Hi guys, I’m a DIY idiot and I need help again.
I bough a chin-up bar several years ago that uses friction to grip the door frame.
See example below:
http://www.ahbing.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/img_7978.jpg
After several years of use, the wall kindof gave way, peeled off and left a gaping hole:
How can I repair the damage?
Any advice would help GREATLY.
That damaged area looks like Sheetrock. A can of Spackle and a putty knife will take care of it. Plan on at least three thin coats. Let it dry 8 hours between coats. lightly sand and it’s redy for paint.
If you are renting, moving out, and just wanna try to get your security deposit back, I’ve used toothpaste to hide the damage.
And then get one like this. They pop in and out in seconds and don’t do any damage to anything.
Spongebob, upon seeing Mr Krabs filling a hole with toothpaste: What flavor is it?
Mr Krabs: Um, it’s a hole, it doesn’t really have a flavor.
It’s my own apartment, so…
Thanks for the advice! It doesn’t look that difficult to patch up, but the fresh coat of paint would look different - any idea how to blend the repaired area in?
Joey P- Yeah I liked the model you proposed, but those require a door frame, which none of the doorways in my apartment have (unfortunately)!
Spackling How to vid
A can of spackle is $5. You can get by with a plastic scrapper for under $2. pretty cheap repair.
The title of the OP’s thread says ‘damaged concrete wall’.
From what I can tell from the pic, it actually looks more like a plaster wall that’s been laid over a concrete wall. Is this an interior or exterior wall? Is the wall hollow? 
If it is plaster (laid over concrete), and you want to repair it right, I would opt for patching grout instead of regular spackle.
‘Rockite’ is a good brand, just don’t try and fill the hole all the way with just one application.
As some of the other posters have suggested, two or three layers are better than one thick one.
concrete, plaster, drywall/sheetrock/plasterboard repairs should be done after cleaning all the loose material (if it moves remove it) including dust away.
just in case no one mentions it apply a couple of thin layers of patching material instead of one thick layer.
I admit I’m a DIY goon, so I know not the difference between plaster, concrete or cement???
I think the wall is not hollow… it feels concrete to me, but I would guess that it feels like plaster over concrete.
What’s the difference between interior and exterior wall?
Thanks for ALL the advice - it’s really an eye-opener to know all about DIY. Thank goodness for Straight Dope!
Cement is one of the ingredients necessary to make concrete, plaster is similar to concrete, only lighter and softer.
An exterior wall is one in which one side of the wall is exposed to the outside. An interior wall will have both sides of the wall inside of the house. 
haha pardon my ignorance!
It’s definitely an interior wall, though i still wouldn’t know whether it’s plaster. concrete, or cement, or whatever…
Teddybound
If you hit the wall with the flat of your hand, careful this is going to hurt, but if you want results you need to hit the wall hard, what does it sound like? Really dull solid thud? Hit a known concrete wall for comparison, if you do it correctly it will hurt, more to the point you will acquire a point of reference.
The pictures you posted make me think that you have the much more typical Sheetrock (trade mark) and 2 by 4 stud wall. If that is the case, smacking the wall will produce more of a hollow sound than a solid concrete wall would, and it possibly will not hurt as much. If you are experienced at this you can locate the studs just by the feel and the sound.
If hitting a wall to discover the type of construction doesn’t appeal to you and I can understand why it might not. You could take a cheep screwdriver and poke around in the hole, you want to fix that anyway so a little poking will not cause that much more damage. If as I believe you discover that there is wood at the bottom of the hole you will know beyond a doubt that your are dealing with a Sheetrock (trade mark) and 2 by 4 wall.
Most of the suggestions for repair are good especially the building up in stages.
You call this your apartment, does that mean you own it or are you a renter? I’m a bit unclear about this point as it effects the long term response.
Assuming you are the renter and you don’t want to go to the expense of having the doorway cased, have a wood frame put in. you might consider a temporary wooden frame. made of 2 by 6 and suitably anchored.
If you can afford it, a simple home gym might be the best solution as you can take that with you where ever you go.
Remember; be safe, be careful, always look for the simplest solution that is appropriate to your situation. Using force is inherently dangerous. Any injuries you may sustain as a result of this post are yours to deal with. Some of my suggestions if followed will result in some degree of pain.
zuer-coli
Use spackle so that you can create the texture in it, and its already white, so that colour matching is easier.
The surrounding material has lines produced by the application tool .
You can’t use the same tool as you are just doing tiny patches.
Create the similar texture using a wire brush which has a similar spacing to the lines you intend to recreate. Make the texture slightly deeper than existing to allow for the paint filling the lines.
You have to use a thin paint to avoid filling this texture over when painting, you can see repairs to a textured surface like this as the repaired part is typically flat and shiny…
Thanks for the well-thought and detailed reply.
Yes, it’s my own bought apartment.
I tried the knocking as suggested and the wall feels very solid - feels like hitting concrete. However, the damaged area feels powdery, like dried cement, and it’s flaking off (or powdering off) as I touch it.
I suspect as JBDivmstr suggested, it’s plaster laid over concrete, and I have damaged the plaster area.
Any more suggestions?
I’m enjoying this discussion because I’m learning so much DIY.
if the powdery area was concrete then likely your building has or will collapse.
plaster might get crumbly or powdery if it’s gotten wet or smashed. plaster wall board will be powdery.
What’s on the other side of the wall? Unless it is a stair well or a lift shaft or similar, I doubt very much if it would be concrete. Internal walls (those between rooms in your apartment) are usually made of a framework (called studding over here) with dry wall fixed as a skin on that.
The hole looks for all the world to me like painted concrete. You can even see wood grain from the forms when it was poured.
Cleaning the hole out, sealing with diluted white glue and patching with topping compound or a concrete patching mix would be how I would do it.
If it really was gyproc over a framed wall you should be able to scratch away and find a stud 1/2" beneath the original surface.
Handy man here. Use spackling or joint compound, texture to match as well as possible. Sand if needed when dry.
Before applying the fix however, remove a quarter size piece to take to Home Depot or your local paint store for computer matching. When painting the repaired area be sure and feather the edges. That is, don’t have a hard edge of paint.
