Fixing a hole in your sheetrock can seem challenging,  but I am here to show you how to accomplish this in one hour or less!  Why would you want to do this?  Perhaps you’re pressed for time and only have one day to complete the job, or maybe the painters are coming soon to paint the walls.  Whatever the reason, my name is Erik, and I have been doing handyman work for almost 30 years. Today, I’ll walk you through patching a hole in your drywall in one hour or less.

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Tools You’ll Need:

• Medium size drywall knife

• 5 minute drywall compound

• Drywall mud pan

• 2 buckets-one clean water and one water to clean your tools

• Tile sponge

• Drywall sanding block

• Mixer

• Drill

• Salt

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Step-By-Step Guide:

1. Prepare the hole:

The first task is to ream out the hole with the butt end of your drywall knife or spreader.  This ensures that the edges of the hole will be level with the surface, not protruding above it.

2. Mix the Compound  

Mix up the 5 minute compound paste in your mud pan.  Add in some salt to speed up the drying time.  Mix until you achieve a pancake-like consistency.  Be quick, as the compound will start to set fast!

3. Apply the Compound

Spread the compound mixture into the hole, leaving about a 1/16th of an inch above the surface.  This allows some shrinkage as it dries. 

4. Dry the Compound

Put your drying gun to low and dry in circular motions.  Avoid letting any part dry out too quickly.  Turn the power on full and continue to dry in circular motions.

5. Smooth out the edges

Allow the patch to cool for about a minute.  Then, take a damp tile sponge (not soaking wet) and gently smooth the edges in circular motions.  Try to avoid the center, as it still may be wet.

6. Final Drying

Use the drying gun to further dry the patch if needed.  Once it’s nearly dry, you can use the sponge again to refine the edges.

7. Sand with Drywall Block

Dry off area and LIGHTLY sand with the drywall sanding block.  Start from the edges and move your way inward.

When satisfied with the edges, stop and wipe the area with a paper towel.

 Prime or paint!

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Tips for success:

• Be sure to work quickly with the compound, as it dries fast.

• Don’t use too much water on the sponge, as this can cause the compound to soften and disrupt your patch.

• If you need to smooth out the edges further after drying, use the sanding block once the patch is fully dry.

By following these simple steps, you’ll have that hole patched up and ready to go in no time!

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Final Thoughts:

This process is a great quick fix for a small hole in your drywall.  If you have a larger hole or more time, you might need to take extra steps, like using mesh or sheetrock patch.  But for a fast job, this guide will help you get the job done efficiently!