How to Cover a Hole in a Wall

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Obscure or fix drywall damage with these simple tricks
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It’s always best to actually fix a hole in the wall, but you do have options if you’re desperate for a temporary way to patch or cover a hole. For nail holes, household items like toothpaste and soap can offer short-term solutions. If you have a larger hole to deal with, concealing it with a picture or furniture is likely your best bet. But, seriously, try your hand at fixing that hole yourself—you’d be stunned by how easy it is to patch some drywall!

How to Fix or Hide a Hole in the Wall

The best solution for a hole in the wall is to fill it in. Use a putty knife to scrape spackle over the gap and smooth it out with the edge. After the spackle dries, sand it down and paint it. If you merely want to block the hole from view, use a poster, piece of furniture, or a plant.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Hiding Wall Holes from View

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  1. Hang a picture or poster as a hole-hiding option. Position the picture or poster so that it covers the hole, then secure it in place with tape, thumbtacks, or nails. The hole’s still there, but a guest would have to be very nosy to find it.
  2. Rearrange furniture to hide a hole as another alternative. Move a tall bookcase over to hide an eye-level hole from view, or slide a loveseat against the wall to cover a lower hole. Placing a floor mirror against the wall can also obscure a smaller wall hole.
    • Ask a friend to help you move furniture if you’re going to move anything heavy or unwieldy.
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  3. Place an indoor plant in front of the hole as a temporary screen. This is a good way to conceal a hole temporarily—for instance, if you’re having a party and your kids just knocked a hole in the wall playing indoor hockey! However, unless the hole happens to be in a good growing spot for your plant, you’ll want to move it back to its original location.
    • The fuller the plant, the better concealment it will provide.
  4. Hang longer or wider curtains to conceal a hole near a window. If you have a hole in the wall right above, below, or beside a window, try replacing your current window treatment with a larger one that covers the hole. Just make sure you don’t create new holes while trying to hang the curtains.
    • Elongated curtains can help to make a room with a low ceiling appear “taller,” and longer and wider curtains can make a window that’s too small for the room appear larger.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Filling Smaller Nail Holes

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  1. Fill nail holes with spackle for a permanent repair. Add a small amount of spackle to a putty knife , then press and smooth it into and over the hole. Use the blade of the putty knife to scrape away any excess, then wipe over the area with a damp cloth. Wait 24 hours for the spackle to dry, then gently sand it with fine-grit sandpaper. [1]
    • Spackle is often referred to as mud or joint compound. These are all the same thing.
  2. Squeeze the white glue or caulk into the hole until it’s overfilled. Then, use a flat edge (like a putty knife or old credit card) to scrape away the excess. Follow up with a damp rag to clean up any excess material on the wall. [2]
    • If you prefer applying a paste, you can mix white glue and baking soda, then apply it with your finger.
  3. Squeeze a small dab of white toothpaste onto your fingertip and press it into the nail hole. Smooth over the toothpaste glob with your finger, then use a damp rag to wipe away any excess on the wall. [3]
    • The toothpaste will start to dry out and shrink within 24 hours, and may simply fall out of the hole after that time.
    • Most temporary tricks work best on white or off-white walls. For painted walls, there’s no substitute for patching and painting.
  4. A soft, white bar soap (Ivory is the most well-known brand of this type) will work best here. Just keep rubbing the bar over the hole until enough soap rubs off to fill it in. Then, wipe away any excess with a clean, damp rag. [4]
    • Don’t expect this trick to work for more than 24 hours or so—the soap will dry and shrink fairly quickly.
  5. Put a large spoonful of baking soda into a bowl and stir in just enough water to make a thick (toothpaste-like) paste. Use your finger to press it into the hole, then wipe away the extra paste with a damp rag. [5]
    • The baking soda paste will dry out—and probably fall out of the hole—within a few days at most.
  6. Search your kids’ play area or the store shelves for a color of play-dough that roughly matches your wall. Then, press a small amount of it into the nail hole with your finger and wipe away any excess with a clean rag.
    • The play-dough will dry, crack, and probably fall out of the hole within a few days.
    • Try making your own play-dough if you like!
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Repairing Larger Holes

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  1. Cover golf ball-sized or smaller holes with repair tape and joint compound . Stick a piece of fiberglass wall repair tape over the hole. After that, scoop up some joint compound on a putty knife and smooth it over the tape. Add the joint compound in thin layers, letting it dry for 2-4 hours between coats. Once the tape is covered, use fine-grit sandpaper to smooth out the patch. [6]
    • Make the layers of joint compound as thin as possible around the edges of the repair job. This is called “feathering,” and makes it easier to blend the patch seamlessly into the surrounding wall.
  2. Cut around and patch a large hole in a sheetrock (drywall) wall. Use a drywall saw or utility knife to cut out a square that extends from wall stud to wall stud on either side of the hole. Cut a matching square from a new piece of sheetrock and secure it onto the wall by screwing it into the studs. Apply joint tape around the seams, and smooth on layers of joint compound until the seams are invisible. [7]
    • It will take about 3 coats of joint compound to cover over the tape and seams. Apply thin layers and let them dry between coats. Use fine-grit sandpaper to smooth out any rough spots.
  3. Use patching plaster for large holes in lath-and-plaster walls. Carefully scrape out any loose plaster around the hole, trying not to enlarge it much more. Trowel on a thick first coat of patching plaster over the exposed horizontal wooden slats (“lath”) that support the plaster wall. When this layer is firm but not fully dry, add a thinner second layer and smooth it over to blend into the surrounding wall. [8]
    • Unsure if you have drywall or plaster? Try pushing a thumbtack through the wall. If the thumbtack enters freely with little resistance, it’s drywall. Plaster is much harder to puncture.
    • Once the top layer of patching plaster dries, go over it with fine-grit sandpaper to smooth it and blend it into the surrounding wall.
    • Before adding the patching plaster, secure any loose pieces of lath by screwing them into the closest wall studs, and replace any broken lath pieces.
  4. Prime and paint a wall repair job of any size. Whether your patch is the size of a marble or a volleyball, prime and paint over the repair material. Add 1-2 coats of interior latex primer over the dried patch with a brush, and let each coat dry completely. Go over the primer with fine-grit sandpaper , wipe away any dust, and apply 1-2 coats of interior latex paint .
    • Paint stores can match existing paint colors, especially if you bring them in a sample (e.g., a piece from the hole you patched). However, even if you have some of the original wall paint, it will never match the surrounding area perfectly. So, especially for larger patches, painting the entire wall may be your best option.
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How Can I Fill Nail Holes?


Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How can I cover a hole in the ceiling?
    Christopher Lanier
    Handyman
    Christopher Lanier is a Handyman and the former Owner and operator of Watson & Company Handiworks, a handyman business in Austin, Texas. For nearly 5 years Christopher specialized in outdoor light installation, furniture assembly, TV mounting, and window treatment installation. Before closing in 2021 Watson & Company Handiworks was rated as a Top Pro by Thumbtack. Christopher holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. He currently works as an inventory manager at Grocery TV, the largest digital advertising network in the U.S. grocery industry.
    Christopher Lanier
    Handyman
    Expert Answer
    If it's a pretty small hole, you can probably do some caulking. If it's larger, you may either want to consult a contractor or definitely caulk and spray foam. You don't want to just slap a piece of wood over it because then you've got other issues, as it won't be completely sealed.
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      Things You'll Need

      Filling Nail Holes

      Repairing Larger Holes

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/moving-out-fix-common-damage/
      2. ↑ https://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/moving-out-fix-common-damage/
      3. ↑ https://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/moving-out-fix-common-damage/
      4. ↑ https://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/moving-out-fix-common-damage/
      5. ↑ https://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/moving-out-fix-common-damage/
      6. ↑ https://www.lowes.com/projects/repair-and-maintain/patch-and-repair-drywall/project
      7. ↑ http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20051832,00.html
      8. ↑ http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20051832,00.html

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To cover a hole in a wall, hang a picture or photo over it. You could also try positioning furniture, like a bookcase or floor mirror, in front of a hole to hide it. If you’d rather fill the hole, squeeze some white toothpaste into a nail hole for a temporary solution. For a longer-term fix, fill the hole with white glue, and scrape away any excess glue with a putty knife. Once you’re ready for a permanent repair, use a putty knife to push some spackle into the hole. When you’re dealing with a hole that's no bigger than a golf ball, cover it with fiberglass tape before coating the tape with joint compound. After the compound dries, smooth out the area with sandpaper. To learn more, including how to patch up a large hole, keep reading!

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