• Repairing drywall is not a complex task but it does require some precision. Walls are flat and often featureless so small mistakes can be plainly visible. To help get the job done right, drywall workers have a variety of tools at their disposal.
  
  

Scrap Drywall

• When you cut full sheets of drywall to fit a project it's a good idea to keep the leftover scraps. An 8-inch by 36 inch piece of drywall may not be good for new construction but it can patch up any number of small holes.
  
  

Utility Knife

• A utility knife consists of a simple metal or plastic holder containing a razor blade. Most are retractable for safe storage. Drywall is held together by a sheet of paper on the back. Cutting that sheet allows a worker to break the drywall along straight lines. Utility knives are the ideal tool for that cutting.
  
  

Drywall Mud

• Also called joint compound, this is a plaster mixture used to seal and cover holes and seams in drywall. Once a piece of drywall has been set in place, the plaster is rubbed over the seams to seal it in position. Some drywallers also use spackle, a thicker compound, by itself to patch very small holes such as those left by nails.
  
  

Drywall Nails

• Drywall nails differ from standard nails in that they have very wide heads for the length. Small-headed nails dig into and even pass through drywall. Drywallers drive in the nails using a nail gun or a rubber-headed sheetrock hammer. Nails are only necessary for repairs that cover a wall stud, to which the nails anchor the drywall.
  
  

Seam Cover

• Tape or drywall net covers both edges of two pieces of drywall. Most drywallers then apply joint compound over the seam cover to add stability and texture. Drywalling tape is simple masking tape. Net covers are a mesh of fine string, the gaps of which fill with and grip the joint compound.
  
  

Sandpaper

• Once all the joint compound has dried, drywallers sand over the patch job to even out texture. This prevents the unsightly bulges and texturing often seen on amateur patch jobs. Drywallers use fine grit sandpaper for this task. They usually sand by hand rather than using a power sander to avoid accidentally digging into the drywall.
  
  

Paint

• The final step in drywall repair is painting the patch job to match the rest of the wall. Sometimes this job requires a coat of primer. Because it's sometimes hard to match paint to an existing job, it's a good idea to keep leftover paint in storage. That way you can simply fetch the can of paint you need when a drywall repair job becomes necessary.