Drywall is present in most of our homes, coating the interior we live within. It’s the part of the skeleton we paint, paper, mount picture frames on, bounce balls off of, bump with our vacuums and do many other things that could potentially damage the surface. It’s part of life.
When holes, crevices, scuffs, dents and cracks emerge they feel like chinks in your armor, and you want to take care of them quickly and effectively. You also want to get them accomplished as inexpensively as possible, which leads many homeowners to consider doing it themselves. There are situations when this is — and isn’t — a good route.
Do it:
-  If it’s a minor repair, like a short crack in a rather inconspicuous spot or a hole smaller than 4 or 5 inches that can be mended with spackle alone or with the aid of a mesh patch. Many hardware stores sell drywall repair kits that include most of the basic supplies needed.
-  If you have experience working with drywall, patchwork or other home improvement work that you can draw upon. If you have some familiarity but aren’t totally confident about trying the repair watching a few YouTube videos could be the solution.
-  If you’re not facing a time constraint, such as a special occasion that will bring a lot of people into your home or getting your place ready to go on the market. Move slowly to ensure a professional-looking result.
Don’t do it:
- Â If the cracks, holes and other damage are widespread, rather than isolated occurrences. They could stem from a deeper structural problem or simply be too tough for someone without professional experience to tackle without it looking significantly different from the surrounding surfaces done during initial construction.
-  If there’s a hole larger than 5 or so inches. These breaks likely will need more support than a mesh cover can give and may require additional support from within before the actual repair begins.
At that point the hole will be covered with another piece of drywall that must be blended into the surrounding surface — all tasks that can be easily handled by a handyman or professional.
