How do I fix thumbtack holes in the wall?
 

I'm living in a dorm right now, and there are a number of thumbtack holes in the wall--some mine, some from the previous inhabitor. I'm trying to figure out the best way to cover them up so I don't take a hit for it. Any wonder tips?

people have smoothed toothpaste into the holes. Make sure it's white.

spackling works too: it's cheap.

spackle and a putty knife are easy to work with -

then use a bit of sandpaper to smooth down the spackle when it's try...

spackle... paint

semen.

Or spackle.

spackle the bitch.

I put a lot of thumbtax holes in my wall in my attempt to 'decorate' my room with picture frames.

Spackle, spackle, spackle..sometimes paint does the job.

Toothpaste works and it's usually cheaper!

Really....?

I'm gonna put a hole in my wall and test that....heehee wish me luck.

I'll give the toothpaste thing a try. Not sure the spackle will work as the wall has that nasty pebbly texture to it, so any spackling is gonna stand out pretty well.

Grab "lightweight spackle" at any paint store. It's cheap. If the checkout inspector knows their stuff they can tell anyway. (I charge extra for filling holes with toothpaste - it's in the agreement, and brought up during move-in.)

Don't use a putty knife unless the hole is huge. Use your fingertip. Knives leave big, irregular areas which are worse than the little holes. The rougher the wall texture, the more damage they cause.

After the spackle dries for a couple hours use a damp rag or sponge gently around the edges to get rid of any extra. (there may not be any) If you used a putty knife this is the last chance you have to clean off the mess before sanding a big flat spot on the wall.

Back to the tennant agreement, check for any mention of holes. People hang things on walls so most agreements mention something about it, either being overly restrictive or saying some amount is normal wear and tear. You may not need to do anything.

use your finger,and don't sand at all........it should blend right in.


you pick between the spackle or toothpaste though

how about a bit of wasabi to give some highlights?

Works like a charm. I've found Collgate works the best as it soesn't shrink as much.

Don't worry about the thumbtack holes. Dont they normally paint anyway? I doubt that they will charge you for having thumbtack holes in your walls. It is expected to have some nail or tack holes. As long as there is not a BIG hole in the wall, I think you should be ok

Tooth paste and a credit card, clean the card off if it's still active.

I know human nature means toothpaste is easier than taking responsibility, but why on earth use putty knives/credit cards? :boggle:

(sigh) The hazards of residental rentals.

i suppose that it stems from the fact that very few renters (vs home owners) own the standard set of tools for house maintenance. I know that when I rented a student house, there were no tools in my possession. Come to think of it, I didn't even have a credit card. So toothpaste is a substitute for spackling (actually there was no spackling back then either, I would have had to purchase Polly-filla and mix it myself) and the credit (in my case a student or meal) card substituted for a putty knife.

Leto, I was voting for _no tools_. Spackle/toothpaste is water-based. Use your finger. It's faster and does a better job. Knives make a mess of it. Anyway, a good rule is don't use an applicator that's wider than the actual hole. So unless you're punching broomsticks through the wall don't use a putty-knife.

The newer lightweight spackle is better, but we stopped using mixed fillers for small holes in the early 70's.

When in doubt, read the contract. I've seen some extremely goofy "repairs" for things that didn't need repairing, which ended up costing the tenant money to un-repair. :grimace:

In the dorms, his checkout inspector is most likely a fellow student (probably his resident assistant). Personally, when I was an RA, thumbtack holes were the least of our worries, and I usually let them slide, because filing a repair report for something like that just isn't worth the time and effort.

Toothpaste works fine. Your RA won't notice the difference.

Furthermore, the FIRST thing everyone should know about checking into the dorms: when they give you that check-in sheet that lists all the existing damage done to the room (holes in the wall, scuffs on the floor, torn carpet, whatever) MARK EVERYTHING DOWN. You might also consider marking down some of the lighter damage you might inflict upon the room by living there (I always marked down holes in the wall). Then, come year's end, you won't have to worry about filling up your thumbtack holes.

Yeah, except here's the problem--I'm in Germany on a study abroad program. My equivalent of an RA is a full grown man who makes a job of this. And it's in the Germans' nature to be anal retentive about everything--everything must be "in order." And given that the RA, or Hausmeister, is the one in charge of fixing such things, and given the current state of the German economy with its 10%+ unemployment and that he gets paid to fix things and that fixing those things keeps him a job, I don't think for a minute that he won't charge me if he can.

Gotta love Germany...

Spackle and paint is the preferable method, though toothpaste will substitute for the spackle if you are in a hurry and don't want to run to the store. You just need a small dab to fill the hole and then let it dry. You might want to sand it down if its not smooth, then paint that spot with the original paint color if the color doesn't match exactly.

Last year, I fixed my wall holes with Elmer's glue. They dried to a smoothness very similar to that of the wall, but you could see right through them. So, I finished the project by painting over the dried glue with whiteout. Afterwards, it was almost impossible to find the repair job, even if you knew where to look.

My mother, on the other hand, swears by the toothpaste technique.

Toothpaste works great and is minty fresh.

Another option is bar soap and paint. Just rub a corner of the soap over the hole. Then paint it (or let them paint it).

Spackle was our option of choice when I was an RA - we even kept jars of spackle/paint mixture that matched the paint in the rooms for residents to borrow and patch up holes.

I'm with Snowy - WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN. What would catch my attention were screw nail size holes that were used for wiring things like surround sound speakers. Thumbtacks should be much less of a worry - just use your finger like everyone has said, and easy does it.

Yeah, toothpaste, spackle, that sort of thing- totally works. You only need a tiny, tiny dab to fill a hole- try filling a few inconspicious holes first to get the hang of it. Less is always better when filling wall holes- you can always add more but it's a pain to clean up if you've used too much.

I would say, don't paint over it with white-out... doesn't work so well least for me- white out is usually a "brilliant white" color and walls rarely are.

Good Luck!

you should beable fill holes with paint, i dont imagine the holes are big enough to use much of anything, but if you get paint and a toothpick, you can fill the hole with matching paint and blob it on the front and nobody will ever notice, i've done it with sucess

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I want to try this. Seriously. :thumbsup: