Options for covering an in-wall safe removal?

Question

I recently removed an in-wall safe which fit neatly between two 16"-on-center studs. But now I'm left with a big hole in the wall where the safe once was.

Since the hole is behind a closet door, I'd rather not invest the time in patching/sanding/repainting the drywall to restore the original condition. But I also don't want to leave a gaping hole for whomever buys my house someday.

I was hoping there was some sort of panel or insert that could cover this up, but look "finished" enough so that it didn't seem like I just threw a chunk of plywood over it.

Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Just put a piece of drywall in and give it a first coat of mud and tape. Seriously this is 10 minutes and no mess. Big box sells little kits for $10 or less for stuff like this. Then when you get around to selling no one will really mind a little patchwork to do in closet.

Answer 2

This is the same as removing any in-wall cabinet or shelving. Drywall repair really isn't a big deal.

Any kind of cover panel is going to raise questions about why access is needed at that point, and "because I didn't want to deal with drywall" is probably not going to be very convincing to the prospective buyer.

Frankly, if you really hate the idea of installing a drywall patch, I'd suggest simply reinstalling the wallsafe. Having it there and unused is certainly no worse than having some other weird patch.

Answer 3

Personally I would just redo the drywall there. But you can get a piece of plywood, trim to size of hole. Use some window/door casing to cover the transition from wall to plywood.