Fix A Wall Hole Yourself

Spatula applying spackle to wall..

How to fix a wall hole. If you've recently rearranged the family portraits on the living room wall or reorganized the shelving in your home office, chances are you have a wall or two that is less than picture-perfect. 

You could always hang something over the holes to hide them from sight, but you can patch small holes in drywall or plaster them almost as quickly yourself. Here's how to fix a wall hole—no carpenter experience required.

How To Fix a Wall Hole With Spackling Compound

Grab your vacuum and suck away any loose plaster, paint chips, or dust from the hole.

Using a putty knife, fill the hole with a premixed spackling compound (readily found in hardware stores) and smooth it level with the wall's surface. Let the compound dry thoroughly - a few hours or overnight.

Then, smooth it with a damp sponge and paint over the spackled area to match the color of your wall.

If the hole is deep, the spackling compound will shrink slightly when dry, and a second application may be needed to make the hole smooth and even with the rest of the wall surface.

A Painting Shortcut

A shortcut: If you have leftover latex paint that matches the wall, add a small amount of paint to the premixed spackling compound and use a putty knife to fill the hole with the paint-and-spackling mixture.

The patch may blend well enough to require no further sanding or painting if done carefully. 

This works only for small holes, such as those caused by picture hooks. A larger, deeper perforation may require two applications of the spackling compound, sand after each application has dried, and touch-up with paint. Get tips for cleaning walls here.


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