Anyone who has ever had drywall in their house knows that eventually a door will get slammed open; a piece of furniture smacked against the wall, or some other incident will create a gouge, a hole or a scratch in the drywall that must be fixed. When those times happen, get out your tools and get to work: there's no need to hire a contractor to come in and patch your drywall, it's a relatively easy fix that you can handle yourself!

The first thing you'll need are a few essentials to handle the job right:

-A drywall repair kit.

-Clean tin can lid.

-Tape measure.

-Keyhole saw.

-Thin wire or string.

-Scissors or wire cutters.

-Scrap wood.

-Putty knife.

-Drywall patching compound.

-Sandpaper.

-Primer and paint.

-Paintbrushes.

The easiest way to fix any drywall repair project is to purchase a drywall repair kit from your local home improvement store. Be sure you measure the hole that needs fixed and buy the appropriate kit for the job. For example, a drywall patch for a ceiling is thicker than one for a wall.

Once you're ready to begin, remove any loose paper or plaster around the edges of the hole, then apply drywall patch, following the manufacturer's instructions.

To make a repair to a small drywall hole without a kit, follow these instructions:

Step 1:

Prepare tin can lid that is at least 11/2 inches more in diameter than hole in drywall for backing piece. Use keyhole saw to cut out narrow horizontal slit in wall on each side of hole. Measurement of hole plus both narrow slits should equal diameter of lid so you can insert lid sideways into hole.

Step 2:

Use awl to punch two holes in center of lid. Thread 12-inch piece of wire or string through holes.

Step 3:

Holding ends of wire, slide lid through slit. Still holding wire, pull lid toward you until it's flat against inside of wall. Can lid should be held firmly against inside of wall.

Step 4:

Use putty knife to apply premixed drywall patching compound over patch following manufacturer's instructions. Pack the compound into the hole, keeping it inside. Do not spread it on wall surface. Leave patch slightly low, and don't try to level it. Let patch dry until it turns bright white, typically at least 24 hours. When dry, cut string or wire and remove stick.

Step 5:

To finish patch, fill it completely with more patching compound to make patch level with wall surface. Let dry, lightly sand area, prime, and paint.