It's easier than you'd think to learn how to repair drywall, do a patch job on holes of various sizes, and spackle walls to restore them to a smooth, flawless finish. The time required depends on ...

Use a straight edge to draw a clean rectangular or square hole around the drywall damage. A straight-sided shape makes it easier to fit a replacement patch. Use a drywall saw to cut on your lines ...

Patches made with traditional patching materials need to be primed with a sealing-type primer before painting. Otherwise the patched areas could show through the finished paint job as foggy spots.