Working for Homeowners vs. Subbing
A Contractor Perspective

​01/10/21

​If you look after a home, you know it as well as me. It's only a matter of time before something needs fixing.

Maybe this time that "something" is a gaping hole in your ceiling. Lucky for you, learning to patch a large hole in drywall is actually attainable for any DIY'er with a healthy definition of patients and poise.

With this in mind, I've created a brief drywall guide to coach you from afar. 

* List of tools and materials below

Step 1: Shape your hole
Take your knife and saw the drywall back to the neighboring studs or floor joists. In the above picture, you can see only one floor joist is exposed. By cutting the hole back even further, you will have proper support behind the edges of your drywall patch when it comes to attaching it. Just be wary of any plumbing or electrical features in the vicinity of your repair. Always assume your site is booby trapped before sticking sharp things through your walls.

Make sure to cut along the center line of the neighboring framing members as seen on the left and right joists in the pic.
Draw a line with pencil and score it with a utility knife repeatedly until the drywall falls away and you expose the stud.

This allows you to properly fasten the edges of the existing drywall as well as your new drywall patch mitigating cracking down the line.

By: Dylan Smart
Owner & Operator
Principle Drywall & Finishing

Step 2: Install your patch
​Now that you've got support for your patch, it's time to measure and fit. Draw out your patch on a piece of paper, then pencil it onto the board. Mind the orientation of the sheet. Drywall only has one good side, so it’s possible to cut your piece with immaculate precision only to realize the brown side is facing out. Been there more times than I care to admit.

Use 1 and 1/4" drywall screws. Don't get stingy; make sure each corner is fastened and screws are spaced no more than 12" apart. Before you get too happy with your gun, know that setting a drywall screw is a tedious balance. Too shallow and they'll poke through your finish coat. Too deep and you'll get the dreaded "screw pops."

Ideally you want to countersink each screw without breaking through the thin layer of paper that wraps the gypsum. One sure fire way to do this is to intentionally leave your screws proud with your drill and use a screwdriver to fine tune them into place. It seems like a silly detail but unless you are in the practice of repairing your repairs, I suggest paying close enough attention the first time.

Step 3: Tape the joints
Now that your wall is looking more wall-like, it's time to start playing in the mud. Using a drywall knife, load up some compound into a pan or onto a hawk. Start by filling in any small gaps around the perimeter of your patch. I'll define a small gap as 1/4" or smaller.

Next, apply drywall mud at 1/8" thick over top of all 4 joints. Pat yourself on the back for investing in a ten dollar metal putty knife from the hardware store instead of using those rigid yellow ones more appropriately found in a happy meal than a DIY'ers tool arsenal. I suggest picking up the 6" variety.

​Once you've coated your joints, it's time to tape them. This is your future anti-crack measure. Pre-cut each strip and layer them over the center line of your mud streaks. Very softly massage the tape down starting in the middle and dragging towards the end. Do it in both directions.

Fiba fuse tape is great because you can't trap air beneath it like standard paper tape. Although it doesn't bubble Fiba Fuse has its own challenges. Mainly if you apply too much pressure, or your mud is too thick, the tape will tear and fold as you embed it. Not to worry, just remove, re-coat the joint, and retry. Maybe a few times.

You'll know you're done this step when the tape covers all 4 joints and has no dry spots. Now collect all your misplaced patients before proceeding to the next step.

Step 4: Coat & Finish
Scoop some joint compound into a separate bucket and stir in some water to loosen it up. You're shooting for the texture of peanut butter roughly. The smooth kind.

This makes it harder to layer too much compound on the wall at once, a classic mistake for a beginner mud-slinger.

Coating Tips:

• Load the mud on the wall with a putty knife if a trowel feels too foreign. Cover the whole repair site.
• Overlap the perimeter of your patch by at least 6 inches per coat
• Use a trowel or large putty knife (6"+) to glide back and forth and pull out the bubbles
• Smooth out the ridge around the perimeter of your application
• Don't worry if you expose the tape on your first pass, the name of the game is less product, more often
• Let dry and sand down any aggressive ridges that may peak through the next coat
• Each coat gets smoother and easier, however it can take 3-5 sessions before a smooth plane is achieved
• Sand with 150 grit sandpaper in circular motions

Tools & Materials​