- 1). Fill small holes left by drilling with no-shrink spackling paste. This doesn't shrink the way vinyl spackling paste does, and only requires one coat over holes less than about a half inch in diameter.
- 2). Use metal drywall patches for holes one inch in diameter or wider. Available at paint and hardware stores, these are thin sheets of metal mesh with adhesive on one side. Use them straight from the package or cut them to size and stick them over the holes.
- 3). Apply two to three coats of joint compound over the metal patch, using at least a six-inch wide drywall knife. Do not sand in between coats. Knock off ridges and bumps with the drywall knife.
- 4). Extend the final coat of joint compound well beyond the patch so it will blend smoothly when you sand it. Let it dry; it will be gray when wet. When the joint compound turns completely white, it's dry.
- 5). Sand the repairs with a medium-fine sanding sponge or 120-grit sandpaper on a sanding pad. Run your hand over it to feel for imperfections.
- 6). Prime the repairs with latex primer and a small paint roller. If you are matching smooth drywall, check for ridges or air bubbles once the primer is dry and touch them up with the joint compound. It's much easier to see imperfections once a patch has been primed.
- 7). Purchase aerosol cans of water-based spray texture to match orange peel, knockdown or acoustic popcorn ceiling texture. Follow the directions on the can so the texture blends with the existing surface.
- 8). Prime the textured repairs and paint your walls.
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