How To Repair A Hole In Drywall Ceiling

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Holes in the ceiling tin can be acquired past many things, including leaks, lighting or fixture installation, and elementary accidents. Patch pocket-sized and medium-sized holes with a mesh drywall patch or brand a foursquare patch out of a new piece of drywall to fill in larger holes. Either mode, cover the patch upwardly with 2 coats of spackling, sanding later on each coat, so prime number the patch with a h2o-based primer before painting over it. Soon enough, you'll accept a hole-gratis ceiling again!

1
Put on safety goggles and a dust mask. You'll exist working underneath the hole, and then it's important to protect your optics and mouth from falling drywall dust and debris. Safety goggles are meliorate than safety glasses because they fully wrap around your optics and don't permit anything in.^[1]
- Drywall dust can cause respiratory problems if inhaled, then ever wear a dust mask when cut and repairing drywall.
- Make sure you have a sturdy pace ladder to work with likewise then you can reach the ceiling.
2
Employ a utility knife to cut abroad whatsoever loose debris effectually the edges of the hole. Carefully slice away any loose pieces of drywall and paper around the edges of the hole to neaten it upward and get rid of whatever jagged edges. Try to clean the hole up enough that a drywall repair patch volition exist able to sit flush against the ceiling.^[2]
- This method will work for holes in drywall ceilings that are up to 6 in (xv cm) in diameter.
Tip: For holes that are less than 0.v in (1.3 cm) in diameter, you don't need to use a patch. You lot can simply make full them in with a footling scrap of spackle.

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iii
Cut a drywall patch then information technology is i in (two.5 cm) bigger than the hole. ^[3] Cut a foursquare drywall repair patch with sharp scissors and then information technology is i in (2.5 cm) taller and 1 in (two.five cm) wider than the hole you lot want to patch. This will give it 0.5 in (one.three cm) of extra length and width on each side so it tin adhere to the ceiling around the hole.^[iv]
- Drywall repair patches are fabricated of a type of closely-woven mesh. They come in squares in different sizes upwards to about 8 in (20 cm) in diameter. You can buy a drywall repair patch at a home improvement middle, hardware store, or online.
4
Remove the bankroll from the patch and place the patch over the hole. Peel the protective backing off of the adhesive side of the drywall patch. Center the patch over the hole, so press it firmly against the ceiling around all the sides to make information technology adhere.^[five]
- The agglutinative volition cure right away, so you tin can go ahead and start roofing the patch with spackle.
- Yous now need to spackle and sand the patch to finish fixing the hole.
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ane
Protect your eyes and mouth with safety goggles and a dust mask. This will keep drywall dust and droppings from the hole from getting in your eyes or mouth. Always article of clothing this kind of protective gear when repairing holes in drywall and cutting drywall.^[vi]
- Safety goggles that fully wrap around your optics are preferable to safety glasses that have open sides. Yous volition exist working correct under a hole and debris and dust will be falling straight downward, so more protection is better.
- You'll need a sturdy pace ladder as well then you can stand up on it to accomplish the ceiling.
2
Cut a drywall square that is 2 in (5.1 cm) bigger than the hole. ^[7] Use a drywall saw or utility knife to cut a square patch out of a new piece of drywall. Make it two in (5.i cm) wider and 2 in (5.1 cm) taller than the pigsty in the ceiling so you lot can cutting the pigsty foursquare to fit the patch.^[viii]
- You can become small pieces of drywall for making patches that are near ii ft (0.61 m) by ii ft (0.61 m). Purchase a piece at a abode improvement middle to cutting the patch from if y'all don't have any spare drywall lying around.
- This method works for holes that are bigger than six in (fifteen cm) in diameter.
3
Trace the outline of the patch onto the ceiling around the hole. Center the square patch over the hole and agree it against the ceiling. Trace around the edges with a pencil to draw the outline of the patch on the ceiling then you can cutting a square hole.^[9]
- Get someone to assist you hold the patch against the ceiling while you trace it if it is too big and bad-mannered to practise yourself.
iv
Employ a drywall saw to cut the square outline around the hole out. Cut from the center of the hole diagonally out towards each corner of the outline you traced. Plunge the tip of the saw into a corner, then saw forth the line at the side of the outline, removing the section of jagged drywall when you reach the other corner. Repeat this along each side of the outline until y'all accept cut it all out.^[x]
- You lot can exam-fit the patch at this point to make sure information technology fits in the pigsty easily. If you need to make whatever adjustments, y'all can cut along the edges of the hole using a utility knife to remove small amounts of cloth.
5
Cut 2 furring board strips half-dozen in (15 cm) longer than the width of the pigsty. Furring boards are 1 in (2.5 cm)-thick, 2 in (5.one cm)-broad pieces of soft wood lumber used for various carpentry purposes. Cut 2 strips of furring board that are vi in (xv cm) longer than the width of the foursquare hole to exist fastened inside the hole and concur the patch in identify.^[11]
- Y'all tin buy furring strip board at a home improvement middle or lumber supply shop. They unremarkably come up in 8 ft (2.4 m) sections, but you might be able to find smaller scrap pieces.
- You can utilize a hand saw or any kind of power saw you take available to cut the strips. Don't worry besides much about making the cuts perfectly straight equally they will be subconscious inside the ceiling.
6
Attach the furring lath strips inside the hole using drywall screws. Insert the strips at each side of the hole so the ceiling overlaps near 1/4 of the furring boards at the sides and the furring boards have 3 in (7.6 cm) of length confronting the inside of the ceiling at each end. Use an electric drill to insert a drywall spiral through the ceiling and overlapping furring lath at each end.^[12]
- Make sure to hold the furring lath strips firmly in place while you bulldoze the screws through the ceiling into them to avoid leaving any gaps between the ceiling and the wood. If the furring lath strips aren't flush confronting the inside of the ceiling, the patch won't sit down flush with the ceiling.
7
Screw the drywall patch to the furring board strips. Place the square drywall patch into the pigsty and concur it firmly against the furring board strips. Insert a drywall spiral through the patch into the boards every 3–4 in (vii.vi–10.2 cm) or so.^[13]
- Become someone to hold the patch firmly in place while you put the screws in if information technology's too difficult to exercise yourself.
- Notation that you demand to spackle and sand the patch to end the job.
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1
Put on a dust mask and safety goggles. This is particularly important while sanding. The dust mask and goggles will ensure you don't inhale dust from drywall or spackle or go it in your eyes.^[14]
- Make sure you lot use goggles rather than regular safety glasses. Since you'll exist looking direct up at the ceiling while you sand, information technology's ameliorate to have protection that wraps completely around your eyes.
- Use a sturdy step ladder to reach the ceiling while you are sanding and spackling.
2
Utilize a putty knife to apply a sparse layer of spackle over the patch. Scoop upwards some spackle on the edge of a putty knife. Drag it across the patch to cover it, overlapping the spackle onto the surrounding wall past about 2 in (5.1 cm). Scoop more spackle onto your putty knife as needed and keep applying information technology until you have covered the patch evenly.^[15]
- Make certain you press spackle downwards into all the holes in a mesh drywall patch or into the seams between a drywall patch and the ceiling effectually it.
Tip: If you lot prefer, you tin can utilize articulation chemical compound, also known as drywall mud, instead of spackle. The advantage of spackle is that it dries faster and shrinks less, making information technology ideal for filling in and patching holes.
3
Let the first coat of spackle dry overnight. Spackle is typically dry out after 2-4 hours, just drying times vary depending on conditions. Leave the starting time glaze to dry overnight to exist sure it is completely cured earlier you go along to sand it and add another coat.^[16]
- If you don't let the spackle dry completely before proceeding with the process, wet can get trapped inside and cause the patch to fall apart over time.
four
Sand the patch with 120-grit sandpaper to smooth information technology out. Put a slice of 120-grit sandpaper on a sanding block or just sand past hand. Sand the unabridged patch downwards lightly until it is evenly smooth. Sand very lightly effectually the edges where the patch overlaps with the surrounding ceiling to blend the spackle in with the residue of the ceiling.^[17]
- Run your mitt over the patch every bit you become to feel for any rough spots and then sand those areas further until the whole patch is smooth.
- Don't sand besides aggressively or you might end up removing the kickoff layer of spackle, only try to make it uniformly smooth and blend it in with the texture of the ceiling.
5
Wipe the patch with a dampened rag to remove grit. Wet a clean material and wring out the excess water. Wipe down the patch afterward sanding to get rid of whatsoever spackle dust.
- This will help the 2d coat of spackle attach ameliorate.
- You lot could also use a tack fabric or microfiber textile if you have one handy.
6
Utilise and sand a second glaze of spackle using the aforementioned technique. Use your putty knife to spread another thin coat of spackle over the patch, dragging the pocketknife across it to spread it out and alloy the edges into the ceiling. Allow it dry overnight, then sand information technology smooth with 120-dust sandpaper and wipe information technology down with a damp cloth.^[18]
- If your ceiling is textured and you lot want to make the spackle friction match, y'all tin dab it with a sponge while it is yet wet and skip the sanding. You could also coil on a final coat of watered-down spackle with a textured pigment roller.
7
Prime number the patch with a water-based primer. ^[nineteen] Use a paintbrush or pocket-size paint roller to apply 1 coat of water-based primer to the patch to cover the spackle. Allow the primer to dry for 3 hours before proceeding to pigment over it.^[20]
- Most h2o-based primers will really dry in 30 minutes to 1 60 minutes, but let it dry for at least 3 merely to make certain it is 100% dry out before yous paint over it.
8
Pigment over the patch to arrive match the residue of the ceiling. Paint over the patch with pigment that is the same color as the balance of the ceiling to brand it blend in if you have some of the right paint color. Requite the whole ceiling a new glaze of paint if you don't have paint of the aforementioned color to utilize on the patch.^[21]
- For example, if the ceiling is white, it would exist adequately like shooting fish in a barrel to just use a white glaze of paint to the patch and not repaint the whole ceiling. Withal, if the ceiling is a different color and you don't have any leftover paint that matches it lying around, you're probably amend off repainting the whole thing.
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Wear goggles and a dust mask to protect yourself from drywall dust and debris while fixing holes in a drywall ceiling.
Utilize a sturdy step ladder to assistance y'all reach the ceiling.
Be very careful whenever operating a saw.

Things Y'all'll Need

Safety goggles
Grit mask
Utility knife
Drywall patch
Scissors

Safety goggles
Dust mask
Utility knife
Drywall saw
Piece of drywall
Drywall screws
Furring lath strips
Saw
Electric drill
Pencil

Safety goggles
Grit mask
Putty knife
Spackle
120-grit sandpaper
Sanding cake
Water-based primer
Paintbrush or roller

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Commodity Summary Ten

If you have a small hole in your ceiling, you can easily fix it with a mesh drywall patch you can get from a home improvement store. Cut the patch so it's ane inch bigger than the hole, remove the adhesive backing, and stick the patch over the pigsty. For larger holes, you lot'll demand to cut out a drywall square 2 inches bigger than the hole, trace the square onto the ceiling around the pigsty, and cut the square of ceiling out. Then, you lot can spiral a couple of furring lath strips inside the hole using drywall screws, and spiral your square drywall patch to the board strips. For more tips, including how to sand and pigment your ceiling patch, read on!

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