Interior Painting Prep Tips – How to Fill Nail Holes and Fix Nail Pops

The most time consuming part of painting a room is the preparation.  You need to fix the nail holes and pops as well as any other wall imperfections before you begin.  And, sometimes you might have a bigger hole that needs to be filled in with plaster and dried before you can apply the paint.

So, in order to begin the prep, you will need to make sure you have spackle (the pink stuff is really great because when it’s fully dry, it turns white), a  flexible putty knife (it would be good to have both a narrow and a wide sized version), a sanding sponge and a wet rag.  You can watch the video below to see how holes are filled by a professional painter and this guy has a cool tip that involves a ghost.  

For nail pops, you will just want to tap them in gently with a hammer.  Now, if you are a new homeowner, you may be wondering if the nail pops are the fault of the builder and they generally are not.  All houses will have nail pops over time due to the house settling and due to extreme weather changes (in Canada we can have -30C in Winter and +30C in Summer – need I say more).  

Another tip is that you should never expect to have a totally flat smooth wall surface.  Paint on it’s own does have a little bit of texture.  But if you are intent on getting your wall surface as smooth as a piece of paper then it is much better to sand the walls lightly.  Do not gouge them with your putty knife because you will just make a mess.  

Watch today’s video for tips on filling holes and fixing nail pops and learn how to make a spackle ghost:

If you’re looking for a residential painting quote to see if hiring a professional painter is right for you, don’t hesitate to contact Kitchener Waterloo Painters.