Large Drywall Hole Repair Methods

Drywall Hole Repair Method One

If you’re confident that you have wall studs on 16 inch centers behind the drywall use a level, or other straight edge, and a pencil to mark a square around the drywall hole. The vertical lines should line up approximately over the center of where you think the adjacent wall studs are next to the hole. For the horizontal lines make sure they are straight and level.

After making the marked square use a utility knife and repeatedly score a line into the drywall along the penciled marks. When done a sufficient amount of times you should be able to remove the piece of drywall, along with the associated hole. Once you’ve removed the section of drywall, make sure that the wall studs are exposed about ¾ of an inch. Next, find a replacement piece of drywall and cut it to size. Fasten it into place using drywall screws. With the drywall patch in place, apply a thin layer of joint compound to the seams and then lay drywall tape over the wet joint compound and seams.

Use a 6 inch taping knife to make sure the drywall tape is smoothly placed into the joint compound. Then add a skim coat of joint compound over the tape surface. Allow the joint compound to fully dry.

Once the joint compound is fully dry apply another coat of joint compound (mud) over the seams.

Make sure to flare out the seam a little bit with your taping knife. Again allow this coat of joint compound to fully dry.

Repeat the application of joint compound for a third and final time and allow it to dry. Then lightly sand over and around the edges of the seams, prime and paint.

See my video on “How to Repair a Large Drywall Hole” to observed this method of drywall repair.

Drywall Hole Repair Method Two If you’re not convinced you have wall studs on 16 inch centers and adjacent to the large drywall hole, there is still hope. Again, use a level and pencil to make a square around the hole area. Then again, use your utility knife to score and remove the squared section of damaged drywall material. Next, using appropriate lengths of 1”x3” lumber and screws, affix the lumber pieces to the back (inside) edges of the square drywall hole so that the lumber leaves a lip to attach a drywall patch to. To do this simply hold each lumber piece firmly behind the drywall edge and screw drywall screws into the face of the drywall edge so that it fastens into the lumber piece behind it.

When complete you should have a lip frame made from the 1”x3” lumber pieces to affix a drywall patch repair. The lip should be at least 1 inch in width.

Cut a patch piece of drywall and place it into the opening. Then attach it with drywall screws to the wood lip frame.

Finally, tape and mud as described in method one above.

With a little luck and patience your wall should be looking like new again.