Home Garden

How to Close Picture Holes in Sheetrock®

(Sheetrock® is a brand of gypsum panel manufactured by the USG Corporation.)



Nail or screw holes left from hanging pictures are unsightly and may reduce the perceived value of your home, especially when selling. Although holes in gypsum panels, also called plasterboard or drywall, are easy to repair, potential buyers overlook its simplicity and leave with a degraded impression of your home. With a little drywall compound and touchup paint, those holes can be closed to make the imperfections vanish, thereby improving the overall impression your home gives.

Things You'll Need

  • Drywall compound.
  • Razor blade
  • Putty knife
  • Primer paint
  • Paint
  • Paint roller
  • Fine sandpaper
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Cut off any protruding paper or particles using a razor blade. Small imperfections can be removed by sanding.

    • 2

      Spread a small amount of putty across the hole. Use two strokes: one down and one sideways. Allow the compound to dry and repeat the process if the first coat partially sinks into the hole. If that is the case, a second coat will fill it. Allow it to dry.

    • 3

      Sand the area using a fine-grit paper to remove any raised areas. The entire area should be flat to match the rest of the wall.

    • 4

      Apply a primer coat to the area using a paint roller. Allow the primer coat to dry.

    • 5

      Paint the area using a paint roller and allow it to dry.