Most drywall damage falls into one of three sizes, and each one calls for a different fix. Trying to use a small-hole method on a large hole (or vice versa) is the most common reason DIY patches end up visible under paint.
Nail holes and small dings (under half an inch)
For anything this small, lightweight spackle is all you need. Press a small amount into the hole with a putty knife, scrape it flush with the surrounding wall, let it dry (usually 30 minutes to a couple hours depending on depth), then lightly sand flush. One coat is often enough; a second thin coat can help if the spackle shrank slightly as it dried.
Medium holes (up to about 4 inches)
A self-adhesive mesh patch is the easiest fix at this size. Clean loose debris from the hole, center the mesh patch over it and press it flat against the wall, then apply joint compound (not spackle — it holds up better over a larger area) over the patch with a wide putty knife, feathering the edges out several inches beyond the patch itself so there's no visible ridge. Let it dry fully, sand smooth, and apply a second thin coat if you can still see the patch outline, feathering it out even further than the first coat. Two to three thin coats, each feathered wider than the last, is the actual secret to an invisible patch — one thick coat almost always looks like a hump under paint.
Larger holes (fist-sized or bigger)
This is where you need an actual piece of replacement drywall, not just a patch material. Cut the damaged area into a clean rectangle or square using a drywall saw, then cut a new drywall piece slightly larger than the hole. Attach a scrap piece of wood or drywall backing behind the hole, screwed to the surrounding intact drywall, to give the new patch piece something to attach to (this is often called a "California patch" method when you skip cutting all the way to studs). Screw the new patch piece to that backing, then tape the seams with paper or mesh drywall tape and cover with joint compound, feathering the edges the same way as the medium-hole method — expect three coats for a seam this size.
The step people skip: sanding between coats and priming before paint
Every coat of joint compound needs to be fully dry and lightly sanded before the next one goes on — painting over a patch that isn't fully cured is a common reason patches "reappear" later as the compound continues to shrink slightly while drying. And primer matters more on a patch than people expect: drywall patch material and paper-faced drywall absorb paint differently, so skipping primer over a patch is one of the most common reasons a "perfect" patch becomes visible as a slightly different sheen once the wall is painted, an effect sometimes called flashing.
A quick tool list
A 6-inch and a 10-12 inch putty knife (the wider one is for feathering), a sanding sponge or fine-grit sandpaper, a utility knife or drywall saw for larger repairs, and either spackle or joint compound depending on hole size, as covered above.
When to just call someone
Water-stained drywall, damage near an electrical box, or holes larger than about a foot across are all reasonable moments to bring in a drywall pro — water damage in particular can mean a problem behind the wall that a surface patch won't fix.
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