How to Fill Large Screw Holes

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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After you remove a screw from your wall you will be left with a hole that needs to be filled. Filling a hole in dry wall might be easier than you think and can be accomplished with materials that are readily available at any hardware store.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Utility knife
Joint compound
Paint
Small brush

Step1

Clean the hole by removing any broken screws, wood or other debris from the hole. You can use a small brush or toothpick to do this.

Step2

Use a utility knife to apply some joint compound to the inside of the hole. Fill it in as much as possible, making sure to apply the joint compound evenly. This is an important step. If you don't put enough compound into the hole then it will be a shallow spot in your wall. If you put too much compound in you may have a harder time when it comes time to sanding the compound smooth with the wall. If you are uncertain, err on the side of a bit too much than too little.

Step3

Feather the joint compound out around the drywall that is around the hole. You can accomplish this by using the flat edge of your utility knife.

Step4

Let the joint compound dry. It will generally take about one full day for this.

Step5

Use fine-grit sandpaper to smooth any rough areas in the joint compound after the hole has dried. The compound is a fairly soft material so you don't need to sand it too vigorously. Simply rub the sand paper against it until it is smooth.

Step6

Wipe away any dust created by sanding the compound.

Step7

Use a small amount of paint that is the same color as your wall so that the compound blends in evenly with its surrounding area and allow the paint to dry.

Tips & Warnings

A foam paint brush can be used to evenly apply paint to the compound so that it will blend in with the wall around it.
When you first apply the paint, it will appear to be a slightly different shade than the dried paint around it. Once the paint dries, it should be the same if you have used the correct color.