Drywall patch calculator

Every line shows the quantity to buy and how StudSheet got it: the spacing, the waste and the package size, so you can check it before the supply house or the quote.

In Canada (1 patch + 7 small holes)

Set to Canada, the Sheet works the job out again for Ontario: metric sizes, bag sizes, the frost depth and the code notes. It doesn't just convert feet to meters. The first lines:

• 1 tub, Lightweight spackle: 6 nail or screw holes and 1 hole up to 51 mm (about 10 nail holes’ worth each): one 236 mL tub fills about 140 nail holes, with what stays on the knife.
• 1 pack of 3, Self-adhesive wall repair patches, 3-pack: 1 hole up to 102 mm: one 152×152 mm patch each, at least 25 mm bigger than the hole all around; 3 to a pack.
• 1 bag, Setting-type compound (20–45 min): The first coat: it hardens in its listed time without shrinking. Mix small batches in a pan.
• 1 tub, All-purpose joint compound, 3.8 L tub: Second and third coats: 1 × 0.2 L = 0.2 L. The smallest tub is plenty; it keeps for months closed.
• 1 × 946 mL, Stain-blocking primer, quart: Spot-prime every patch: compound soaks up paint differently and shows through it (flashing).
• 1 × 946 mL, Wall paint: Enough for two coats on the patches. The can left over from the last paint job is best; otherwise have a chip color-matched.

1. Look behind each bigger hole for wires and pipes before you cut anything: a flashlight in the hole, or a wall scanner.
2. Small holes: press lightweight spackle in with a putty knife and scrape it flush. It shrinks a little, so add a second thin pass when the first is dry, then sand it smooth.
3. Doorknob-size holes: trim loose paper and crumbs, then stick a 6×6″ self-adhesive patch centered over each hole and press it flat.
4. First coat: setting-type compound (20 or 45 minute) over the patches and seams, pressed in and feathered 2–3″ past the mesh and tape. It hardens in its listed time without shrinking; mix only what you can use.
5. Second and third coats: premixed compound, each wider and thinner than the last; overnight between coats.
6. Sand: lightly with 120–150 grit, never into the paper; check each patch with a light held flat to the wall.
7. Prime: spot-prime every patch with stain-blocking primer; skip it and the patches show through the paint.
8. Paint: touch up with the same paint and sheen, feathered out with a small roller; if a patch still shows, paint the wall corner to corner.

Must-have tools first, then the ones that help and the ones to rent for the day.

Mistakes that cost a callback or a second trip

• Thick coats of premixed compound: They shrink, crack and take days to dry. Fill deep spots with setting-type compound, then thin premixed coats, each wider than the last.
• No primer on the patches: Compound soaks up paint differently, so the patches show as dull spots (flashing). Spot-prime every one.
• A patch too small for the hole: A self-adhesive patch needs at least 1″ of sound wall around the hole on every side, or its edges crack out.
• Sanding into the paper: Fuzzed paper shows through paint. Sand lightly; if you fuzz it, seal it with primer and skim it again.
• Flat touch-up on an eggshell wall: A different sheen shows from across the room even in the right color. Match the sheen, or paint the whole wall.
• Cutting into a wire: Outlets and switches have cables running up and down from them. Look in the hole or scan before you cut it bigger.

What the calculator assumes

• Spackle: an 8 oz tub fills about 140 nail holes, a 32 oz tub about 570; a hole up to 2″ counts as 10 (estimates, with what stays on the knife).
• Self-adhesive patches cover a hole at least 1″ smaller all around: 6×6″ up to 4″, 8×8″ up to 6″.
• Large holes are squared 2″ bigger than the hole and filled with a piece on 4 backer clips; cut-outs go back to the middle of the studs, with 2×4 nailers top and bottom.
• New pieces come from the cheapest mix of 2×2 ft and 2×4 ft handy panels or 4×8 sheets at typical prices.
• Compound: setting-type for the first coat; premixed for two more, about 0.05 gal a doorknob patch, 0.15 gal a large hole and 0.02 gal per sq ft of cut-out (typical).
• Primer 300 sq ft/gal, paint 350 sq ft/gal per coat.

The Sheet sets its code notes for the job's state or province. These are New Jersey's and Ontario's; the code reference has more. Always confirm with your building department.

• Permits: a job like this usually needs none, but towns set their own rules. Ask your building department if you're not sure.

What materials do I need to patch a hole in drywall?

For the worked example, a 1 patch + 7 small holes, the Sheet counts 7 lines with waste included, starting with lightweight spackle (1 tub), self-adhesive wall repair patches, 3-pack (1 pack of 3), setting-type compound (20–45 min) (1 bag), all-purpose joint compound, 1 gal tub (1 tub). Each line's math is in the table above. Put in your own sizes in the drywall patch calculator and every line is counted again.

How long does it take to patch a hole in drywall, and can I do it myself?

About 1 to 2 hours for the worked example, in 8 steps. StudSheet stamps it DIY OK: you can do this.

What tools do I need to patch a hole in drywall?

12 in all. The must-haves start with tape measure (25 ft), carpenter's pencil, putty knife, 6″ taping knife, mud pan, utility knife + blades. On the Sheet you mark each one as owned, to buy or to rent.

Stuck while you patch a hole in drywall? Ask in the Drywall patches and cracks group of the StudSheet community with this Sheet attached. Homeowners who've done it and verified pros answer, and anyone can read it.

• Handyman for contractors: run this takeoff at your own prices, send the estimate, and get it signed and the deposit paid.
• Hang and finish drywall (14′ × 12′ room): Sheets, screws, tape, compound and corner bead for walls and ceilings, finished to the level you want.
• All 45 Sheets, across 16 trades.
• Code reference: frost depths, guard heights, stairs, retaining walls.