07 Patching holes and cracks
The right fix for each kind of damage.
Drywall repair · Ottawa
Walls fixed so the paint hides nothing.
Holes, dents, cracks, nail pops, failed tape and water stains repaired, sanded smooth, primed and painted, so the patch disappears instead of flashing through the new paint.
Drywall repair & prep at a glance
- Single repair$180–380small to large patch, painted; less each in a batch
- Skim coat$600–1,250per room, smooth Level 5 finish
- Turnaround1–3 dayscompound needs drying time
- Our warranty3 yearswritten workmanship warranty
Why it matters
Paint makes bad repairs more obvious, not less.
Fresh paint, especially in eggshell or satin, acts like a spotlight. A patch that wasn’t feathered wide enough shows as a bump, a patch that wasn’t primed shows as a dull “flash”, and a crack that was only painted over is back by February. That’s why we treat drywall repair as part of the paint job, not a favour on the side.
Each repair gets the right fix for the damage: a mesh or backed patch for holes, setting compound for deep fills, paper or mesh tape for cracks, and new screws for popped nails. Then it’s feathered wide, sanded and checked with a light raking across it for ridges, primed, and painted to match.
It also saves money. Repairs done as part of a paint job share the same visit, protection and cleanup, and the patches are painted with the walls instead of being touched in later with leftover paint that may no longer match.
- The right patch for the hole. Mesh, backed or cut-in patches sized to the damage.
- Feathered and checked. Sanded and checked with a raking light so ridges don’t show.
- Primed before paint. So patches don’t flash through the finish.
- Painted to match. Touched in, or the whole wall repainted for an invisible repair.
What’s included
Every repair job includes
One hole or a whole house of nail pops, every repair goes through the same steps.
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Damage walkthrough
Every repair marked and listed, with a plan for touching in or repainting the full wall.
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Patch & fill
Holes patched, dents filled, cracks taped, nail pops reset and loose tape cut out and redone.
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Sand, check, prime
Feathered, sanded, checked with a raking light and spot-primed.
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Paint & cleanup
Painted to match, dust cleaned up and the wall left ready to hang art on.
What we repair
Every kind of wall damage.
Most homes have a list: anchor holes from old TV mounts, doorknob dents, cracked corners, popped nails along the ceiling and a water stain from an old leak. We fix them in one visit and paint them so you can’t tell where they were.
Where walls are rough overall, after wallpaper removal or years of patching, a skim coat over the whole wall gives a smooth, even surface that paints like new drywall.
Ceilings get their own attention. Overhead cracks, loose tape and nail pops along ceiling seams are common in Ottawa homes, and they’re harder to hide because light from the windows skims across them. We repair them and repaint with a flat ceiling paint so they disappear.
Patching holes in the painting guide- Holes & anchor holes
From pinholes to fist-sized damage. - Dents & gouges
Doorknob dents, furniture scrapes and corner damage. - Cracks
Inside corners, ceiling seams, and above doors and windows. - Nail pops
Reset with screws and refinished. - Water stains
Dried, sealed with a stain-blocking primer and painted. - Skim coats
A smooth Level 5 finish over rough or wallpaper-damaged walls.
Repairs compared
Which repair fits the damage.
Different damage needs a different fix. Here’s how the common repairs compare.
| Damage | Repair | Drying time | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nail pops & small holes | Reset or fill, sand, prime | Same day | Usually batched with other repairs |
| Holes up to about 4 in | Mesh or backed patch, two to three coats | 1–2 days | The most common repair |
| Larger holes | Cut out and replace the section | 2–3 days | Backing added so the patch is solid |
| Cracks at corners & seams | Cut out, re-tape, feather | 1–2 days | Flexible products where movement repeats |
| Water stains | Dry, seal with stain blocker, paint | 1 day | Fix the leak first, or the stain returns |
| Rough or damaged walls | Full skim coat (Level 5) | 2–3 days | Best for glossier sheens and raking light |
- Finish levelsDrywall is finished to levels 0 to 5. Most Ottawa walls painted in eggshell or satin need at least Level 4; glossy sheens and walls with strong side light need a Level 5 skim coat.
- Setting vs. premixed compoundSetting-type compound cures harder and shrinks less for deep fills; lighter premixed compounds sand more easily for the finish coats.
- Why patches flashCompound absorbs paint differently from painted drywall, so unprimed patches show as dull spots.
- Texture matchingTextured or stippled ceilings need the texture rebuilt before painting so repairs blend in.
- PlasterOlder homes with plaster walls are repaired with plaster-compatible products and bonding agents.
- Popcorn ceilingsOlder popcorn textures may contain asbestos and must be tested before they’re disturbed.
Built for Ottawa
Why Ottawa walls crack, and how to fix them properly.
Ottawa’s dry winters and humid summers make framing shrink and swell, and that movement shows up as cracks at inside corners, ceiling seams, and above doors and windows. Cracks that come back every winter need re-taping with the right products, not another skim of filler.
Houses also settle in their first few years, which is why newer Ottawa homes often show nail pops and cracked corners. If your home is still within its Tarion new-home warranty period, check what’s covered before we fix it.
Older materials and stains
Textured ceilings and some joint compounds in homes built before the 1990s may contain asbestos. We don’t sand or scrape suspect materials until they’ve been tested.
A water stain is a symptom. We’ll seal and paint it, but the leak behind it has to be fixed first, or the stain and the damage come back.
Sanding and smoothing- Seasonal cracks. Re-taped with flexible products where movement repeats.
- New-home settling. Nail pops reset with screws, not just filled.
- Humidity. Compound given time to dry fully before priming.
- Asbestos. Pre-1990 textures and compounds tested before sanding.
- Leaks. Stains repaired only after the source is fixed.
How we work
A drywall repair, step by step.
Most repair lists take 1 to 3 days, because compound needs drying time between coats.
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Walkthrough
Mark every repair
Each repair marked and listed, with a plan for touching in or repainting.
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Protect
Cover and contain
Floors and furniture covered, and sanding dust contained.
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Repair
Patch, fill, tape
The right patch or tape for each repair, with setting compound for deep fills.
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Finish
Feather and sand
Two or three coats feathered wide, sanded and checked with a raking light.
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Prime
Spot-prime
Every repair primed so it won’t flash through the paint.
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Paint
Paint and clean up
Touched in or repainted to match, then a full cleanup.
What affects the price
What makes drywall repair cost more or less.
Drywall repair is mostly labour and drying time. Each repair needs several coats with drying in between, so a single small patch costs $180–380 on its own, while repairs done together in one visit typically run about $100–200 each. Our Ottawa painting cost guide and estimator prices repairs by count.
The size and type of damage decide the rest: a nail pop is quick, a large hole needs a new section and backing, and a wall full of damage is often better skim-coated. Repainting the whole wall, rather than touching in, gives the most invisible result.
Painting afterwards? See interior painting and commercial repairs and repainting. We repair walls across the region, including drywall repair in Findlay Creek, Stittsville and Barrhaven.
Painting cost guide and estimator- Number of repairsBatched repairs cost less each.
- Size & depthFrom nail pops to cut-out sections.
- CeilingsOverhead repairs take longer than walls.
- TextureMatching stipple or orange peel adds time.
- Finish levelLevel 4 for most walls, Level 5 for glossy sheens or raking light.
- Paint afterwardsTouching in, or repainting the full wall.
Good to know
Getting the best result from a repair.
A few things make repairs truly disappear.
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Repaint the wall
Touch-ups can show at an angle; repainting the whole wall, corner to corner, hides the repair completely.
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Allow drying time
Deep repairs need overnight drying between coats, so plan for two or three visits on bigger jobs.
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Fix the cause
Door stops for doorknob dents, fixed leaks for stains and screws for pops stop the same damage coming back.
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Seasonal cracks
Recurring winter cracks are re-taped with flexible products rather than just filled again.
Painting guide
Learn more before you book
08 Sanding and smoothing
Flatten repairs and dull glossy paint so new paint grips.
09 When primer matters
Bare surfaces, stains, glossy finishes and big colour changes.
How much does drywall repair cost in Ottawa?
Small patches typically run about $180–250 painted, medium holes $250–380, and a full-room skim coat about $600–1,250. Repairs done together in one visit typically cost about $100–200 each.
Can you match my existing paint?
Usually, if you have the leftover can or the colour name. Otherwise we can colour-match a chip, but for an invisible result we recommend repainting the wall corner to corner.
Why does my wall crack in the same place every winter?
Seasonal movement in the framing. The crack needs to be cut out and re-taped with the right products; filling it again usually lasts only until the next dry spell.
How long does a repair take?
Most repair lists take one to three days, because compound needs to dry between coats and deeper fills need overnight drying.
Do you repair plaster walls?
Yes. Plaster cracks and holes are repaired with plaster-compatible products and bonding agents, then primed and painted.
Can you remove a popcorn ceiling?
Popcorn texture in older homes must be tested for asbestos before it’s disturbed. If it’s clear, it can be removed and the ceiling refinished and painted.
Do you repair water-damaged drywall?
Yes, once the leak is fixed and the area is dry. Stained but sound drywall is sealed with a stain-blocking primer and painted; soft, crumbling or mouldy drywall is cut out and replaced before finishing.
Will I see the patch after it’s painted?
Not if it’s done properly. Every repair is feathered wide, sanded, checked with a raking light and primed. For the most invisible result, we repaint the whole wall corner to corner rather than touching in.
How messy is drywall repair?
Sanding makes fine dust, so we cover floors and furniture, contain the work area and vacuum at the end of each visit. Most repairs create far less mess than people expect.
Other services
Often paired with
Interior painting
Walls, ceilings, trim and doors with real prep and two coats.
Commercial & condo painting
Offices, retail, condo corridors and rental turnovers.
Kitchen cabinet painting
Degreased, bonding-primed and spray-finished cabinets.
Last updated:
Free quote
Call or text for a free quote.
613-806-4000Talk to the painters who’ll actually do the work. Prefer to write? Send the form and we’ll get back to you within one business day.
- Call 613-806-4000
- Text 613-806-4000
- hello@ryanscontracting.com
- Mon–Fri, 7:30 am – 5 pm
- Ottawa
- Stittsville
- Kanata
- Carp
- Richmond
- Riverside South
- Manotick
- Greely
- Barrhaven
- Orleans
- Findlay Creek
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