Spackling walls helps make them last longer as you get to repair the holes and cracks. You can also spackle surfaces to help hide imperfections before painting the drywall. But can you spackle over paint?
You can spackle over paint and it’s cheap and easy to do. Spackling over paint is doable after applying the color paint, enabling you to spot blemishes. But this is if you’re going to use a spackle of similar color as the paint. It’s also advisable to sand the wall and remove dirt before applying the spackle.
This article discusses everything you need to know about sparkling over paint. Read on!
Spackling Over Paint
Before spackling over the paint, ensure you prime the surface, then apply the color paint to see any difference in the texture or cracks and peels.
After that, you can spackle over the paint and have a perfect finish on your walls or surfaces. Use a spackle color that resembles the paint to avoid having an awkward look. However, you need to note that it’s not easy spackling over paint and getting a smoother finish.
So, you need to first remove the paint by sanding the area. Then apply primer to help the spackle hold better onto the surface. Use a roller to apply the primer and do just one coat.
What Kind of Surfaces Should You Spackle?
It’s advisable to spackle on smaller holes or cracks on various surfaces. The hole shouldn’t be bigger than ¼ inch for the spackle to dry faster and give the best results. This can be nail holes or cracks. If you’ve holes bigger than ¼ inch, consider using mud or a joint compound to fix the problem.
When Should You Spackle After Painting?
After painting, you need to wait for about 24 hours to spackle the surfaces. However, spackling won’t take you much time as it requires a few minutes to dry off. This can be between 1 and 2 hours. Remember, you can’t paint or spackle unless it dries off completely.
How To Spackle Over Paint?
To save on money, it’s advisable to spackle on surfaces by yourself. Buy the spackle, then mix it as it comes in a dry form. Mixing the spackle yourself will enable you to have the best paste with the right consistency. Make either denser or thinner spackling paste according to your preference. Here’s the step-by-step spackling process.
- After making the paste which consists of powder and water, it’s time to repair the damaged parts on the walls.
- Clean the work area, then apply the spackle over it. Use the largest putty knife to do this with ease. But the choice of the putty knife majorly depends on the area you’re to apply the spackle on.
- You can fill the spackle on smaller holes without adding a primer for stability. But for the larger ones, ensure you provide additional support like primer or mesh tape.
- Then spread the spackle all over the affected area using the putty knife. Don’t forget the areas around the area you’re repairing to make the surface stronger.
- Scrape off the excess spackle while evening it out to get a smoother finish.
- You can then do the second coat of spackle to get the desired results. But if you were repairing bigger holes and realize some dents after the second spackle application, do an additional layer. Apply a lesser amount of spackle after the first layer to get a perfect finish.
- Leave the spackle to dry off, then sand it afterwards. Use sandpaper to do this. Gently sand the area to avoid damaging it.
- Re-sand the area with fine-grit sandpaper to help do away with the remaining patches. Doing this will help prevent the paint from absorbing on the patches around the spackled area.
How Long Does it take to Spackle Dry Off?
If you want to spackle your walls, it’s best to give them enough time to dry off. Doing this will enable the repaired areas to stay intact for long, preventing you from unnecessary expenses.
Ensure you give the paint and spackle time to dry off before doing another coat completely. However, the time the spackle takes to dry off depends on three main factors, which include;
The Kind of Spackle
Some spackles dry off faster than others. This means if you have a spackle, the time each will take to dry will vary depending on the product you’ve got.
Temperature And Humidity
If it’s hot, your spackle will take less time to dry off, unlike when it’s cold. Also, the area’s humidity will determine the duration the spackle will take to dry. However, too hot or cold temperature and humidity will slow down the dry time, making you wait longer before doing the second coat.
The Fill Area Size
If the area you’re to fill with the spackle is bigger, it will take more time to dry off and vice versa. This is because the amount you’ll use to fill the area will be much, making you do more layers.
Bottom Line
You can spackle over paint to do away with cracks and holes on the walls. However, you need to use a spackle color similar to the paint. Also, primer the surface before spackling to enable it to hold better on the area.
Don’t forget to sand and paint it to seal off patches and make your walls look newer and better. It’s advisable to use spackles on smaller holes of ¼ inch or less.
FAQ
Can Spackle Stick on Glossy Paint?
No. If you spackle over glossy or semi-gloss paint, it won’t stick better. This will make the surface crack or peel not after so long. To avoid this, you need to primer the surface to act as an adhesive. Ensure you also apply primer before applying paint to hold both coats better.
Will Spackle Absorb the Paint?
The spackle won’t absorb the paint since you apply primer before and after spackling over the paint. The primer will act as a seal protecting the two from mixing. You will also not be able to apply several coats of paint over the spackled area without priming first.
However, if you spackle and leave some patches around the area unattended, they’ll absorb the paint. This requires you to sand the spackled area to seal the small patches to even out the surface.
Is It Possible to Use Drywall Mud Over Primer?
Yes. You can mud over a primer after it dries off. It’s advisable to use all-purpose mud to get the best results. Also, ensure you press on the primer gently with 120 grit to get a smoother finish.
Can You Spackle Over Wooden Painted Surfaces?
You can spackle any surface to help seal off the cracks and imperfections. You need to make the spackle with the right consistency that will stick over the wooden surface. Since spackle doesn’t take much time to dry and shrinks, it will hold well on wooden surfaces. If it’s the exterior surface, you will not have to prime it, saving on costs.
