How to Get the Most from Your Interior Painting Project
It was supposed to be a simple interior painting project, but after removing all of the pictures from your walls, you can’t help but notice all of the holes left behind. Don’t panic. Instead, grab some spackle and a putty brush and follow these simple steps to prepare a damaged wall for painting.
Step 1
Clear away any loose debris around the hole. Mix up the spackle until it’s smooth and apply it to the hole with the putty knife. Don’t be surprised if excess spackle gets on the wall. You can easily remove it with a damp towel.
Step 2
After filling the hole, give the spackle time to dry. Drying time will depend on the brand of spackle, but generally, it takes 24 hours for the hole to dry completely.
Step 3
Use a sanding block or sandpaper to smooth the spot. Ideally, you want the spackled area to blend into the rest of the wall as closely as possible.
Step 4
Once the spot is dry, paint it to match the rest of the wall. If you don’t have any of the original paint color left, have a sample container made at the store. You can always use it for interior painting touchups.
For larger holes, you may need to purchase a patch kit from the hardware store. Most patch kits include a self-adhesive mesh patch to cover the hole and a compound to apply over the top. You will also need to sand it smooth.
Popped Nail Heads
Over time it’s common for popped nail heads to appear on the surface of the wall. Nail pops occur when the nails are no longer holding the stud in place. Here are the steps for repairing popped nail heads before beginning your interior painting project.
Step 1
Using a screwdriver, reattach the drywall to the stud by driving a drywall nail just above the popped nail. Make sure to drive the screw in far enough below the surface of the drywall that you can cover it with spackle.
Step 2
Cover both the screw head and the popped nail with spackle. Allow 24 hours for it to dry.
Step 3
Sand the area until smooth and touch up the area with paint.
While it may be tempting to paint over damage such as holes and nail pops when house painting, it isn’t worth it in the long run. Follow these tips and your interior painting will look flawless.