Getting rid of an anchor and repairing the wall only takes a few minutes. Don’t let it keep you from installing the anchor in the first place!

 

Wall Patching Basics

While the hole you drill may never be filled with the wall’s original material, that doesn’t mean it will look bad or be noticeable.

In fact, with a little attention to detail, you can patch holes in drywall and masonry in ways that make them look just like they did before.

The important first step is to get the right materials for the job. Your local hardware store can walk you through exactly what to get, but we’ll cover it here too.

Supplies You’ll Need What you’ll need depends on the type of wall you anchored into.

• Supplies for Drywall and Plaster Patching
  • Pliers
  • Spackle or joint compound
  • A joint knife (1-4 inches wide, depending on personal preference)
  • Fine grain sandpaper (anything from 150 to 220)
  • Paint that matches the wall
• Supplies for Masonry Patching
  • A wire brush
  • Caulk
  • Brick dust (if you want the color to match)

How to Repair the WallThe process is simple – plus, it gets easier each time you do it.

• Steps for Drywall and Plaster Patching
  1. Remove the anchor from the wall with a pair of pliers.
  2. Scrape away or sand down any bits sticking out of the hole.
  3. Prep the wall by wiping it with a damp cloth to get rid of any dust. It won’t take long, but let it dry for a few minutes.
  4. Open your spackle or joint compound and put a little on the blade of the joint knife.
  5. Fill the hole completely with the spackle, then use the knife to smooth any remaining spackle over the top of the hole and slightly around it. If the hole is too deep to fill in one shot, fill as much as you can and then do a second pass to complete the rest.
  6. Allow the spackle to dry for the length of time recommended on the tub. Once it’s dried and hardened, use your sandpaper to make it as flush with the wall as you can without starting to create a dent.
  7. After sanding, apply the touch-up paint. You don’t have to do it immediately – as long as the spackle is dry, you can wait as long as you want before painting. Use a roller or brush to apply the paint. Once it dries, if you can still see a difference in color or texture, apply a second layer of paint.
• Steps for Masonry Patching
  1. Remove the anchor from the wall with a pair of pliers.
  2. Use a brush or vacuum attachment to get any debris out of the hole. Save some of the brick dust if you’re going to use caulk to fill the hole.
  3. Fill the hole completely with silicon caulk or masonry hole filler.
  4. If you use caulk, apply the brick dust, after you inject the caulk, to match the color. If you use masonry hole filler, you can buy it to roughly match the color of brick or concrete (so you won’t need to use the dust trick).