How to fill holes in walls from nails or screws. | Hyde Tools

This is actually a pretty easy job if you have the right tools and materials. The most important step is to "dimple" the damaged area so that no drywall paper is sticking out. Then, use a lightweight spackle or joint compound and fill the hole, using a putty knife or multitool to press the material firmly into the hold. Then use the knife or multitool to smooth the area. After drying, sand and paint the repaired area.
Tools & Materials seen in this video:
Hyde Wood-Handled Painter's Multitool (07975): www.amazon.com/dp/B001NOB7XQ
DAP Lightweight Spackling: www.amazon.com/dp/B011NWJDBA
Hyde Flexible Putty Knife (02250): www.amazon.com/dp/B000LEDDDQ
More drywall and painting how-to videos are available at: • How-To Videos | 2010 -...
Chapters:
0:00 Common mistakes
0:29 Creating a "dimple"
1:00 Using a putty knife
1:21 Choosing a spackle
1:39 Applying spackle

[@profmj7630]

Very helpful

[@ChersJourney]

Cool. Ty

[@TruthConsultant]

Thank you for getting to the point and giving great info!!!

[@angrysquek]

This might sound like a dumb question, but I have a hole from a nail but there's a bit more of the wall taken off around it. It's not massive though. Should I plaster it? or can I still use this filler? I'd personally prefer to use the filler because it isn't a massive hole, but then again, I want to do it the right way :) Thank you! 😄

[@angrysquek]

oh also, should mention it's inside but on an outside wall

[@HydeTools]

Not a dumb question at all. As long as the size of the damaged area is less than the size of a quarter, it's fine to just use the filler. You may need to sand it a bit after the first coat and do a "skim coat" with another thin layer of filler. Good luck.

[@angrysquek]

@@HydeTools Okay, that's perfect. Thank you very much!

[@Looking4lightning]

Could you just take a countersink on a drill and use that to make the space?

[@HydeTools]

​@@Looking4lightning The countersink may tear up the drywall's paper surface, creating more of a mess than the hole itself. You want a nice smooth transition between the wall itself and the "dimple" you're making. So even if you use a countersink bit (be careful you're not accidentally hitting an electrical wire or plumbing behind the wall), you'd likely still want to use a putty knife handle to get the transition smoothed out.

[@sierra101597]

Hi! Do I have to use the 5 in one tool? Is there something else to scrape the extra scraps drywall around the hole?

[@HydeTools]

Hey, Sierra. Nope, you don't need a 5-in-1. While a painter's tool (also called a multitool) is typically always in the pocket of professional painters, you can use anything with a clean, stiff edge. What's more important is to have a good putty knife when applying the patching material -- the flexible blade lets you force the material into the recess without leaving stray bits of material behind around the hole. While the putty knife also isn't 100% necessary, it'll make the job easier with good results. Good luck!

[@ChrisDavis333]

I’m doing this but after it dried it gets sucked into the hole and there’s just a shallower hole.

[@HydeTools]

Hi, Chris. If it's a larger hole (larger than a dime), or if you used joint compound as your filling material, you may see a dimple effect as you described. Simply apply another layer, called a "skim coat." If you haven't tried lightweight spackle yet for this kind of task, you could give that a try, too. Good luck!

[@MicaelaHoo]

What do I do if I tried to patch up the holes (incorrectly) and painted two coats over the entire wall and the area has small blisters?

[@HydeTools]

Use a multitool to "pop" the blister and clean out the hole. From there, you can follow the instructions in the video. Hopefully you still have some of the paint used to paint the wall; do a light sanding with a high-grit sandpaper (180'ish grit) after the spackle or compound has dried completely, and brush on a few coats of paint. If you don't already have a multi-tool and/or putty knife, take a look at our 2-in-1 Folding Painter's Tool, it's a multi-tool AND putty knife in one. hydetools.com/collections/multi-tools/products/stainless-steel-folding-multi-tools Good luck!

[@petebusch9069]

We need a tool for this.

[@HydeTools]

Got you covered, Pete. We are excited to announce we're now selling Hyde Tools directly on our website -- check back often, more tools are being added every day. hydetools.com/collections/hyde-direct Most of our tools can also be found on Amazon.