Dear James: My son just left for college, and his bedroom walls are pretty worn with quite a few holes. What are some tips to repair them so they look like new? — Lyle H.
Dear Lyle: Most homes today are built with drywall instead of more durable and much more expensive plaster. When the paper surface gets damaged from an impact, it doesn't take much for a hole to form eventually from additional impacts. The interior material crumbles easily.
Most damaged drywall material, particularly a hole, is not difficult to repair. The key to a professional-looking job is to take your time and plan on taking several steps to get a smooth surface. If you rush and eliminate steps, the drywall compound or spackling compound will shrink as it dries thoroughly and you may see a recessed area.
Plan on painting all the walls with flat wall paint when the repairs are completed. Flat wall paint hides many surface imperfections. If you are going to use semigloss paint for easier cleaning or where moisture is present, as in a kitchen or bathroom, the surface imperfections will be much more apparent.
Let's start with the small holes in the drywall first. If the edge of the hole is in pretty good condition — no cracks running out radially from it — you should be able to fill it will spackling compound. Force the spackling compound into the hole with a putty knife.
Give it plenty of time to dry (the packaging should list approximate drying times). DAP makes a good lightweight spackling compound that changes color to indicate when it is dry. Lightly sand the repair and then apply another coat of spackling or drywall compound. When this is dry, sand it again until it is smooth.
If the edges of the holes are not in good condition, use a peel-and-stick path over the area. These patches have a metal mesh center for strength. Sand down the area that the patch will cover. Apply the patch over the damaged spot and finish it with drywall or spackling compound.
Repairing larger holes in the wall requires a few more steps. Using a framing square, draw a rectangular outline around the area on the drywall to be repaired. Make sure to inspect around the hole for any less apparent weak or damaged areas. Cut through the drywall along the outline with a drywall knife or jigsaw and remove the damaged piece.
Cut two or three furring strips to a length several inches longer than the width of the hole in the wall. Place the strips through the hole and screw them to the back side of the drywall. These will support the patch that will be inserted.
Use the damaged piece you removed as a template to cut a patch from new drywall. Place it in the hole against the furring strips and screw it to the strips with drywall screws. Always make sure the screw heads are recessed slightly so the drywall compound with cover them. Place adhesive-backed fiberglass drywall tape over the joints and finish it with several coats of drywall compound.
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