So you are getting ready to move out of your apartment and you desperately need to get your damage deposit back. But first you need to fix that ugly hole in the living room wall—the one you covered with the velvet Elvis painting.
There are many causes of cracks, holes, dents, and blemishes to drywall—from careless visitors to nail pops. But there is only one real solution to repair them—with the proper spackle!
You know nothing about spackle. And your wife wants you to repair all the damaged walls this weekend. What is a newbie do-it-yourselfer to do? What is the best spackle for drywall?
The good news is that there several very good spackle products on the market. The right one for you depends on your exact needs. Do you need a fast-drying product? Do you need one that covers a large area or a deep hole? Maybe you need one that doesn’t require a primer?
Or maybe you need a product that tells you when it is dry? Or one that can patch wood, cement or tile in addition to drywall? Maybe you need the product in a tub rather than a tube?
So here are the 10 great spackle products that you should seriously consider depending on your needs:
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Our 10 Best Spackle For Drywall Picks:
1. 3M Patch Plus Primer
3M Patch Plus Primer is a spackle compound product that packs spackle and primer in one easy to use product.
That means 3M has eliminated the need to paint the area with primer before painting. It based on the latest 3M technology which is extremely fast drying—much faster than any other spackle.
Fast drying means a lot more holes can be repaired in a shorter amount of time.
Pros
Cons
3M Patch Plus Primer dries the fastest. Most jobs will be dry in 30 minutes or less. If you have a lot of small repairs to make in a short amount of time, it is the best.
2. DAP Crack shot Interior/Exterior Spackling Paste
DAP Crack Shot Spackling Paste is a high-performance professional-grade spackle compound that is well suited for both interior and exterior patch jobs.
The product is particularly good for patching walls with small dents, scratches, nicks, and holes.
It is a good, basic all-round spackle and costs less than most of the other spackles.
Pros
Cons
DAP Crack Shot is the most economical in the category. So if you are pinching your pennies, it is the best choice.
3. DAP DryDex Spackling Paste
DAP DryDex Spackling is another spackle compound product that is well suited for both interior and exterior patch jobs.
But DryDex has one big difference from the other spackle products.
It has a patent-pending way of indicating when it is thoroughly dry. When the product is applied it is pink in color and changes its color to white to indicate it is thoroughly dry!
A patch that is painted before the spackle is thoroughly dry will fail. So many users love this “fail-safe” color change mechanism in DryDex to indicate the patch is dry.
Pros
Cons
DAP DryDex is the best at indicating when it is thoroughly dry.
That feature alone will save you from the biggest failure of spackle do-it-yourselfers—painting over wet spackle. And of all the spackles, it is the easiest to use.
But buy it in the tub container since it is extremely difficult to squeeze spackle out of the tube.
4. DAP Flexall Wall Repair
DAP Flexall isn’t really a spackle compound.
It is actually a filler that can be used as a spackle. Because it is a filler it dries much harder than any of the other spackle compound products reviewed.
And it can be used on many materials other than drywall.
Of all the products reviewed here, it is the best suited to cover large surfaces and fill deep holes. It can also be used to stop water leaks in skylights, roofs, and rain gutters.Pros
Cons
DAP FlexAll is the best for covering large surfaces or filling deep holes. It also can be used for more than just drywall. But it takes the longest time to dry.
5. 3M Large Hole Wall Repair Kit with 12 fl. oz Compound
3M has been in the spackling industry for a while now and you’ll feel a lot of comforts when using their product.
This 3M large hole repair kit is an all in one pack for the homeowners who do not want to buy a lot of tools separately to do a simple repair job.
This is a combination of three different packs that you need for drywall repair.
Coming to the main point, this spackle is extremely adhesive so that you can place it on the drywall holes measuring from 3 to 5 inches.
You’ll not see any shrinkage or crack on the surface after it is dried.
A lot of people fear that sanding on the spackle can cause the repair to be vulnerable. Although it can be a problem for the low-quality spackle materials, 3M Large Hole wall and ceiling spackle can certainly absorb sanding without compromising the strength.
Key Features
6. 3M PPP-3-4IN1T Patch Plus Spackle for Filling Nail Hole
If you are looking for a small spackling compound pack that can do your job without costing you much, this is the go-to for you.
This small spackle is a great option for filling nail holes. The package itself acts as a putty knife, so you don’t need to buy a putty knife to get your job done.
Apart from filling nail holes, it can be used for various types of drywall repair such as scratch repair, crack hiding, etc.
The packaging includes a small amount of spackle, primer, sanding pad, and a putty knife for eliminating small blemishes from the wall.
It’s high-quality adhesion and no-shrinkage technology is another thing that made it stand out among thousands of one-time spackle choices.
One drawback that needs mentioning is that you can’t repair a hole perfectly that is more than half an inch deep with this spackling material.
Key Features
7. Red Devil 658 Patch-A-Wall Spackling Paste
When you have a tiny hole to repair and you don’t want to expense a whole lot of money on it, the Red Devil Patch A Wall spackle is a saver for you.
It comes at a very affordable price, yet provides high-quality results when applied on the drywall holes.
It comes in a squeeze tube pack, so you will need a putty knife to apply the spackle perfectly.
One great thing about this product is that it comes out smooth and can be applied quickly. It also dries fast allowing you to spackle, prime and paints on the same day!
It is manufactured with an extremely adhesive formula to ensure durability and you can sand on the dried surface without any problem.
Key Features
8. Drywall Repair Putty by Erase-A-Hole
This is a quick and easy solution for the people with little or no knowledge about spackling drywall. The product comes in a compact package and you only need to open the cap to start applying on the drywall. No putty knife or other tools needed!
It’s a perfect shot for the people wanting to hide blemishes from the wall. You’ll also be able to hide nail holes and small drywall scratches. But deep holes in the drywall can’t be filled with this product. So, when purchasing this, make sure you do not need to fill any hole on the drywall.
Key Features
9. Red Devil 0544 Onetime Lightweight Spackling
The pre-mixed red devil spackling is a great product when it comes to lightweight spackling. You can easily apply the spackle to fill the cracks, holes or remove the dents from the drywall surface.
It is easy to apply and produces professional-grade repair when dried.
Apart from the drywall, this product adheres to Stucco, wood, and plaster also. So, a great pick for those who need to spackle wood and plaster walls too.
This lightweight compound dries quick and does not shrink or crack when dried. It is made with a formula that can absorb pressures from the sanding tools. So, you don’t need to worry about cracking the spackle after the sanding work is done.
Another important aspect of this product is that it comes in different packaging sizes. So, you can purchase exactly the amount you need to get your job done. No more, no less!
Key Features
10. Fast'N Final Spackling Interior and Exterior
The Fast N Final interior and exterior spackling compound is another great product from the renowned manufacturer DAP!
It is easy to use, extremely adhesive and need not any sanding after the application.
As its name suggests, it can both be used in the exterior and interior walls which is a great feature to have when it comes to repairing materials. Most of the materials are specific to the interior or exterior and you need to buy two different products for repairing the interior and exterior. So, in terms of that, this is a saver in the spackling industry.
Key Features
Bottom Line
Which of these four products is the best spackle for drywall for that hole in your wall? Well, it really depends on your exact needs. With the exhaustive reviews and comments about each product, you should now be able to pick your desired one.
And don’t worry! If you only have a small nail pop, crack or hole to cover, then they all will do a great job!
Related: Best Caulk For Shower Surround and Bathroom
How to Use The Best Drywall Tape
Drywall taping is an easy job if you know how to do it. If not, it can ruin your day.
The basic is that you have to put drywall joint compound first on the surface and place the tape and after that, you need more layers of the joint compound before you sand and finish the work.
Here are the steps in detail to put the best drywall tape -
1. Clean the Surface Area
Wipe the surface area with a clean and dry cloth. You can use a soft brush instead of the cloth.
Either way, you need to make sure that there is no dirt left on the surface where you are going to put the drywall tape.
2. Apply Joint Compound on the Wall
Use a putty knife for applying the joint compound evenly on the wall.
Remember that if you leave any space without applying joint compound underneath the tape, it will come out of the wall after a while.
If you are doing it yourself, you must be careful of that.
3. Place the Drywall Tape on
After an even bead of drywall joint compound, place the tape on the surface. You should place it in a manner so that there is no bubble left below the tape.
4. Joint Compound on the Tape
Now, after you place the tape, you need to apply the joint compound on the tape.
When applying the compound, you need to make sure that you apply it evenly. You will need to use three to five beads of drywall joint compound depending on your skills and ability.
If you can not apply the compound evenly, you have to wait for the bead to dry and sand. After that, you can go for a second bead.
5. Sanding
If you have followed all of the procedures, you just need to wait for the joint compound to dry out.
After is dried up, you can sand the additional gypsum compound out of the surface before you paint or do anything on the surface.
We have researched for the best drywall tape on the market and found only two which we can recommend for you.
So, instead of making a full review of just two (where you do not have enough options to compare one with another), I am including product links here.
How to Use Spackle on a Wall
Using spackle to repair your wall is easy and fun to do. But when you plan to do the work by yourself, you need to follow these steps for a perfect repair.
1. Prepare the Wall
Before you break the seal of the spackling compound, you should prepare the wall for applying repairing paste on it.
Remove any damaged cement, debris, sand, paint, or other things which are attached to the wall.
Spackle work best on the naked wall, so try to remove all extra things attached to the wall.
2. Mix the Compound
Almost all of the spackles come with different materials and you need to mix those before application.
Follow the product manual for the effective mixture of the repair material.
3. Apply the Spackle
After mixing the compound correctly, apply the material on the wall. Fix smaller holes first and large holes later so that you don't forget about tiny holes on the wall in the latter part of the repair work.
4. Polish and Paint
When you finish up with the above steps, you now need to wait until the compound is dried up. This is a really important step as if you proceed further without drying the compound, the patch will not work.
After the wall is dried up, you can now polish the wall and paint it according to your wishes.
Where to Buy Spackle
Since you are here, you already know what spackle is, how it works, and what is the best of the best for the small and large holes.
Now that you are looking for a buying option, you can easily buy the spackle from Amazon.
Apart from that, the other places where you can find a perfect spackle for you are-
1. Online Stores
Online stores like Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and Alibaba sell all types of products, and you can effortlessly search and buy one for your wall fix.
2. Offline Stores
Just like other home improvement products, spackles can be found in the hardware shops.
Before you purchase one from your nearest hardware shop, ensure the authenticity and check for the product materials for a permanent fix.
Read Also: The Best Drywall Primer For New Drywall Reviews!
How Strong is Spackle
If you are looking for a parameter of the strength of the spackle, we could not validate any.
But we can give you an idea about the strength and bonding of the spackling paste when it is completely dried.
Spackle paste is a widely used repair material around the globe, but this is not for holding something into it.
For example, if you are fixing a hole in the wall and want to screw-on that hole after the application of the spackle. The screw will fit in as long as you do not pull the nail back with something like curtain rope or other.
The screw can be used as a small photo frame holder or other lightweight material.
The material is itself durable, but it is not that strong to hold tight when you pull or pressurize it.
How To Spackle Sheetrock Joints
The procedure for the sheetrock joints spackling is a straightforward task. Have a look at the video, and you will be good to go.
I have found this buying guide helpful. I am bookmarking this site for future reference.
Do you have any newsletter kind of services so that I can subscribe and get the email for every new post?
Thank you for your kind words.
We are thinking about implementing the newsletter subscription feature in the future.
I used the first one you reviewed and it turned out to be a great choice for me. Thanks for the suggestion!
Hi Eugenio, I feel inspired when people like you share their experience. Thanks for taking the time to leave this feedback.