-by Ace Hardware
1. Choose Your Patch Product
For smaller holes, the size of a nail or even something as large as a dime, you can use spackling as your patch product. Quick dry spackle or patch and primer in one products can help save you time.
2. Apply Spackling
Using a putty knife, scoop up a chunk of spackling. Press it into the dent or ding, making sure it fills the spot.
3. Smooth Over The Patch
Use your putty knife to lightly scrape away any excess spackling over the repaired spot. If you pull the spackling out of the dent as you do this, reapply. Scraping off the putty knife to use a clean edge can help prevent this.
4. Let It Dry
Let the spackling cure according to the label. The bigger the repair spot, the longer it may take, but spackle dries pretty quickly. Humidity and temperature can affect the drying time so follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Smooth It Out
Sand lightly. Use a fine grit sandpaper, usually about 120 grit. Run your hand over the surface to detect any rough spots or bumps. Sand until the edges of the patch are smooth and even with the wall surface.
6. Clean It Up
Use a damp sponge to clean up the spot and remove sanding dust.
7. Prime The Spot
Paint absorbs into spackling differently than the surrounding wall surface. So, if you paint over a patched spot without priming first, you’ll notice a discoloration. Just brush a light lawyer or two of high quality primer over the spot and let it dry between coats. However if you used a patch and primer in one or paint and primer in one, you can usually skip the step.
8. Paint
Touch up the spot with paint. If you sand and primed correctly, and your paint hasn’t faded, you shouldn’t even notice the spot once the paint dries.
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