Drywall Patching and Patching Nail Holes

When hiring a painter and getting estimates for your interior paint project, ask, do you include patching the nail holes, and repairing any drywall patches? Let’s say you have removed a picture or have dings from door knobs hitting the wall. Puttying small nail holes is pretty easy. There are lots of “one time sparkle putties out their” 3-M has a new paint-primmer patch that works excellent since it won’t flash flat when you apply the paint. For bigger drywall repairs, such as holes form 1 inch to 4 inch, there are simple metal with fiberglass reinforced patch kits that also work well. They come in a package in different sizes up to 6 inches. Most have a peel away backing with adhesive. Simply stick it on the area to be repaired, than with a 6 inch drywall knife, smooth some “all purpose” drywall mud over the patch. Make sure you go out from the patch about 6 to 8 inches on all sides. This will assure you don’t get a (mound look). Let it dry and lightly sand off the rough edges and give it another coat of mud. This time going out an additional 4 to 6 inches. Lightly sand it until you feel it will blend with the existing wall. Next you have to texture your repair to match your existing texture. There are a variety of textures, the two most popular are “knock down” and “orange peel”. Most paint and hardware stores sell aerosol texture cans. These work well but can be a little tricky to get a good texture match. One tip I learned is to first set the can in a sink of hot water to heat the material inside for just a few minutes. After shaking well, do a test spray on another surface to see the thickness and density of the spray. Most of these texture cans have a adjustment head at the tip where the spray comes out. I prefer the oil based spay to the latex.You can also adjust the spray by how far away you keep the can form the patch. Just play with it until you get the desired effect. Then spray the texture on the patch a little at a time. Letting it dry between sprays. Don’t overload it or it will run on you and look horrible. Remember to prime the patch with a Flat latex primmer before you apply your finish coat. Congratulations, you just saved $100 or more depending on how many patches your doing!