Debate: Should you patch a small drywall hole or just replace the whole panel?

I spent 6 hours patching a fist-sized hole in a rental unit hallway using mesh tape and compound, only to have it crack again after two weeks. My coworker says he always cuts out the whole 4x8 sheet for anything bigger than a doorknob hole because patches never hold in older houses. Which way do you go for those medium-sized holes between a quarter and a dinner plate?

2 comments

2 Comments

felix82421d ago

My place is from 1924 and I've had good luck with the mesh tape plus quick-set compound for holes up to maybe 6 inches. The trick is making sure the patch is recessed enough and using the setting-type compound that hardens chemically, not the drying kind. Six hours seems like a lot for a fist-sized hole though, you might've been overthinking the layers or using the wrong mud.

the_margaret21d ago

Yeah, that's pretty much what I found too @felix824, quick-set is way more forgiving than the regular stuff for this kind of patch job. I've used it on my own 1920s plaster and the chemical set saves you from that sagging nonsense drying mud does. Six hours is definitely overkill though, maybe they were using too many coats or letting each one dry fully instead of building it up fast.