# Filling Nail Holes



## Pete Martin the Painter (Nov 8, 2012)

Hi,
Have a fairly simple question. Wondering what others use to fill nail holes. Currently I have been using spackling, but I am finding it very time consuming-fill hole, wait to dry, remove excess. In the past I have used window glazing, but someone mentioned that this is not good because it dries out and become brittle. Anything better that these two options?

Thanks.


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

If you are only filling nail holes, and you have to


Pete the Painter said:


> wait to dry, remove excess.


you are doing it wrong.
I use Red Devil One-Time spackle. Rub it in the hole, wipe off excess, done.


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

Crawford water putty. Used to use Dap Painters Putty but it's not around anymore. The oil based version that is.


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## Damon T (Nov 22, 2008)

There are many different types of spackle with different performance characteristics. Try a few different ones. Crackshot works well, sands nice, isn't supposed to flash but I still typically prime. Ready patch has good adhesion and spread ability , is harder to sand. One time fills easy and dries quick. Not as smooth and not as good adhesion. Some mix Elmer's latex wood filler and One Time 50/50. Best of both worlds. Crawford's vinyl spackle sands super easy. I don't use oil putties anymore except when staining and using the wood colored ones.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

There's nothing wrong with using glazing compound, at least in my experience. I used it for years with no problems as long as the finish paint is enamel. ( it will bleed an oily spot through flat paint) lately I have switched to Dap crack shot. Like PWG said, fill them flush the first time and you don't have to sand.


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## cdaniels (Oct 20, 2012)

Glazing works fine but like JM said it will bleed through flat.I like to dry it out a little with joint compound dust.I do the same with painter's putty.


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## paintball head (Mar 3, 2012)

Jmayspaint said:


> There's nothing wrong with using glazing compound, at least in my experience. I used it for years with no problems as long as the finish paint is enamel. ( it will bleed an oily spot through flat paint) lately I have switched to Dap crack shot. Like PWG said, fill them flush the first time and you don't have to sand.


Most of the spackles I've seen will shrink down if you fill the holes flush, needing a second hit. I leave a little excess of an easy to sand product and sand it off.


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## Hines Painting (Jun 22, 2013)

This stuff:









Apply it with your fingers, flush to the surface; and paint it. Done.


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## paintball head (Mar 3, 2012)

Hines Painting said:


> This stuff:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I will try it. I have used lots of the Crawfords spackle in the green can for this very thing.


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## STAR (Nov 26, 2010)

For cookie cutter homes I use Dap 33 glazing. For larger holes or high end custom homes I use crackshot.


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

paintball head said:


> Most of the spackles I've seen will shrink down if you fill the holes flush, needing a second hit. I leave a little excess of an easy to sand product and sand it off.


We are talking nail holes, right? How big are these nail holes that need to be filled twice?


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

ProWallGuy said:


> We are talking nail holes, right? How big are these nail holes that need to be filled twice?


Maybe he is following a NC wood butcher.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

Over my last 16,000 postings on pt I have always said I use Crawfords.


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## gabe (Apr 20, 2012)

' vinyl (green can) place it in a large syringe, replace tip with a small blow gun tip. I then inject it into the nail hole and leave it overfilled. Then sand flush with a piece of sandpaper (not a sanding sponge) when dry. It is a neat fast way of doing it.


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

gabe said:


> ' vinyl (green can) place it in a large syringe, replace tip with a small blow gun tip. I then inject it into the nail hole and leave it overfilled. Then sand flush with a piece of sandpaper (not a sanding sponge) when dry. It is a neat fast way of doing it.


I would try that method, but I seem to have misplaced my blow gun tips.:whistling2:


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## gabe (Apr 20, 2012)

You can buy tips for your blow gun, air compressor tool. One is to inflate basketballs, the other tips are a little bigger, they screw into a large syringe. Works very well


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

slinger58 said:


> I would try that method, but I seem to have misplaced my blow gun tips.:whistling2:


Not only that, the last time I used this method I accidentally put a dart into the HO's neck. Definitely not covered by my insurance.


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

My bad. I was thinking of a different kind of blow gun, ya know like the ones in the Indiana Jones movie where they were shooting poison darts at him as he was running for the airplane that had a snake in it named Reggie that he didn't like.

My mistake. :jester::thumbsup:


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

RH said:


> Not only that, the last time I used this method I accidentally put a dart into the HO's neck. Definitely not covered by my insurance.


Did it the make the HO mad and the two of you fought and the police had to be called? Cause that would be a good story.:yes:


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

slinger58 said:


> My bad. I was thinking of a different kind of blow gun, ya know like the ones in the Indiana Jones movie where they were shooting poison darts at him as he was running for the airplane that had a snake in it named Reggie that he didn't like.
> 
> My mistake. :jester::thumbsup:


You're forgiven... this time.


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## Carl (Jun 18, 2011)

It's not just with flat paint that glazing leaves the oily spot. This was semi gloss, paint job was less than 2 years old and all the nail holes looked like this. I like to use drywall mud or shrink free spackling, overfill the hole and sand flush.


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## aroplate (Aug 21, 2013)

If you're painting with oil you can just use the oil base painters putty, you have knife it off, you can get tips on how to do that from you local tract apprentice.
If your painting with acrylic I usually just use lightweight, but whatever you do don't use painters putty under acrylic or you will have oil spots bleeding through your woodwork.


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)




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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

ProWallGuy said:


> Fill Nail Hole - YouTube


 
the only way to do it:thumbsup:


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## slapiton (Jul 28, 2007)

3m patch with primer, fill nail hole with extra sticking out, sand smooth, paint, works great


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

ProWallGuy said:


> Fill Nail Hole - YouTube


Every time I heard the squeak of that dollar store caulking gun, another tear rolled out of my eye. I haven't laughed that hard in a while.
I'm going to watch some more of those tomorrow, can't do "em all in one evening.
Thanks.


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## cdaniels (Oct 20, 2012)

aroplate said:


> If you're painting with oil you can just use the oil base painters putty, you have knife it off, you can get tips on how to do that from you local tract apprentice.
> If your painting with acrylic I usually just use lightweight, but whatever you do don't use painters putty under acrylic or you will have oil spots bleeding through your woodwork.


I have used it under acrylic for 25 years and never had a problem with it.


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## Hines Painting (Jun 22, 2013)

cdaniels said:


> I have used it under acrylic for 25 years and never had a problem with it.



I second that. I haven't been using it quite that long, at least 15 years though and have never had a problem. Sometimes I even paint over it within minutes and I've never had problems with that either.


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

Carl said:


> View attachment 19437
> 
> 
> It's not just with flat paint that glazing leaves the oily spot. This was semi gloss, paint job was less than 2 years old and all the nail holes looked like this. I like to use drywall mud or shrink free spackling, overfill the hole and sand flush.


No offense, but from what I see in that pic, the nail holes/putty are the least of the problems with that window.:blink:


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## aroplate (Aug 21, 2013)

cdaniels said:


> I have used it under acrylic for 25 years and never had a problem with it.


I'm 53 and I've been painting since 18 that's 35 years I've got you beat by 10, maybe were thinking of different products, but the Crawfords oil base painters putty will bleed through acrylic and leave an oil spot. 
but we were moving pretty fast on the tract, putty and paint the same day, so it's possible that the putty was still wet and bled through the paint, that's why we switched to spackle, maybe your letting it dry complete before you paint, and if that's not it then just blame it Gamma Rays.


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## aroplate (Aug 21, 2013)

Hines Painting said:


> I second that. I haven't been using it quite that long, at least 15 years though and have never had a problem. Sometimes I even paint over it within minutes and I've never had problems with that either.


If it works for you then don't stop on my account, I'm just saying from experience that oil putty will with time bleed through acrylic, maybe you've got the good stuff


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

I think it has a lot to do with how much you dry the putty/ glazing before use. I think we all agree it has the potential to bleed, if only through flat. 
I too have used it a lot in the past on houses I do regular maintaince on and it hasn't bled. But I have seen it happen with satin a time of two. 
There also seems to be a lot of problems with using oil putties with acrylic clear coats. 

With everything going to WB these days, I wish they could come up with a WB product that would perform like oil putty. Easy application, no sanding, no shrinking, and available in several colors.. Haven't seen anything like that yet.


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## Carl (Jun 18, 2011)

That's true, plus it's glazing...it's for windows and requires an oil primer after 2 weeks of drying time. You are using a product in a way that it isn't designed for. I try to follow directions but I know I'm crazy like that. I used to work for a pretty huge new construction company and we had a foreman that started making us roll the glazing in Durabond powder before filling holes with it. I guess that worked but this was back in the day when we were spraying trim with oil. After switching to the filling and sanding flush method, really it looked better as well. You can't truly get a nail hole to vanish as well if you are using putty of any kind IMO, especially when you are running crews of guys that are trying to go fast so they end up filling each hole halfway.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

I could never tell the difference between putty and glazing. Except maybe that putty is a little oilier. That's why I used to prefer glazing. 
Painters have been filling holes with this stuff for 100 yrs, but it seems that with today's finishes its become antiquated.


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## aroplate (Aug 21, 2013)

The difference is that you can hold painters putty in your hand and thumb it in, glazing is too soft and sticky.
I should also clarify acrylic flat, we did all the base in flat and had oil bleed, didn't notice it as much on acrylic enamel.


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## cdaniels (Oct 20, 2012)

You can hold either one in your hand and thumb it if you condition it right.I have never seen it bleed through a 100% acrylic semi-gloss but go with what works for you.I use crackshot sometimes too.No biggie.


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

Is there still oil based putty available other than the color putty for stain work? The Crawfords putty I use is water based.


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## cdaniels (Oct 20, 2012)

Yep you can get it in oil.


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## aroplate (Aug 21, 2013)

slinger58 said:


> Is there still oil based putty available other than the color putty for stain work? The Crawfords putty I use is water based.


Crawfords painters putty is oil base, they also sell spackle, I think the oil putty has a layer of water on it to keep it from drying out, I think Dap made something similar in a red can, and the there's Dap 33 glazing which is specifically designed for window glazing, but in a pinch for nail holes too 
I think we've exhausted the nail hole putty thread


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## gabe (Apr 20, 2012)




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## paintball head (Mar 3, 2012)

ProWallGuy said:


> We are talking nail holes, right?* How big are these nail holes that need to be filled twice?*




I will respond to your ridiculous question with a ridiculous answer. The carpenters I follow use 16 penny nails on all of their high end trim work.

I'm not the only guy in this thread that follows the philosophy of filling holes, apply it flush and the spackle will shrink so leave a little on the hole and give it a light sanding. Seems like your response to my comment was just some guy trying to belittle another guy, so  off.


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## paintball head (Mar 3, 2012)

ProWallGuy said:


> Fill Nail Hole - YouTube


Your demo leaves out the part about pressing in the nail hole prior to filling it. Doing it the way you show the hole will have a crater/volcanoe look. So before filling the hole press it hard with the handle end of your fiveinone tool to eliminate the raised edges that the nail created when driven into the wall.


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## cdaniels (Oct 20, 2012)

oh boy.


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Who uses 16's on trim?? We shoot walls together with 16's. That some 24" crown and base or something?


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

cdaniels said:


> oh boy.


No kidding. I may have to take up the Steve Richards method of dealing 
with this stuff.


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

paintball head said:


> [/B]
> 
> I will respond to your ridiculous question with a ridiculous answer. The carpenters I follow use 16 penny nails on all of their high end trim work.
> 
> I'm not the only guy in this thread that follows the philosophy of filling holes, apply it flush and the spackle will shrink so leave a little on the hole and give it a light sanding. Seems like your response to my comment was just some guy trying to belittle another guy, so  off.


Have you ever even seen a hole?


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

Pete the Painter said:


> Hi,
> but I am finding it very time consuming-fill hole, wait to dry, remove excess.


Do more then 1 at a time Pete.
:jester:


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

Bender said:


> Do more then 1 at a time Pete.
> :jester:


Stop that.


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## cdaniels (Oct 20, 2012)

I use Crest.


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## ProWallGuy (Apr 7, 2007)

I can't believe I wasted my time in a thread for professional painters and had to explain how to fill a nail hole. 

And I reckon I should be glad I don't have to follow behind hack carpenters and fill their holes.


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

I remember hearing the toothpaste/spackle idea back in the late 70's.


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## cdaniels (Oct 20, 2012)

The fluoride keeps it from shrinking so you only have to fill it once.:whistling2:


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## Lakesidex (Oct 9, 2011)

Interior, if you want it perfect.. Ready Patch, let dry, sand, Ready patch, let dry, sand, spot-prime, finish.

For new construction we would first coat with oil-primer, fill nail holes with 2 coats of Ready Patch, sand, another coat of oil-primer, sand, caulk, 1st coat Satin oil, sand, final coat Satin oil. 

Looked like a million bucks.


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## hotwing7 (Mar 31, 2012)

A painter I subbed for on nc wanted the holes first filled with drywall filler, sanded, then bondo and sanded again. PITA but there was not one spot where you could see where a nail was. Looked sharp.


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## aroplate (Aug 21, 2013)

hotwing7 said:


> A painter I subbed for on nc wanted the holes first filled with drywall filler, sanded, then bondo and sanded again. PITA but there was not one spot where you could see where a nail was. Looked sharp.


Bondo for finish nail holes??
It must've looked good but it seems like an over kill, and excessive work. I can't believe we're still talking about nail holes


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

paintball head said:


> Your demo leaves out the part about pressing in the nail hole prior to filling it. Doing it the way you show the hole will have a crater/volcanoe look. So before filling the hole press it hard with the handle end of your fiveinone tool to eliminate the raised edges that the nail created when driven into the wall.


Paintball hothead!:whistling2:


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

aroplate said:


> Bondo for finish nail holes??
> It must've looked good but it seems like an over kill, and excessive work. I can't believe we're still talking about nail holes


Nail holes and a-holes seems to me.


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## epretot (Dec 17, 2011)

Lakesidex said:


> Interior, if you want it perfect.. Ready Patch, let dry, sand, Ready patch, let dry, sand, spot-prime, finish.
> 
> For new construction we would first coat with oil-primer, fill nail holes with 2 coats of Ready Patch, sand, another coat of oil-primer, sand, caulk, 1st coat Satin oil, sand, final coat Satin oil.
> 
> Looked like a million bucks.


This is how I do it. But...it has to look perfect. This method achieves that.


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## aroplate (Aug 21, 2013)

How many holes can you fill, one word.............Viagra


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## Jasonthep8nter (Aug 7, 2013)

aroplate said:


> Bondo for finish nail holes??
> It must've looked good but it seems like an over kill, and excessive work. I can't believe we're still talking about nail holes


Yes This seems to be a hot topic nail holes! Lol


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

Carl said:


> View attachment 19437
> 
> 
> It's not just with flat paint that glazing leaves the oily spot. This was semi gloss, paint job was less than 2 years old and all the nail holes looked like this. I like to use drywall mud or shrink free spackling, overfill the hole and sand flush.


If you add whitner to Crawfords it won't do this. Any decent paint store will have it next to the putty.


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## Jmayspaint (Mar 26, 2013)

straight_lines said:


> If you add whitner to Crawfords it won't do this. Any decent paint store will have it next to the putty.


 Or corn starch.


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

Jasonthep8nter said:


> Yes This seems to be a hot topic nail holes! Lol


Just check out the sanding sponge thread!


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## aroplate (Aug 21, 2013)

Jasonthep8nter said:


> Yes This seems to be a hot topic nail holes! Lol


I think I know you Jason, are you in San Diego?


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