Around the house · Easy · about 30 minutes, plus drying time

Patch a Small Hole in Drywall

Nail holes, small dents, and dings show up in every home. For holes smaller than about 1/2 inch, a little spackle and a putty knife make them disappear. It's a good first repair, because a mistake can be sanded off and tried again.

When to teach it: Watch from about 6, help from about 8, do it alone from about 11.

You'll need

Spackle (spackling compound)
Small putty knife
Fine sanding sponge or fine sandpaper
Damp cloth
Primer and matching paint
Small paintbrush

Step by step

Tick each step as you go if you like; ticks stay on this device.

Check the sizeThis method is for small holes, under about 1/2 inch across. Bigger holes need a patch and joint compound.
Clean the holeBrush away loose bits and wipe off dust so the spackle sticks.
Fill the holeScoop a little spackle onto the tip of the putty knife. Press it into the hole, then pull the knife across the wall to smooth it.
Feather the edgesSpread the edges thin so they blend into the wall. After two or three strokes, stop and leave it alone.
Let it dryWait until it's completely dry. Small spots can dry quickly, but check the container for the time.
Sand lightlySand gently with a fine sanding sponge until the patch is smooth and even with the wall.
Add a second coat if neededSpackle shrinks a little as it dries, so a small dip may show. Add a thin second coat, let it dry, and sand again.
Prime and paintPrime the patch, then paint it to match. Without primer, the patch can look shinier or duller than the wall around it.

Chemistry

How it works: What drywall is made of

Drywall is a sheet of gypsum pressed between two layers of heavy paper. Gypsum is a mineral, and most of the gypsum used in the United States goes into wallboard for homes and other buildings.

Chemically, gypsum is calcium sulfate dihydrate, written CaSO4·2H2O. 'Dihydrate' means two water molecules are locked into each unit of the crystal. That built-in water is about 20 percent of gypsum's weight, and it's part of why drywall resists fire: it takes a lot of heat to drive that water out.

Spackle from a tub is a paste with water in it. As the water evaporates, the paste dries, hardens, and shrinks a little. That's why a deep fill can sink and need a second thin coat.

gypsum = CaSO4·2H2O (calcium sulfate with 2 water molecules)

Try it: Spread a thin smear and a thick blob of spackle on a scrap of cardboard. Check them every 15 minutes. Which one dries first? Does the thick one shrink or crack as it dries?

Keep learning: Science

Teaching it to your kids

Let your child fill old nail holes. Sanding fixes almost any mistake.
Teach 'less is more': thin coats and just a few strokes.
After painting, compare a primed patch with an unprimed one so they can see why primer matters.

Tips

Fill the hole just slightly proud of the wall, since spackle shrinks as it dries.
Thin coats dry faster and sand more easily than one thick coat.
Prime and paint a whole section of wall if you want the color and shine to match evenly.
Keep leftover wall paint labeled with the room name for future touch-ups.

Common mistakes

Mistake	Instead
Sanding before the spackle is completely dry.	Wait the full drying time on the container.
Piling on one thick blob.	Use thin layers and let each one dry before the next.
Skipping primer.	Prime the patch so the paint's shine matches the rest of the wall.
Using spackle alone on a big hole.	Holes larger than about 1/2 inch need a patch and joint compound.

Safe habits

If your home was built before 1978, its paint may contain lead. Sanding or scraping lead paint makes dust that is harmful, especially to children, so learn the lead-safe steps from EPA before you sand old paint.

Sources

Free how-to guides for families, with nothing to earn, pass or send in. They follow U.S. rules and sources; your owner's manual, product labels and state and local rules come first.

🖌️ Patch a Small Hole in Drywall

Name ____________________ Date __________

You'll need

Spackle (spackling compound)
Small putty knife
Fine sanding sponge or fine sandpaper
Damp cloth
Primer and matching paint
Small paintbrush

Steps

Check the size. This method is for small holes, under about 1/2 inch across. Bigger holes need a patch and joint compound.
Clean the hole. Brush away loose bits and wipe off dust so the spackle sticks.
Fill the hole. Scoop a little spackle onto the tip of the putty knife. Press it into the hole, then pull the knife across the wall to smooth it.
Feather the edges. Spread the edges thin so they blend into the wall. After two or three strokes, stop and leave it alone.
Let it dry. Wait until it's completely dry. Small spots can dry quickly, but check the container for the time.
Sand lightly. Sand gently with a fine sanding sponge until the patch is smooth and even with the wall.
Add a second coat if needed. Spackle shrinks a little as it dries, so a small dip may show. Add a thin second coat, let it dry, and sand again.
Prime and paint. Prime the patch, then paint it to match. Without primer, the patch can look shinier or duller than the wall around it.

Safe habits

If your home was built before 1978, its paint may contain lead. Sanding or scraping lead paint makes dust that is harmful, especially to children, so learn the lead-safe steps from EPA before you sand old paint.

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