The pressed gypsum product known as "sheetrock" or "drywall" is one of the many recent inventions that have revolutionized modern construction. Gone are the solid board or plaster-and-lath walls that took forever to install. Ceilings no longer consist of boards laid laboriously side-by-side, end-to-end. Thanks to this relatively lightweight material, interiors are much easier to complete than ever before.

That's not to say that drywall has no drawbacks. If your house is in a flood, forget it -- wet drywall turns into mud. Even when dry, drywall is flimsy and brittle. If your house settles, drywall panels can crack or separate; and accidentally banging something into a wall can punch a hole in it.

Fortunately, the last problem is quickly remedied, as small drywall holes -- those less than six inches across -- are easily repaired. Whether it's a hole you created by missing a corner on your skateboard, or a fist-sized cavity your brainless roommate punched into the wall to "prove" his manhood, this article shows you how to fix it.

Tools and Supplies

This section lists the tools and supplies you'll need to fix the hole. Depending upon the nature and location of the hole, you probably won't need all of this material. Nonetheless, it's a good idea to have it on hand just in case. Fortunately, this stuff is inexpensive, and easily available at your local hardware or home improvement store. The list includes:

1. A small length of drywall, perhaps one foot wide by two feet long

2. A small handsaw, such as a jigsaw

3. A pencil

4. A finishing hammer

5. Finishing nails

6. Newspaper

7. A length of fine wire, about one foot long

8. Wirecutters

9. A small tape measure or ruler

10. Work gloves

11. A putty knife

12. A sharp utility knife

13. A strong construction adhesive or epoxy, such as Liquid Nails

14. A small tub of joint compound

15. Fine sandpaper

16. A paint brush

17. Primer paint

The Procedure for Repairing a Tiny Hole

If yours is a small hole or dent, less than an inch across, it's relatively easy to fix. Follow these steps.

1. Stuff the hole with wadded newspaper to provide a backing, unless the hole is very shallow (i.e., not punched all the way through the drywall panel) or is located right on top of one of the wall studs.

2. Fill the remaining hole with joint compound, which is basically a gypsum-based mud. Apply it with the putty knife, and smooth it down as best as you can. Although this gray goo doesn't look like much, by the next day it will have congealed into a hard, white patch.

To continue, skip to Step 12 of the procedure for repairing a larger hole, and follow that procedure on through to the end.

The Procedure for Repairing a Larger Hole

1. Use the handsaw or utility knife to cut the hole square so that it's easier to patch. Remove and discard the drywall fragments.

2. Measure the hole with the measuring tape or ruler, and write down the measurements. Then use the measurements to mark out the size of the patch you'll need on the drywall board.

3. Use the handsaw to cut out the patch, making it just a tad bigger than you think you'll need.

4. Carefully test the patch against the hole into which it's to fit. Make sure it fits snugly. If it is too large, carefully pare down the edges with the utility knife until it fits.

5. If a stud lies on the other side of the hole, you can use the finishing nails to attach the patch to the stud. Skip to Step 11.

6. If there's no stud there (and there usually isn't), you'll have to be a bit craftier. Hammer a finishing nail through the center of the patch. Remove the nail and thread the wire through the hole. Make a loop in one end of the wire, then tie a crude knot in the other end, one that is large enough to keep the wire's end from slipping through the hole.

8. Stuff the hole with wadded newspaper to provide some backing.

7. Liberally coat the edges of both the hole and the patch with the construction adhesive (wear gloves for this).

8. Slide the patch into the hole while avoiding the gluey edges (you can manipulate the patch with the wire). Make sure the front face of the patch is flush with the edge of the wall. If you push the patch in a bit too far, you can use the attached wire to pull it back out.

9. When the patch is placed to your satisfaction, wipe away the excess glue and allow it to set overnight.

10. The next day, use the wirecutters to snip off the wire close to the wall. If a bit still protrudes, you can use your pencil to push it back into the wall.

11. Using the putty knife, liberally slather the entire patched area, including a small area around the patch, with the joint compound. Smooth it down a bit and let it dry overnight.

12. The next day, use the sandpaper to sand the patched area smooth. If you do this properly, the patched area will blend with the wall in such a way that it will almost seem as if the hole never existed. However, be careful with your sanding -- the joint compound is easy to sand away entirely.

13. Once you've finished sanding, paint the patched area with primer, and allow it to dry thoroughly. This step is especially important if you plan to hang wallpaper over the patched area -- wet joint compound tends to turn back into mud.

14. Complete the project by painting or papering the patched area so that it matches the rest of your wall.

And that's it. You're done, and your formerly perforated wall looks fabulous. This may not be the official Bob Vila way to patch a hole, but it's effective and it works -- and that's all that matters, right?

Written by Floyd Largent