Wall Repairs That Won't End in Despair

Most people think the hardest part of painting is choosing a colour that won't look hideous under daylight. But no shade of white, greige, or experimental mauve can save a wall that looks like it's survived a minor skirmish. Dents, cracks, and screw holes are the stuff of visual chaos, and painting over them without proper repair is like putting lipstick on a hole in the plasterboard.

Good painting starts with good prep. And good prep means knowing how to fix the wall crimes of the past—whether you made them or inherited them from the previous tenant with a picture-hanging addiction and a loose relationship with spirit levels.

Step 1: Wash Away the Sins

Before you start patching anything, clean your walls. No one wants to admit how much oil, dust, handprints, and weird smudges can collect over time, but it's a lot. Painting or plastering over grime just means you're creating a new layer of disappointment.

Use sugar soap or a mild detergent with a sponge. Work in sections. Don't soak the walls like you're trying to baptise them—just enough moisture to clean the surface. Let it dry completely before moving on. If your wall is still damp when you start filling holes, you're just begging for bubbling and bad adhesion.

Step 2: Fill the Tiny Offenses

Small dents and screw holes are easy to fix, but also easy to screw up if you get cocky. Use a lightweight filler or spackling compound. Apply it with a small putty knife in thin layers, pressing it slightly into the hole, not just smearing it across the surface like a child icing a cupcake.

Resist the urge to overfill. You want it just proud of the wall surface so you can sand it back flush later. If you find yourself with lumpy blotches that resemble topographic maps, that's too much filler. Step away from the knife and try again.

Step 3: For the Bigger Offenders

Larger holes—those from doorknobs, elbows, or "unexplained incidents"—require a bit more effort. For holes larger than a coin, use a patching system. These usually involve mesh tape, a metal patch, or a bit of reinforcing plasterboard. If your solution involves cardboard and hope, start over.

Apply compound in two stages: the first layer fills the hole and embeds the patch, the second smooths it flush with the surrounding wall. Let the first coat dry thoroughly before applying the second. Drying time isn't negotiable here—no one likes a sagging patch mid-reno.

Step 4: Sand Like You Mean It

Once your filler or plaster is dry, it's time to sand. This is not a step to phone in. Uneven surfaces may not seem like a big deal now, but they'll catch the light in ways that make your entire paint job look like a rough draft.

Use a sanding block or a sanding pole with fine grit (around 180 to 220 works well). Keep it gentle. You're smoothing the surface, not trying to access a hidden treasure behind the plaster. Run your hand over the spot after sanding—if you can feel the edge, it'll show through paint. Go again until it disappears.

And yes, there will be dust. A lot of it. Vacuum the area or wipe it down with a damp cloth before moving on. Do not, under any circumstances, skip the cleanup and paint over sanding dust unless you want your wall to feel like a fine-grit nail file forever.

Step 5: Seal the Deal

Patches, fillers, and plastered areas are thirstier than the rest of your wall. If you skip sealing them, they'll soak up your lovely paint like a sponge at a cocktail party and leave you with weird discolourations or a dull, patchy finish.

Use a primer or sealer, ideally the same base as your planned paint. Water-based primer for water-based paint, oil-based for oil-based—yes, it matters. Apply a thin, even coat over all the repaired areas. If you're repainting the whole wall, priming the entire surface will give you the most even results, especially if the wall's been patched a lot or looks like it's been through something.

Let the primer dry fully. It's not a race. Premature painting is the number one cause of regret among impatient DIYers.

Step 6: Inspect, Then Judge Harshly

With everything dry and sealed, now is the time to turn on every light in the room and examine your wall like you're auditioning it for a gallery. Check from different angles. Run your hand across the surface. If something feels off, it will look off after painting.

Find another small dent? Tiny ridge from lazy sanding? This is your last chance to correct it. Better to spend five more minutes now than repaint the wall in frustration later.

Fill Me Once, Shame on You

Repairing walls before painting isn't glamorous, but neither is living with lumps, dips, and mystery dimples forever. A great paint job hides its prep—but the lack of prep always shows. Your future self, standing in a freshly painted room that doesn't look like it's hiding a thousand secrets, will be deeply grateful.

Just remember: the wall remembers everything. Take the time to erase the evidence properly.

Article kindly provided by imperialpaintersgoldcoast.com.au