by Matt German

Created on: January 02, 2007   Last Updated: April 21, 2007

So you have a small hole in your wall? Well this article will serve as a primer on how to fix the damage to your sheetrock wall.

If the hole in your wall is a small one, say less than a quarter inch, you can probably fix the hole with a spackle knife and some spackle (otherwise known as joint compound). A spackle knife is a sort or trowel with a flat edge, and it is used to apply and then smooth the spackle. If you already have these tools, you are ready to begin. If not, you need to visit your local home center and do a little shopping. Don't hesitate to ask questions if you're not sure where to look!

When you are home and ready to begin, the first thing you should do is to remove any loose pieces of drywall from the hole. The cleaner the edges of the hole are, the better.

Next, I usually use a hammer to make a slight dimple in the drywall surrounding the hole. Once this is done, get your spackle knife and put a small amount of spackle on the blade. Using the spackle knife, draw the flat edge of the knife across the now dimpled hole. You should be applying some pressure while doing this. The goal here is to make sure the spackle is forced into the hole and the dimple, leaving no air pockets.

Next take your spackle knife and draw it from the top of the hole to the bottom. Make sure to use light pressure. The object here is to skim off any excess spackle and leave a nice smooth finish. Now you may think that it doesn't matter how smooth the finish is because you are just going to sand it later anyway right? WRONG! When the spackle is dry, it will be pretty hard to sand if you aren't starting with an already reasonably smooth finish.

When you are satisfied with your work, close up your spackle, rinse off your knife and go make a sandwich or something. You will notice that when spackle is dry it will have an almost pure white color. The thicker the layer of spackle, the longer the drying time. It is best to apply the spackle in several thinner layers versus one or two think layers. The result will be a better finish. Remember that once you paint a repair every imperfection will show, so the smoother the finish the better.

Once your first coat is dry, give it a LIGHT sanding with a 300 grit sanding block. This is just enough to knock off slight imperfections.

Next get your spackle knife ready and skim across the surface of your repair again. Lightly skim across it again at about a ninety-degree angle to your last stroke. Walk away and let it dry. Be sure to close the spackle and rinse off your knife.

Once your next coat is dry, sand and recoat as many times as necessary to obtain a finish that is as close to perfect as possible. End with a light sanding.

All you have to do now is paint the repair to match as closely as possible with the surrounding wall, or replace the damaged section of wallpaper with a matching pattern. Now you're done! Give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.

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