Surviving A Living Room John Elway 
      Patching Drywall for Fun and Sanity! 
  

Here is how to fix The Hole--fixing The Stud is up to you!

1. Clear away any raised pieces of drywall paper around the edge of the point of impact (The Hole).

2. Sandpaper all around the edges of The Hole to roughen the paint.

3. If The Hole is 1-3 inches wide, you can apply self-adhesive plastic mesh tape to The Hole.

4. Use a putty knife to apply spackling compound to The Hole. Make sure it is as smooth as possible. Reapply after the first spackling layer shrinks.

5. Allow the spackling to dry

6. Sand the area smooth

7. Prime and paint

8. If The Hole (or The Stud’s head) is larger, find the stud (not The Stud!) that is closest to The Hole and use a knife or saw to cut out a rectangle drywall around the area.   Be sure to include half the  width of the stud (so the patch can be attached later). 

9. Use sandpaper to roughen around the edges.

10. Cut a new piece of drywall the same size as The Hole you cut out.

11. Attach the new drywall patch to the stud using drywall screws or drywall nails. Be careful not to break the paper by setting the heads too deep.

12. Using a putty knife, apply thin (and I mean thin!) coat of joint compound along the seams. Press paper joint tape into the joint compound (gently now!). Make sure the edges of the tape are in the compound, but scrape away any excess.

13. After that coat dries, apply two more thin coats over the tape, extending several inches on each side to blend into the original wall. 

14. Sand lightly between coats.

15. Prime the new patch.

16. Paint! 
 

There you have it! A perfectly patched hole! And just think! Football season is only just beginning!
  

About the Author:

Pamela Cole Harris is an editor and writer with 35 years experience. Her interest in do-it-yourself projects dates from the time she helped her father, who was a builder, work on new homes after school. Her website, Home and Garden Makeover , is full of remodeling, home improvement and decorating ideas.