Tip #1. Determine what size hole you are dealing with. Measure the hole and determine the method as follows: small holes, such as nail holes only need a patching with joint compound. Sand it smooth after it has dried. For somewhat larger holes, about the size of a deck of cards, you will need to place a filler such as newspaper in it for a surface for the compound to adhere to. Medium sized holes (about 3 inches by 3 inches) need a hot patch, which is a piece of drywall applied by leaving a patch on each side. Very large holes, over 3 inches in diameter have to be treated just as a new wall. Remove nails and screws and cut a piece of drywall, secure it in place and then tape, compound and sand it just as you would a new wall.
Tip #2. Get all of your tools and supplies ready before you start. Repairing wall holes requires quick work, so you don't want to be looking around for supplies in the middle of the job. If the hole requires more than just a compound patching, you will need to have newspapers, drywall material, tape, trowels, etc. on hand before you start.
Tip #3. Apply just enough spackle or compound. Excess will take longer to dry and be subject to lumping. The rule is to apply as little as possible and add more if necessary, letting it dry and sanding between coats.
Tip #4. Repairing a hole means working Wit spackle or wall compound, and this requires patience. This is not a job to be rushed. Make sure the patching material is fully dry before you sand and repaint. Don't skip coats; if you need to put more than one or two to make sure the hole is filled and covered, do so. It will be worth your while to take each step slowly, otherwise the patch will show through and ruin the look of your wall. Use the drying time to clean up your tools and work area.
Tip #5. No matter how smoothly you were able to put the compound on, you have to sand the patch. You may not notice now, but there may be ridges around the edge that will show up once you apply a coat of paint. Sand lightly around the edges and dust off the sanding before you paint the wall.
Follow these tips and you will guarantee yourself an excellent patch up job, one that nobody will be able to spot once you are finished.
First you will need to determine the size of your hole. The difference will require added steps, so it is important that you use the appropriate method by determine what your needs are. You will find that a hole the size of a nail just needs some filler. Most likely, you will only need to fill in the hole with compound, let it dry, sand it, and repaint. However, if you have a larger hole, you will need to fill it in by adding extra dry wall and other fillers. You will be able to use newspaper for slightly larger holes and then cover with compound, but when it comes to the medium and larger holes, there are a few more steps to it. Sometimes you will find that it could just be in your best interest to take that piece of dry wall off the wall and hang a whole new piece. It is important that you consider what your needs are before you do anything.
As for your prep time, you will need to first decide what it is that you are using to fill in your hole. Then you will need to gather all of your supplies, and it could mean a trip to the hardware store. You will need to make sure that you save some time by getting a compound already mixed and ready to go. It is also important that you lay out all of your tools so that you don't slow yourself down and the compound dries before it even gets on the wall.
For those who have larger holes, you will find that the compound is not enough. You are going to have to get added fillers like drywall cut to the size. You will also want to make sure that you use backing material like newspaper for slightly larger holes so that the compound will stay.
Some thing that most people do is over spackle. Keep in mind that you do not have to put a lot of compound on the wall. You will need to apply just enough to cover the hole, and the backing material should keep it in place. You will also want to keep in mind that if you use less, then you won't have to do so much sanding. It is just in your best interest if you take your needs into consideration and use as little as possible.
Once it is filled in, you will need to just finish it off by sanding and painting.
Both Greg K. Hansward & Rob Carlton are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Greg K. Hansward has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Improvement, Pregnancy and Home Management. Greg Hansward wrote essentially for http://www.insidewoodworking.com , a web publication covering information on hammer drills . You can see his comments on. Greg K. Hansward's top article generates over 27100 views. to your Favourites.
Rob Carlton has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Improvement, Install Flooring and Pregnancy. Focusing on latest developments in plastic storm windows, Rob Carlton writes mainly for . On his site you can learn a. Rob Carlton's top article generates over 1000000 views. to your Favourites.