Drywall Patches: When to DIY and When to Call a Pro

The patches worth doing yourself

Nail holes and tiny dents are genuinely easy: a dab of lightweight spackle, a light sand, and a touch of paint. If the hole is smaller than a pea, grab the spackle.

Where DIY patches usually go wrong

• Texture matching — knockdown and orange-peel textures are hard to fake by hand
• Feathering — a patch that isn't feathered wide shows as a bump in raking light
• Larger holes that need backing or a mesh-and-compound build-up
• Color and sheen mismatch when the touch-up paint doesn't match

The honest test

Stand where the light rakes across the wall. If you can see the patch, it isn't done. Professionals build up thin coats, feather wide, and match the texture so the repair disappears — which is exactly what we do on every drywall job.

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