’s how you can use this kit:
-You need to sand the hole by hand to make sure that any rougher spots become smooth. Then use a damp cloth to take off any excess dust.
-Then you must have a piece of fiberglass mesh on hand. Cut it to the size you think would need to overlap the hole and then peel the adhesive backing. Stick the mesh to the wall and hold it until it’s steady.
-Using a drywall knife, spread spackling compound across the patch.
-Now, you should leave this overnight for the whole thing to dry. Make sure that you don’t rush, and that everything settles first.
-Once it is completely dry, you need to sand it, but not too much. Then, it’s important to put in a second layer, however this time it will be thinner. If you need to and if you’re not satisfied with the overall result, apply a third layer as well once the second has dried.
Fixing a medium hole
Holes that can span up to 6 inches in diameter need a good backing to remain stable. In such cases, you need a more durable and sturdy material to bridge the hole. This could be a galvanized metal patch or stronger forms of fiberglass mesh that are backed by adhesives.
You can then install this by doing the following:
-Peel the backing paper off and then press it firmly over the larger hole.
-Put on three layers of the compound, you will need at least three to make sure that the hole is covered. Always note that you have to let every layer dry before putting on the next one.
-The last layer must be double the size to spread across the surrounding wall and to make sure that the patching doesn’t look splotchy or uneven.
Large holes
For larger holes, if need be, you can call in experts to do the job for you. If you’re confident in taking care of this yourself and if there are no underlying problems at the back of your wall, then you can do the following.
Holes that are bigger than 6 inches in diameter.
Holes that are larger than 6 inches in diameter can be fixed with the right tools. While it might seem intimidating it doesn’t take all that long. You will need two 1x3s and a drywall scrap piece.
Here are the steps to follow.
-Cut a square or rectangle shape across the hole in the wall.
-Place one of the 1x3s that you have into the hole and then fix it by screwing the edges. The trick here is that it needs to overlap the wall.
-Then use the other 1×3 on the other end of the cutout.
-The piece of drywall would need to fit into the cut-out specifically. Make sure to cut it to fit and put adhesive at the back, slicing it to the 1×3.
-Keep the drywall patch steady against the 1x3s and use drywall screws.
-Now comes the part where you put joint compound across the patch’s edges.
-Using a drywall knife, use paper tape and place it onto the compound to hide away the joints.
-Once the compound has been fully dried, sand it and then put it in two more layers.
-After everything is dry, the next step is to prime the area, making sure that each part is even, and then applying two coats of paint. Make sure that the first layer dries first and then applies the second.
Patch small to medium wall holes
We hope that this guide has been helpful! Do remember that if it’s something you aren’t able to tackle on your own, there’s no harm in calling in a professional company to do this for you. In case you need help repainting your wall after the fix, do reach out to Octopus. Our experts will take care of it. For inquiries, call 800 3993.
