How to spackle a room
Most typical residential rooms will use less than a quart of spackle for minor wall repairs in the room. Large repairs should be done with chemical setting or standard drywall compound, so the one quart (or less) per room usually holds true.
Using two patching knives
A common method for spackle application is to use two patching knives: one smaller 3” and one larger 6” blade. The smaller knife is for scooping the spackle out of the container and for holding the spackle (as kind of a mini “hawk”) for the larger knife, which actually applies the spackle to the wall. The system can be used in reverse for repairs in tight areas where you need the smaller knife for application.
Spackling
It is best to circle around the room and get all the repairs at once, prior to painting. You will probably need to do 2 (sometimes 3) applications (the spackle must dry between applications) for larger (relatively speaking) repairs like small holes, dents, dimples and nail pops. You will be fine with one application over picture nail holes, screw holes, and the like.
Don’t overfill
Many amateurs think the way to spackle is to overfill and then sand down the spackle to the surface. This is too slow (drying time) and too much work (sanding). Heavy applications will take forever to dry, and may crack.
Use the lightweight shrink free type of spackle, and fill flush with the surface. If the repair needs a second application then repeat once the first application is dry.
Deep holes
Don’t use spackle for deep holes, use a chemical setting compound for the first fill, then (after the compound is dry) use spackle as the final coat. The chemical setting compounds will not crack on deep fills, and dry quickly - depending on the setting time you choose. I use 5 minute and 20 minute set times for most patching.
Wall anchors
The best way to repair wall anchors that will not be used any longer, is to pull the screw out of the anchors, then slightly counter sink the anchor below the surface of the drywall - about 1/16th of an inch. Then spackle over the countersunk anchor with a coat of spackle.
Old spackle
Don’t use old spackle if it smells bad or has discoloration or fuzz on it when you open the lid. Spackles containers work as great Petri dishes for growing fungus and the like. If the spackle has gone bad, leave the lid off and put it outside away from pets and children (but protected from rain) and let it air dry before disposing it with the trash.
Flashing - how to avoid
Flashing occurs when spot priming over wall patching causes the spots to shine through the finish paint. This can be a problem if you use certain primers, particularly stain blocking primers. This can be eliminated by NOT using a primer. Most spackles because they are not as sensitive to re-wetting, as drywall compounds, don’t have to be “primed” with a primer (check the label for your spackle to see the manufacturer’s recommendation). Be sure that ALL the sanding dust is removed from the repair(s) before painting by vacuuming (use a HEPA filtered vacuum), and then a wiping down with a micro fiber tack cloth.
Using a mud pan
Using the two knifes still, you will scoop the spackle out of the quart container with the 3” knife and put it into a drywall compound mud pan. From the pan, you will use either the smaller or larger knife as needed for the spackling.
Note: Most repairs can be done with the 3” or 6” knives, but for some repairs in very small areas you will need to use a 1” knife. A complete set of patching knives will therefore consist of a 1”, 3” and 6” knives. You can pretty much do all repairs with these, but for large repairs (drywall seams) larger “broad” knives will work a little better. If you don’t happen to have a 10” or 12” broad knife, you can make do with the 6” knife.
How does spackle differ from drywall compound?
- Spackle is more flexible
- Spackle is not water sensitive when dry
- Spackle does not sand as easily as drywall compound
- Spackle feathers out finer / thinner than drywall compound
- Spackle (many) can be used on exteriors (check label)
- Spackle (lightweight types) does not shrink as much as drywall compound
- Spackle (some) can be used on wood (check label) fills
- Spackle does not work as well for skim coating or joint seams
- Spackle costs more than joint compound
Please read lead paint warning if your house was built before 1978
Pre-paint spackling
How to use spackle for wall repair
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