How To Fix A Ding In Paint

I have over 20 years of experience painting, including getting rid of old, cracked paint and making walls await like new. Here'south how I do it.

Under this window, moisture damage ruined the paint and some of the plaster. — Under this window, wet damage ruined the paint and some of the plaster.

Cracked Paint

Many older homes take been painted so many times that the pigment becomes a serial of thick layers. Humidity, moisture, and time take a way of causing these layers to separate and bubble, eventually leading to not bad and chipping. When this happens, removing the loose paint is a must, simply the paint removal will leave the walls uneven. To restore your walls to a smooth, even surface, the damaged areas must exist reworked.

This work is not hard, and the toll to do the job is minimal. When y'all do the repairs, information technology will add together a professional person quality to your finished walls, and you volition feel good well-nigh the work invested.

How to Remove Onetime, Cracked Pigment

The first volition be to make clean out all the old, damaged paint and plaster that has come up loose.
The second step is to resurface the damaged area. I phone call this floating the wall or ceiling. This sometimes requires several applications of sheetrock compound which I volition refer to equally MUD.
The last step volition be to sand to a finish and apply a couple of coats of primer/sealer.

The terminal result will depend on the amount of care put into a relatively piece of cake job. The problem comes with having the patience to accept your fourth dimension and practice a good task of it. Read on for detailed descriptions of each of these steps.

Time to Fix Things Up! — Time to Set Things Up!

What You Will Need

six-in-1 tool
mud knife or straight-edged trowel
mixing bowl
spatula
sheetrock joint compound (this can exist bought already mixed in pocket-size to large buckets or numberless or you tin purchase dry joint chemical compound and mix information technology yourself)
sanding block
sandpaper
shop vacuum

What About That Joint Compound?

I like to buy it in dry form for two reasons. The start is that yous mix but what you lot need and the remainder will concluding a long time as long as you lot do not go it wet. The second reason I would rather mix my own mud is that I can vary the consistency of the wet mud to utilize the product for different forms of application.

The dry compound also comes in unlike drying times. You can buy a quick set up that volition begin to stiffen in as niggling as 20 minutes, or you lot can get a dull fix that takes an hour to stiffen. I generally utilise the quickest set because I am usually in a bustle doing repairs. The slower-setting compound is best to apply when you are working on larger areas.

6 in One Tool. — half-dozen in Ane Tool.

Step ane: Remove Loose Paint and Debris

The first affair you take to practice is become rid of all the loose paint and debris that is peeling from the wall or ceiling. I like the handy "6 in one tool" for this job. It has a couple of unlike edges on it that you can utilise to gouge, score, and scrape with. That is the perfect tool for opening up the bubbling and cracks.

You tin use the flat edge to scrape away the loose paint and sometimes role of the plaster or sheetrock. Then you lot tin use the pointed edge to choice in tight spots and gouge out pocket-size loose areas. This tool is also great when you lot come to old caulk because yous can dig in and nether with it and information technology takes care of nearly everything you need to get removed. I usually accept a grinder and use it to keep my "vi in 1" very sharp. It makes the piece of work go faster if the edges are honed down to a abrupt bract.

Scroll to Keep

Step 2: Refloat the Wall

Now that the bubbling and cracks in your pigment are opened up and scraped clean, information technology is time to refloat the wall. What that actually means is putting an even glaze of mud on the holes then that the wall is smooth and dorsum to the original apartment surface. This is a little bit tedious, merely I believe anyone can practice it if they take their fourth dimension and are conscientious.

I wrote a petty well-nigh the sheetrock joint compound above. I am using this because I like the way it performs. There are other products that yous tin can purchase for the aforementioned purpose but personally, I practice non like them every bit much equally the sheetrock articulation compound. You can use Plaster of Paris. There are other name-brand products on the market. I know I have used everything they manufacture and I e'er go back to the joint compound. I ever use the powdered form that yous accept to mix yourself. I told you why but permit me expound.

Powdered articulation chemical compound volition go on for a long time, like several years if yous keep information technology dry. It is non like the premixed bucket production for a couple of reasons. They must put some kind of stabilizer in the premixed mud. It does non experience the aforementioned when y'all are working with it. Also, after the container is opened the product starts to dry. Information technology first dries effectually the edges of the container that it comes in. No affair how hard you try to keep it covered it will brainstorm to dry the 2nd it makes air contact. Most repairs of any size will require more than one application.
Each fourth dimension you open the container you lot are exposing the premixed mud to the air. Well-nigh the third or fourth time you open the container you start to become crusty, semi-dried pieces of the articulation compound falling down off the edges of your container and right into the adept mud. Now when you lot are trying to carefully spread an fifty-fifty layer of the mud onto the wall and a hunk of the crusty stuff gets into the practiced mud, it drags a hole in your wet work area. This will make yous crazy as you will have to terminate and pick out the piddling dry hunk and then try to refloat your piece of work. It is but besides annoying for me.
The other thing about the premixed articulation compound is that it is in a container that costs more than to package and you will pay two or iii or even four times as much for the premix. Know what are you paying for besides convenience? The respond is h2o. That irks me too. Then the fact is that you are better off purchasing the powdered compound and mixing upwardly what you need.

Load the mud knife with a glob and start to fill in the area to repair.

Load the mud pocketknife with a glob and first to fill in the expanse to repair.

Stride 3: Add Sheetrock Mud to the Damaged Areas

Now that you have your compound mixed, you can offset to float the new finish. The get-go application of mud will non exercise the job. Information technology usually takes two, three, and sometimes iv applications to become information technology right. That is why I like the fast ready formula. Y'all can get-go in ane area and utilise the first coat and movement on to other repair areas. By the time you have the entire first application in all the damaged spots, it might be dry enough to outset sanding. I always brand sure to put the first coat on thin non more than than ane/8 of an inch thick. This is a expert way to keep the sanding to a minimum.

I as well like to utilize a fan or portable heater to finish the drying toward the stop. This will help ensure that you do not hit soft compound. Pay close attention to the color of the sheetrock compound you lot practical. Information technology will be greyness when it goes on but then information technology turns white equally it dries. Soft spots that are non completely dry will not be ready to sand and they will still exist greyness in the deepest areas. Make sure it has all turned white before you sand. You can see in the adjoining photo how the edges are starting to plow white. Brand sure to spotter for soft grey spots.

Sand with fine sandpaper on a sanding block. And then mix more sheetrock chemical compound and add another sparse layer of the mud to fill deep areas and do the same as you did in the starting time pace. Employ a thin coat on everything and look for it to dry out. The sanding should only be washed to the betoken where the new mud is level with the existing walls. Exercise not sand likewise deep. Run your hands over the areas y'all have worked to feel for imperfections and also visually inspect your work.

This repair required v applications of sheetrock compound to become it back to the same equally the original wall. Information technology becomes a smaller and smaller corporeality to fill every bit the layers of stale mud build to form your new wall surface. It is not really hard piece of work information technology just takes time. Brand certain to accept adequate ventilation when y'all are doing this kind of work. Yous should ever wear a mask over your face up to prevent as much inhalation of the sanded dust every bit possible. The better the quality of the mask the better for your health.

I always vacuum in between sanding to help keep the dust to a minimum. The less dust, the ameliorate. I get through store vacuums pretty regularly. The fine grit is hard on the motor of the vacuum then you tin imagine how hard it tin be on your lungs. It is smart to utilise the best filters for your vacuums too. The better ones cost a trivial more but the benefits for y'all and your machine outweigh the expense.

Step 4: Seal, Prime, and Pigment

The wall should feel nice and smooth and you should not be able to feel a difference in the level of the wall. If y'all feel a hump, you lot need to sand downwards. If you feel a dip, yous demand to fill up it with some other application of sheetrock compound. When you are satisfied with the way it feels and looks, you are ready to finish with a sealer/primer. I e'er use Kilz brand primer because it has ever done me a good chore and I have been using it for over xx years. There are other primer/sealers on the market, simply Kilz is my get-to product.

I always apply two coats to the entire wall. The starting time coat volition seal the new repair and the second glaze volition give you a nice even wall that is uniform in color and ready to pigment. It is a good idea to wipe downwardly the walls before you lot utilise the primer. I do this with a dry out make clean cloth and I also run a vacuum over the walls and everything around the piece of work area. The less dust, the improve the paint job. It is better for your wellness as well.

So there you accept information technology. This work can be accomplished by anyone willing to take the time and effort and it will save you a bundle compared to hiring a professional person. Good luck on your repairs.

This commodity is accurate and true to the all-time of the author's knowledge. Content is for advisory or entertainment purposes only and does non substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business concern, financial, legal, or technical matters.

tawd on October 10, 2019:

Heyyy, so my crackling paint situation resides on a brick wall, at least i layer under the top one, in the bath of my 1930's cottage.

Obviously I can't skim coat brick, so I was wondering if you had any thoughts?

Thanks

Kat on September ten, 2018:

Pakistani repair/maintenance guys here in Dubai should learn this. Their piece of work are below tolerable!

Kelly B. on August 09, 2018:

I just wanted to tell y'all how incredibly helpful this article was! These old houses can be bears to work with but knowing other people do it, makes me hopeful! Thank you!!!

NYC D on July 14, 2018:

Hi, does everything in the article higher up apply too to concrete / "plaster" walls? That's what we have--concrete aka plaster aka masonry walls. (At least I *recall* all those phrases hateful concrete. In any effect, our walls are definitely not drywall/sheetrock.) And so do any of the steps you list Non apply to our walls? In any effect, thanks for the great write-up!

Traycee on March 25, 2018:

This is exactly my problem. I noticed a pocket-sized bubble on wall. I scraped it thinking it would exist a small quarter size repair. It turned into a large area of pigment that was loose. I am going to endeavor to repair that section of the wall. Is the mud applied over the entire section where the paint came off OR simply around the edges? Cheers

Lorenzp on March 17, 2018:

we call that tool a 5-in-1,not 6-in-1

midori on December 26, 2017:

Thank you for taking the time to craft such a detailed explanation. Very helpful and much appreciated.

Sharon Whittington from Labarque Creek, MO 63069 on November thirteen, 2017:

Wow! Cool:)

PATRICIA on August eighteen, 2017:

VERY USEFUL AND PERFECTLY EXPLAINED! THANX!!!

Bishop55 on June 24, 2013:

Corking hub! Voted up!

C.S.Alexis (author) from NW Indiana on October xx, 2011:

I have no suggestion other than to exercise some enquiry so that you exercise not create unsafe work conditions. Meliorate to take time to find out than make a fault.

Chris on Oct 19, 2011:

So what are you suggestions for fixing a wall that potentially has pb based paint?

philipandrews188 on August 31, 2011:

Very very useful hub.

C.S.Alexis (author) from NW Indiana on November eighteen, 2010:

mommyofalot,

We had the same situation. The damp wall on this projection was being caused past water running off the roof. The gutters had to be repaired outside. It is best to find the source of the dampness before doing the repair or it will come back on yous.

The wall tin be stale out subsequently the source has been repaired using a dehumidifier and a fan. This may take a few days, but information technology is worth information technology to brand sure there is no dampness before repairing your wall.

mommyofalot on November 18, 2010:

The wall in my bath looks alot like your wall originally did. And you did a WONDERFUL job fixing it< which motivated me (since you added stride by pace instructions). The weird thing though is the paint originally bubbled and so I used a mud knife to scrape and removed the paint and damaged parts off of the wall. Now that I'chiliad ready to fix it the wall it damp to the touch so I dont know what would cause that. When we moved in 3 years agone the house was inspected but im wondering would wet walls exist something that is checked for. Exercise you lot accept any suggestions on what I can do to dry the wall and keep it dry before I repair information technology.

C.Due south.Alexis (author) from NW Indiana on October 25, 2010:

agvulpes,

No damper at all. In fact i should have mention taking precations for a lead based paint. Thanks for bringing it to my attending.

Peter from Australia on October 25, 2010:

Hullo C.S. you sure know your stuff and I do non green-eyed anyone the job of repairing plaster walls. From the pictures in this Hub y'all take done a great job.

One word of warning which should be spelled out in loud words is the fact that a lot of the old paint contained a very dangerous metal called 'lead' and if this is in the pigment that is beingness sanding the results could be quite disastrous for the painter and and children that breathe in this dust! Modern paints these days do not have 'lead' in them!

Sorry to put a damper on such a wonderful Hub !

Morris Streak from Great britain on May x, 2009:

I agree. Maintaining 1's house tin exist a pain, especially when one doesn't have the patience to gear up it. Good hub. You certainly know what you lot're talking about. Plus, the photos document well the bespeak you were getting across. In a a way, I'm into house repairs myself.

SuperiorInteriors from San Diego, California on March 17, 2009:

My Landlord has had the bathroom repaired improperly in the past and information technology was subject to an virtually consummate deterioration. After removing the old garbage, I relaized the whole basically went clear through to the houses outside. Well patched that 1 upwards and my next plan is to discover a new landlord.

Skilful advice and very useful hub.

C.S.Alexis (author) from NW Indiana on February 12, 2009:

Samanta,

The thing to exercise is if y'all tin can use the paint do not put information technology on the aforementioned wall equally anything you take already painted with this color. If you can start a fresh wall with it and the remaining pigment is not full of lumps I say use it. The difference in color will not be noticeable plenty to matter because a different wall volition be picking up a dissimilar angle from the light. I would non use it for touch up on anything that you lot painted 2 months ago. More than probable it will not match.

Samanta on February 12, 2009:

Unfortunately a container with full of icidulux 3 in 1 wall paint remained open for 2 months. Every bit a result a thick hard layer has formed. Can everyone suggest me whether I can use the balance pigment below the thick layer? Is there any reaction with air under such condition? Whether the colour will remain same or not?

SweetiePie from Southern California, USA on February 06, 2009:

Today I had to put in a new doorknob and spackle the cracks effectually the where the old knob had been. It is not exactly painting, but this hub was helpful because spackling needs to be done in layers only like painting.

C.S.Alexis (author) from NW Indiana on February 05, 2009:

Hoopskirtman,

I am blessed to take a few skills and so I endeavour to make the most of them. Thanks for reading my hub.

HoopSkirtMan on February 04, 2009:

I envy you lot ingenuity with being able to use your skills that way to make actress money. Good for you!

C.S.Alexis (author) from NW Indiana on February 04, 2009:

SweetiePie,

I have about thirty years of experience, my life has revolved effectually a paintbrush and aye it does pay very adept for physical labor. Guess that could be the next "How to first a business" hub. My oldest son is a union painter. He said he did not desire to learn to pigment and I told him he had to acquire when he was 19 years old because, then he would take a skill he could always fall back on for piece of work. I know because I practise it all the fourth dimension.

Terminal calendar month I did two small jobs and the Art Studio Rent is paid upwards through June, It is a good skill to know. I have made an extra $2100. this year, 2009, painting role time.

SweetiePie from Southern California, U.s. on February 03, 2009:

Just a idea, merely accept you ever considered offering your services as painting peoples' houses? Some how I think people would pay some what good money to do this because many practice non want to accept the effort to paint.

C.South.Alexis (author) from NW Indiana on February 03, 2009:

Thanks Zsuzsy! Aye the sanding is messy but when that is washed the worst is over, correct?

Zsuzsy Bee from Ontario/Canada on February 02, 2009:

C.S. Cracking demonstration. I hate the sanding part with a passion

Super duper hub again

regards Zsuzsy

C.S.Alexis (author) from NW Indiana on Feb 02, 2009:

SweetiePie,

Thanks for reading my latest. my photos were stuck in my camera for over a week. This is where I am going to put my fine art studio. So far so skilful. Just thought I would write the hub as I worked on the place. I actually wrote the hub before I started working considering I knew what I had to do. My nails await similar the cracked paint and no time for polish,LOL. I keep hoping to get moved in and then something else comes up. The weather has been a big, tedious me down, gene and, they are calling for five to 8" by tomorrow dark. Guess God and Mother Nature take their feet on my tail huh?

SweetiePie from Southern California, USA on February 02, 2009:

Wonderful hub! I beloved to paint and the description of the cracked pigment reminds me of my nail polish. It looks expert for the first two days, then I add a layer because information technology begins to crack. Two more days it lasts, but by the quaternary or fifth day it is time to beginning over once more. Dainty sit-in with photos by the way.

C.S.Alexis (author) from NW Indiana on February 02, 2009:

Wow BK,

1851 is really an former one. I would endeavour to fix it up if the foundation is good. There is a lot of labor that can go in to renovations just it is worth it particularly if you love the old stuff. I certain practise. Thanks for sharing and reading my hub. C.S.

BkCreative from Brooklyn, New York City on February 02, 2009:

This is timely! My edifice was built in 1851 and bluntly I had decided to give up. But now with a footling guidance I may tackle some of what remains standing.

Thanks!

C.S.Alexis (writer) from NW Indiana on Feb 02, 2009:

hot dorkage,

Yep it tin can if you allow it. I only think of information technology as some other work of fine art and information technology usually comes out pretty skilful. Thanks for commenting!

hot dorkage from Oregon, U.s. on Feb 02, 2009:

very useful. Mudding up a wall drives me nuts!