got a few holes in your walls? fix your damageddrywall with these simple repair tips. small dings and dents are easy. scrape awayloose debris, apply lightweight spackle over the hole, and let it dry. add more spackleif the hole isn’t filled, then sand smooth. for popped nail heads, drive in a drywallscrew about 1-1/2 inches above or below to hold the drywall. then drive in the poppednail, spackle, and sand. holes from a doorknob can be fixed with asmall patch kit. stick it over the hole, then use a drywall knife to cover with lightweightjoint compound in a crisscross pattern. feather the edges so it blends with the wall. letit dry, then add another coat of compound if necessary.
a great fix for holes six inches and smalleris called the california patch. cut a new piece of drywall about two inches bigger thanthe hole. score the back about an inch from each side. snap off the loose gypsum but leavethe paper backing. hold it over the hole, and mark around the gypsum. cut out the areawith a drywall saw. apply joint compound to the back of the paper, press into place, andcover with a couple of coats of joint compound. for larger holes, cut a piece of drywall alittle bit bigger than the hole. hold the patch over the hole, trace it, and cut alongthe lines. hold small furring strips inside the holeon two sides and secure with screws. now set the drywall patch in place, and secureit to the furring strips. apply joint tape
and compound. got a dinged up corner? cut the damaged cornerbead with a hacksaw, and use a knife to cut the drywall. remove the damaged piece, andcut a new corner bead to fit. secure the piece, then apply joint compound to the corner. finish all repairs with a light sanding, primer,and paint. if you’re repairing a textured wall, lightlysand the repair to blend with the surface. then mix 4-parts joint compound to 1-partwater. dip a stiff brush, and flick it onto the wall in a forward motion. another option is a texture spray. shake thecan, adjust the nozzle, and spray in a circular
motion about 6-18 inches from the wall. fora knockdown finish lightly flatten with a drywall knife. just a few simple steps, and your walls willlook as good as new. want more great ideas and how-to’s? go tolowes.com/howto or just click to subscribe. next, learn how to paint your walls.