Help. Drilled hole too large

rs1971

Hi,

I am completely new to home repair and I'm afraid that I've just made a mistake and I'm not sure how to fix. I was just hanging the brackets for a toilet paper roll using the provided drywall anchors / screws. The first one went up without issues. Unfortunately, I drilled and drilled and drilled with a 3/16" bit in preparation to drive the second drywall anchor and I just couldn't get through the drywall. Of course I was drilling into a stud.

Obviously I should have used a stud finder ahead of time to check, but hindsight is 20/20 and I'm just figuring out all of this stuff as I go along. So, now I've got a deep 3/16" hole in a stud into which I need to drive a small screw and I'm not sure what to do. Is there some kind of putty or something I can fill the hole in with and then drive a screw into? Help.

Thanks in advance.

-rs1971

sixeightten

Tap in some toothpicks or a golf tee and then try the screw

Jackofall1

Either that or just get a longer screw

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rs1971

Thanks guys for the suggestions. I ended up just buying some KwikWood which I'll use to fill the hole and then drive the screw from scratch. It was probably $5 of overkill but at least now I know that the stuff exists.

-rs1971

oh'mike

I split up wood shims or even a carpenters pencil and pound them into the holes---

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Ron6519

Sounds like you hit a protective plate. Stop drilling and figure out what's going on.

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woodworkbykirk

just use a longer screw that matches the color of the ones that came with bracket.. its easier than filling the hole you made

Thadius856

Silly question, but the original post makes me wonder...

...did you not hit blocking on the first hoel you drilled?

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AllanJ

Beware of using a longer screw. You might hit an electrical wire or a pipe.

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Ron6519

All you helpful hannahs should read the inital post before suggesting longer screws and any other "helpful" advice.
OP said, "Unfortunately, I drilled and drilled and drilled with a 3/16" bit in preparation to drive the second drywall anchor and I just couldn't get through the drywall. Of course I was drilling into a stud. "
Since when does a drill bit stop at a stud?

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sdsester

Was thinking the same thing. And prior posts suggest he may have hit a safety plate and responsible electrician or plumber put in place. The plate was put there for a reason! To keep idiots from drilling into conduit, romex or copper plumbing lines? Maybe? Just guessing?

When I am not sure where to hang something like a toilet paper thingie, especially in a bath area, I cut a 2" square out of the drywall/plaster/lath I know I can wing patch in a few minutes and then take a flashlight and mirror to the situation. I have liked my clients over the years. I always wonder if I had not? Would I put a carbide or diamond bit in the drill and go through the drywall and protective plate and just nick the hot water line to leak enough so people had no idea where the leak was coming from.

Seriously, I cannot tell you how many times my teams were called to fix damage from a towel rack or toilet dispenser being installed by a home owner that punctured either a hot/cold water supply line. Same situation as described by the OP. Cannot seem to get the drill through the drywall and the stud seems really hard.

Jackofall1

It never stated it stopped, you are making that assumption as how you call in "helpful hannahs" are making a different assumption, the question is did you read the entire post as it did say, "So, now I've got a deep 3/16" hole in a stud".

Never said anything about metal shavings.

Mark

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Ron6519

Good point.

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sdsester

But the OP said he had trouble getting his drill bit through the drywall? Come on. The guy hit the protective plate the electrician and plumber left as a clue for him.

sdsester

Come on. It is a toilet paper holder at the end of the day. I cannot imagine that moving it down or over a few inches will change his defacating habits. Or those of his entire family.

I am sticking by my story suggestion that there are either electrical lines or copper plumbing near those protective plates he tried to drill through.

As for patching the hole? I would use 5 minute hot mud but 20-45 is safer for novices.