STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

tina242 · Kate Spade

Filling holes in shallow wall

Aurora · Marc Jacobs

stupid question but do you rent or own your duplex?? If you rent your landlord might want to come see the problem before you try to fix it and hire a professional. Just a thought to see if you might want to run it past them first.

NCshopper · Hermes

Most likely you'll just need some spackle (drywall compound). To fill in the hole, just spread it on with a drywall knife or even a spatula. Just use something that's hard and flat and spread it on so that it's even with the drywall around it. Once it dries, use a fine sandpaper to sand off any rough edges, then paint over it and you're done.

cat · Marc Jacobs

NCshopper wrote:

Most likely you'll just need some spackle (drywall compound). To fill in the hole, just spread it on with a drywall knife or even a spatula. Just use something that's hard and flat and spread it on so that it's even with the drywall around it. Once it dries, use a fine sandpaper to sand off any rough edges, then paint over it and you're done.

I just wanna add that you might wanna use tape over the hole so the spackle has something to stick to and not sink into the hole. I believe they make a tape just for dry walling.

NCshopper · Hermes

cat wrote:

NCshopper wrote:

Most likely you'll just need some spackle (drywall compound). To fill in the hole, just spread it on with a drywall knife or even a spatula. Just use something that's hard and flat and spread it on so that it's even with the drywall around it. Once it dries, use a fine sandpaper to sand off any rough edges, then paint over it and you're done.

I just wanna add that you might wanna use tape over the hole so the spackle has something to stick to and not sink into the hole. I believe they make a tape just for dry walling.

They do make tape for that. It's a sticky mesh tape that you stick to the wall before applying the drywall compound. I only really use it when I have bigger things to repair and it usually isn't necessary for smaller things like holes from nails and screws.

Elle · Hermes

Well, all walls are only about 1/2 thick . Anchors are designed to work on that thickness of drywall, but most builders use inappropriate anchors for things like towel bars. They're usually the kind that are meant to be used to hang heavier items that won't be touched on a regular basis, instead of something like a towel bar which is obviously going to be jostled quite a bit.

You shouldn't need drywall tape - spackle will work. You might need to use your fingers to get it to stay in the hole, and then come back after it dries and do another coat to smooth it out.

tina242 · Kate Spade

Elle, can you tell I'm not handy?

Aurora, not a dumb question at all - we rent but we have a long list of work that needs to be done and he hardly ever comes by...

The 2 holes are about 1/4 inch wide so spackle should probably work. Thanks guys!

halleybird · Hermes

NCshopper wrote:

cat wrote:

NCshopper wrote:

Most likely you'll just need some spackle (drywall compound). To fill in the hole, just spread it on with a drywall knife or even a spatula. Just use something that's hard and flat and spread it on so that it's even with the drywall around it. Once it dries, use a fine sandpaper to sand off any rough edges, then paint over it and you're done.

I just wanna add that you might wanna use tape over the hole so the spackle has something to stick to and not sink into the hole. I believe they make a tape just for dry walling.

They do make tape for that. It's a sticky mesh tape that you stick to the wall before applying the drywall compound. I only really use it when I have bigger things to repair and it usually isn't necessary for smaller things like holes from nails and screws.

I don't have any advice, but I have a funny story. My sister's BF put a hole in his wall, and the two of them tried to fix it before his parents noticed. It wasn't a very big hole, so my husband told her to just get a jar of spackle. She called later and said they were on their 2nd jar of spackle. We couldn't figure out why, for such a small hole, until we discovered they'd been stuffing it IN the hole instead of over it. LOL

-- Edited by halleybird at 15:20, 2006-12-19

tina242 · Kate Spade

OMG Halleybird I'm so glad you mentioned that b/c I so would have stuffed it in the holes

Hermes

a good trick for filling holes before you spackle is to take masking tape, sticky side out, and crumple it into a little ball and stuff that into the hole so it's filled. you then spackle over it.

if you decide to spackle yourself, hold the spackling knife at an angle, so that it's thicker in the center and the edges are thinner. this will help you avoid a ridge and reduce your sanding.

is your landlord aware of the list of things that need to be done? why can the landlord only be told about them in person? if I were you, I would write up the list, give your landlord a call and ask how they would like to proceed. If you have already made your landlord aware of the problems and they have been ignored, you have two options:

1. contact your landlord and ask if it's ok to perform the repairs on your own and if you can deduct the expenses from your rent (send copies of receipts with your rent payment)

1.type up the list and send it registered mail so that you have record that your landlord received it. dependant on your state's rental laws, you can then place your rent in escrow until the repairs are made.

#1 is the nice landlord approach, #2 is the slumlord approach