Holes in Dry Wall and Wooden Door: How to Make Repairs on the Cheap

Accidents happen and sometimes, accidents lead to unsightly dings or holes in the wall. If your wall is composed of dry wall, repairs are often quick, easy and cheap.

Drywall is typically made from two thick sheets of paper sandwiched between gypsum plaster. The material breaks very easily. Drywalls usually come in different thickness, but a blunt force is enough to cause a large hole in most types of drywall. That’s why when purchasing the material, make sure to get the right thickness. You don’t want to keep making repairs!

How to Repair Holes in Dry Walls

To repair holes in drywalls, you will need joint compound, drywall screws, and drywall mesh or tape. You will also need a sanding sponge, scrap wood and another piece of drywall. The size of the drywall piece will depend on the size of the hole.

Start by sanding the edges of the hole. This way, you have a clean area to work with. Using a piece of drywall, shape it according to the size of the hole.

Next, place the scrap wood behind the drywall hole. The scrap wood should be narrower but longer than the hole. Secure the wood behind the wall with screws. Get the piece of drywall and push it into the wall. It should connect to the wood behind the hole. Screw the piece of drywall to secure it.

Now add joint compound on the entire area. Keep the compound seamless within the edges to make it undetectable once you paint over. Leave the joint compound to dry. The area is ready for painting. Once it’s painted over, the hole will disappear from view.

How to Repair Holes in Wooden Door

Wooden doors come in hollow or solid core varieties. Adjust your repairs accordingly.

For Solid-core Doors

Start by filling the holes with doweling of the same diameter as the hole. Make sure to cut the doweling an inch longer than the thickness of the door.

Then, cut the doweling with carpenter’s glue. Use a hammer to firmly tap the doweling in place until it sits flush with the door’s surface. Let the glue dry. Once the glue is dry, spread wood filler on both ends of the doweling. Sand it down with a 120 grit sandpaper. Prime the patch and paint it the same color as the rest of the door.

For Hollow-Core Doors

Install a piece of wood over one side of the hole. Using a spray foam insulation, fill the sides of the door. The foam will expand and cover the hole. Once the foam hardens, remove the wood. Cover the foam with drywall in the same shape and size as the hole. Secure the sides with joint compound. Scrape the joint compound flat then sand it down with a 120 grit sandpaper.

Prime the area then paint over the repaired hole. Once it’s painted over, the repairs won’t be noticeable. If the door is stained, add tint to the primer in the same color as the rest of the door. Then, paint the grain on the primer with an artist’s brush.