Patch All Holes and Cracks
Even the smallest nail hole shows through new paint. Professional results require smooth, properly repaired walls. The good news: wall repairs are easier than most people think when you use the right materials and technique.
Quick Summary
Time needed
1-2 hours (plus drying)
Cost
$15-25 (supplies)
Difficulty
Easy
Why Proper Patching Makes or Breaks Your Paint Job
New paint highlights every imperfection. Holes, cracks, and damaged areas become even more visible under fresh paint, especially in good lighting or with darker colors. Taking time to properly patch and repair gives you smooth, professional-looking walls.
Common Mistake: Rushing patching and not letting repairs dry completely. Wet filler causes paint to bubble and crack. Always wait for complete drying and apply thin coats rather than one thick glob.
Professional painters spend significant time on wall prep because they know it's the foundation of a great paint job. Patching is where DIYers most often cut corners, then wonder why their results look amateur.
Choosing the Right Filler Material
Lightweight Spackle
Best for most painting prep projects
Use for:
- • Nail holes
- • Small screw holes
- • Dings and dents under 1/2 inch
- • Minor surface damage
Pros: Dries fast (1-2 hours), minimal shrinking, easy to sand, pre-mixed
Cost: $8-12 for a container
Joint Compound (Drywall Mud)
For larger repairs and serious damage
Use for:
- • Holes larger than 1/2 inch
- • Deep cracks
- • Repairing drywall seams
- • Major wall damage
Pros: Stronger adhesion, better for large areas, very smooth finish
Cost: $10-15 for a container
Pro Tip: For most home painting projects, a container of lightweight spackle is all you need. It handles 90% of typical repairs - nail holes from pictures, small dings, and minor damage. Only get joint compound if you have larger holes or significant damage.
Step-by-Step Patching Process
1. Inspect and Prepare All Damage
Walk around the room with good lighting and identify every hole, crack, and damaged area that needs repair.
Preparation Steps:
- •Remove any loose material or debris from holes
- •Use a utility knife to slightly widen hairline cracks (creates better filler adhesion)
- •Remove any protruding nails or screws completely
- •Wipe away dust with a damp cloth
- •Check for any soft or crumbly drywall around damage
2. Apply Filler Using Proper Technique
The application technique matters more than most people realize. Here's how professionals do it.
For Small Holes (nail holes, small dings):
- Scoop a small amount of spackle onto your putty knife
- Press it firmly into the hole at an angle
- Scrape across the hole to remove excess and level with the wall
- Slightly overfill (filler will shrink as it dries)
- One smooth pass is better than multiple passes
For Larger Holes and Cracks:
- For holes over 2 inches, use a drywall repair patch or mesh tape first
- Apply joint compound in thin layers - never more than 1/4 inch thick
- Let each layer dry completely before applying the next
- Feather edges outward so the repair blends with the wall
- Use a 6-inch putty knife for larger repairs (gives smoother results)
Pro Tip: The secret to invisible repairs is keeping filler applications thin and building up layers. One thin layer looks better than one thick glob. Thick applications crack as they dry.
3. Let Everything Dry Completely
This is the most important and most ignored step. Painting over wet filler ruins your paint job.
Drying Time Guide:
- •Small spackle repairs: 1-2 hours minimum
- •Larger spackle applications: 2-4 hours
- •Joint compound repairs: 24 hours full cure
- •Deep repairs (multiple layers): 24-48 hours
Test for dryness: Touch the repair. If it feels cool or soft, it's not dry. Completely dry filler feels hard and room temperature.
4. Check All Repairs and Apply Second Coat
Most repairs need a second coat. Filler shrinks as it dries, often leaving a slight depression where the hole was.
Second Coat Process:
- Run your hand over each repair to feel for depressions
- Look at repairs from different angles in good lighting
- Apply a thin second coat to any spots that aren't perfectly flush
- Let the second coat dry completely (another 1-2 hours for spackle)
- Repeat if needed until repairs are perfectly level
5. Don't Skip This Step Yet
You'll sand these repairs smooth in the next step of your painting project. For now, just make sure all patches are dry and roughly flush with the wall surface.
Pro Tip: It's better to have patches slightly raised than sunken. You can always sand down a high spot, but a sunken patch requires another coat of filler. Slightly overfill, then sand smooth.
Troubleshooting Common Patching Problems
Filler keeps shrinking or sinking
Solution: This is normal, especially in deeper holes. Apply filler in multiple thin layers, letting each dry completely. For very deep holes, pack the first layer tightly and let it cure 24 hours before adding more.
Cracks reappearing after patching
Solution: For cracks that keep coming back, use fiberglass mesh tape over the crack before applying joint compound. The tape reinforces the repair and prevents re-cracking. Apply compound over the tape in thin layers.
Filler cracking as it dries
Solution: You applied it too thick. Scrape out the cracked filler and start over with thinner applications. Never apply more than 1/4 inch of filler at once. Build up deep holes in layers.
Can't get the repair smooth
Solution: Don't try to perfect it during application. Apply filler slightly proud of the surface, let it dry completely, then sand it smooth. Sanding gives much better results than trying to perfectly smooth wet filler.
Professional Patching Tips
Pro Tip: Keep your putty knife clean. Wipe it after each hole. Dried bits of filler on your knife create drag marks and rough spots in new repairs.
Pro Tip: For nail holes in textured walls, press a small amount of spackle into the hole, then use a sponge to recreate the texture while the filler is still wet. This makes repairs invisible.
Pro Tip: Buy pre-mixed spackle in a container, not the powder kind. Pre-mixed is easier to use, has better consistency, and the container keeps it from drying out between uses. Worth the extra $2-3.
Pro Tip: Mark repaired spots with small pieces of painter's tape after they dry. This helps you find them later when spot-priming and ensures you don't miss any spots.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between spackle and joint compound?
Spackle is easier to use for small repairs - it dries faster (1-2 hours), doesn't shrink as much, and requires less sanding. Use it for nail holes and small dings under 1/2 inch. Joint compound (also called drywall mud) is better for larger repairs, has stronger adhesion, but takes 24 hours to dry and shrinks more. For most painting prep, a container of lightweight spackle handles 90% of repairs.
How long do I need to wait for spackle to dry before painting?
Small spackle repairs (nail holes) dry in 1-2 hours. Larger applications may need 2-4 hours. Joint compound repairs need 24 hours for complete drying. Always check that repairs are completely hard and don't feel cool to the touch before sanding or painting. Painting over wet filler causes paint to bubble and the repair to fail.
Why does my spackle keep sinking after it dries?
Most fillers shrink slightly as they dry, especially in deeper holes. This is normal. The solution is to overfill holes slightly (so the filler is raised above the wall surface), then sand smooth after drying. For deep holes, apply filler in multiple thin layers, letting each dry completely, rather than one thick application.
Can I paint directly over patched areas without priming?
For best results, spot-prime patched areas before painting the entire wall. Patched spots absorb paint differently than drywall, which can create visible 'flashing' (different sheen) even after multiple coats. A quick coat of primer on just the repaired spots prevents this. However, if you're using paint and primer in one and the repairs are small, you can skip spot priming.
Ready for the Next Step?
With all holes patched and dried, you'll sand these repairs smooth for a perfectly even surface that's ready for paint.