It’s bound to happen at some point really. Someone knocks the door just a bit too hard shoving the doorknob through the wall and suddenly—there is a very ugly hole.
Nooo!
Damaged drywall looks horrible.
What is a disheartened homeowner to do?
Well, if you want easy, you can hang a picture over it or slap on some duct tape. You could jam a little piece of drywall into the hole. Or maybe fill it with frosting or toothpaste and hope that when it hardens no one will notice.
These options would be easy, but not very professional-looking.
Do-it-Yourself Drywall Repair
If it’s a small hole you can:
What you will need
- A drywall patch kit or self-adhesive mesh patch
- Joint compound (drywall putty)
- A putty knife and a wider taping knife
- Sandpaper in coarse, medium and fine grits
- A screwdriver, a drop cloth and a dust mask
- Primer, plus paint that matches your wall
- A doorstop — so it does not happen again
Then:
Step 1 — Patch the hole
Apply mesh over the hole.
Step 2 — Putty over the patch
Putty over the mesh with drywall putty, using a putty knife or a taping knife. Then wait for the joint compound to dry.
Step 3 — Sand it flat
Sand the area. Apply another coat of drywall compound if you need it, wait for that to dry, and sand again. Re-sand with a much finer grain sandpaper.
Step 4 — Clean up and mask off
Clean up the dust all over the floor. Put down a drop cloth.
Step 5 — Prime and paint
Paint the smooth, dry compound with primer. Then paint the area, and hope you still have some matching paint in good condition — otherwise it is a trip to the hardware store for a small can to match your walls. Wait for it to dry, paint another coat, and wait again. Clean up any paint that made it through the drop cloth.
Step 6 — Fit a doorstop
Install a doorstop so this does not happen again. You may want one behind every door in the house.
And there you go!
Unless the corner bead of a wall is involved, and then it is going to be a lot more complicated. Or if it is a large hole, then you will need to have a special saw to cut out a new piece of drywall to fit into the hole and drywall tape to hold it in place, then you can carry on from Step 2 below. You may also need drywall screws to screw the larger piece of drywall to the studs in the wall. And you may want a utility knife to help you cut out any odd shapes you need. Of course, you will also need to check to be sure there is no electrical wiring behind the area you need to fix.
Not your cup of tea?
Great news! If this project sounds overwhelming or you just don’t have the time, patience, or desire to deal with this mess yourself, there is another option that is much easier to repair the hole your doorknob made in your drywall.
Just call a handyman!
You don’t need a drywall contractor or a general contractor for a small job like this, thankfully. Save yourself money by hiring a local handyman instead.
The great thing about hiring a handyman is that if you find a reputable handyman business, you can save yourself a lot of time, hassle, and aggravation. You don’t even have to deal with the mess or the cleanup. You just need a handyman to patch the drywall and then you can go back to enjoying your perfect-looking home.
When you find a handyman you can trust, you can let him (or her) tackle your list of home improvement projects around the house so that you don’t have to worry about wasting all your free time on projects.
Keep in mind that some handyman companies charge a flat fee for a specific job. Others charge by the hour. So check with your particular drywall repair handyman before you agree to have them do the job. It would be great to have your quote in writing in advance.
Then everyone who stops by, will be impressed with how well-maintained and glorious your home is. Not to mention, you will get to enjoy the benefits of living in a peaceful sanctuary of beauty yourself.
Drywall repair questions, answered
Can I fix a hole in drywall myself?
A doorknob-sized hole, yes — a patch kit, joint compound, sandpaper and matching paint will do it, following the steps above. What trips most people up is not the patching but the finishing: sanding flat and blending the paint so the repair does not show in daylight.
When is a hole too big to patch yourself?
Once the hole is wider than a patch kit covers, you are cutting out the damaged section and fitting a new piece of drywall, which needs a drywall saw, backing and taping. Corner beads and any hole with wiring or plumbing behind it are also worth handing over. If you are not sure what is behind the wall, stop and ask before cutting.
How long does drywall repair take to dry before painting?
Each coat of joint compound generally needs several hours to dry fully, and a patch usually takes two coats plus sanding between them. Humidity slows it down. Rushing paint onto compound that is not fully dry is the most common reason a repair cracks or shows through later.
Does Punch List Pros repair drywall in Columbia, SC?
Yes. Drywall patching, sanding and paint matching is one of the jobs we are called for most often across Columbia and the Midlands, and it is usually a single visit. Contact us for a free estimate.
If the hole is bigger than a patch kit, or you would rather it just be done and matched properly the first time, that is what we are for. We handle drywall repair as part of our general handyman services, and if you have a few other jobs saved up we will do them in the same visit. See handyman services in Columbia, SC or get a free estimate.
