It doesn’t take much for drywall to get dinged up, especially in high-traffic areas of your home. Whether you call them dents, scratches, small tears, or nicks, fixing these minor but unsightly marks is typically straightforward and simple. That said, it’s important to take the right approach to avoid major headaches or additional issues. So, if you find nicks in your drywall, here’s what you should do.

Gather the Right Materials

Minor drywall repair jobs only require the use of a handful of tools and materials. You’ll want to have these items on hand:

  • A putty knife
  • Carpenter’s knife
  • Sandpaper (120-grit)
  • Spackle/quick-setting drywall compound
  • Primer and paint
  • Paintbrush and/or roller

Prepare Accordingly

While small drywall repairs don’t typically make much of a mess, it’s a good idea to be prepared anyway. Lay down drop cloths to capture any fallen debris and dust, and wear clothing you don’t mind getting a bit dirty.

Clear the Hole and Deepen the Dent

Drywall nicks refer to damage that doesn’t penetrate the drywall completely. So, the indentation is bound to have some loose debris inside of it that will need to be cleared out. You can use your carpenter’s knife to do this. Then, though it might sound counterintuitive, you’ll want to push the dent in further using the butt end of your knife. Doing so will more clearly define the damaged, weakened area so you can better target your repair.

Sand the Area

The next step of your home drywall repair is to sand the area in question in order to help the compound adhere. If you remove paint during this process, don’t worry; you’ll be applying new paint by the end. In fact, the more bare the drywall, the better. That said, don’t overdo it, as you might worsen the nick.

Fill in the Dent with Spackle

Now it’s time to actually repair the indentation. Using your putty knife, apply quick-setting spackle or drywall mud to the area and run your knife across the nick to remove excess compound and to ensure the filled area is level with the wall. Once you’ve achieved a smooth finish, let the compound dry completely.

Sand it Again

Sand the dried area once more so it’s even and smooth. Depending on the size and depth of the nick, you might want to apply an additional coat of spackle to the area.

Prime and Paint

When the nick is filled and the area has been properly sanded, you can now coat the surface. Start with a coat of primer, as this will help you achieve an even, adhesive coat of paint. After the primer has dried, it’s time to paint. Make sure the paint matches the wall. If you properly stored some paint from your previous interior painting project, you’re in luck. If not, perhaps you made a note of the paint you used for that wall so you can purchase more of the same kind. Otherwise, you may need to seek help from home painting professionals who can properly color match.

Good as New!

And that’s it. Just about anyone can fix a nick in their drywall with the right tools and technique. Of course, if you need help with any of this process, hire the home painters and drywall repair professionals at All American Painting Plus. To learn more about us and everything we do for our clients in Northern Virginia, give us a call at 703-620-5563!