Painting exquisitely requires the painter to own great tools like drywall spackle. Using tools such as drywall spackle for your painting jobs gives you an edge over your competitors. In this guide, we would be reviewing the best drywall spackles, do well to read through, as it will be useful to you.
WHAT IS A DRYWALL SPACKLE?
Spackle for drywall repair is a cream made up of gypsum powder, some solvent, and some binders. Some varieties come in the form of a powder instead of a cream.
Also known as a spackling compound, the product is typically used for repair purposes. Most folks use it for filling nail pops, cracks, and holes on plaster, drywall, stucco, and a few other building materials.
There are great benefits to having this product in your home, including:
- Avoiding costly repairs – why replace the whole wall if the imperfections are not substantial? You can restore the beauty without spending more than even 10 bucks.
- Getting your deposit back from the landlord – you can use the product to solve those little imperfections that would otherwise take a toll on your deposit.
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.
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 that are attached to the wall. Spackle works best on the naked wall, so try to remove all extra things attached to the wall.
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.
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.
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.
You should also be keen on getting the best tools like hole saws and chainsaw chains. if you get the best of these tools, you will be pleased with the quality of the job you will get.
DRYWALL SPACKLE BUYER’S GUIDE
Final Appearance
The outcome of the patch is our first consideration when buying spackle for repair. This is because we need to apply spackle on a cracked or damaged surface that has already been finished. The texture of the spackle and the wall surface should look alike.
Ignoring the final appearance of the spackled surface in the first place can make your wall look ugly. So, check the texture of your existing wall and then choose the spackle that ensures the same output.
Time to Dry
The next thing to consider is the drying time. You can’t wait for days for the spackle to dry out completely before you start proceeding to the next steps of the repair job.
Generally speaking, spackles should dry out within an hour to 6 hours at max. However, the drying time may vary depending on the humidity and other weather conditions on which we have little to no control. So, we are not in favor of calling a product ‘bad’ just because it is dried slowly in your house.
When you are purchasing, you should go for the standard products that ensure fast drying in an hour or two.
TEXTURE
If you’re repairing a smooth wall, you will need a spackling paste with a smooth texture, and if the wall is rough, a rough texture will be appropriate.
But in most cases, smooth textured spackle is applicable. People prefer it soft and consistently smooth without any grainy or lumpy parts. Such spackle is not only easy to spread by also easy to apply with a tool such as a putty knife. It goes on smoothly.
Ease of Use
The third criterion of buying spackle is how easy it is to use the spackle to patch the drywall. We generally recommend products that come with integrated primers and putty knife in the same box.
Getting those will allow you to have a comfortable patching job without looking for different application materials in the hardware store.
Products that come in spackle, primer, and putty knife combination are the easiest to apply as you don’t need to look for different materials, and importantly, you are reducing the workload as you don’t need to prime the surface separately. The ease of use should be a top priority when getting tools like measuring wheels and imaging cameras.
Flexibility
Spackles meant to be sturdy, without any movement internally. If the spackle shrinks or expands after it is dried out, the surface may crack again after a few days due to this.
When in most of the products, we want versatility and flexibility, these are not good at spackles. Avoid spackles that are flexible unless you are repairing a corner or a joint that is constantly in movement, like doors, windows, etc. When getting crosscut sleds, you should also look out for the flexible ones, as the flexible crosscut sled will give you better output.
Durability
The last and the most important criterion to check is the durability of the spackle. No one would like to see cracks appearing again on the same surface that was patched a year ago.
So, go for the products that are the best quality. In other products, we try to go for an affordable product, but spackles are cheap. Depending on the quality, it may vary five to ten bucks at max. So, don’t compromise in the quality.
SHRINKING/EXPANDING
These are two things you don’t want in spackle for drywall repair. An application that changes either by shrinking or expanding can be hard to work with. One that remains the same size even after drying makes it easy to restore the spot to its original appearance without having to do too much tweaking.
BEST DRYWALL SPACKLE
| NAMES | FEATURES | WHERE TO BUY |
| DAP 12330 Dry Time Indicator Spackle
|
Indicates when spackle is dry
Resists cracking Sands easily Unique patent-pending color indicator verifies when a patched surface is dry by turning from pink to white, helping to avoid premature sanding, painting or reapplication |
GET IT ON AMAZON |
| 3M SHR-3-AIO Patch Plus Primer (4-in-1)
|
MAKES REPAIRS 3X FASTER than traditional vinyl spackling
QUICK AND EASY repair for nicks and nail holes FOR HOLE REPAIRS up to 3″ in diameter PRIMER ENHANCED spackling compound for great hiding power RESISTS FLASHING of paint |
GET IT ON AMAZON |
| DAP Crack Shot Spackling Paste
|
This professional formula will not shrink and will not ‘flash’ paint
For interior and exterior applications Ready to use and sands easily This professional formula will not shrink and will not ‘flash’ paint |
GET IT ON AMAZON |
| Erase-A-Hole Drywall Repair Putty and Spackle.
|
Fills holes and cracks in walls fast with a quick use applicator so you can update your house or apartment in a flash and get your deposit back from your landlord.
The handheld applicator is compact and portable, perfect for your home handyman toolbox and a two-year guarantee means plenty of time for erasing holes. A special custom blend of ingredients won’t shrink or crack meaning repairs stay fixed and you can move on to other DIY repairs |
GET IT ON AMAZON |
| DAP 12141 FAST’N FINAL
|
Easily repairs holes, cracks, and crevices
Lightweight formula Paintable with latex or oil-based paints No sanding is required. Dries quickly. |
GET IT ON AMAZON |
| RED DEVIL ONETIME LIGHTWEIGHT SPACKLING
|
INTERIOR & EXTERIOR USE: Can be used anywhere around the home
SPREADS EASILY: Apply with any putty knife for a professional-looking finish WON’T SHRINK OR CRACK: Requires only 1 application to create a permanent, long-lasting repair |
GET IT ON AMAZON |
| Red Devil 658 Patch-A-Wall Spackling Paste
|
SANDS EASILY: Once cured, sands for a smooth finish
EXCELLENT FOR FILLING HOLES & CRACKS: Works great on drywall, plaster, wood and other surfaces INTERIOR / EXTERIOR: Use inside or out WATER CLEAN UP: Cleans up easily with soap and water |
GET IT ON AMAZON |
| 3M Large Hole Wall Repair Kit with 12 fl. oz Compound
|
REPAIR DAMAGED AREAS on walls and ceilings
NO SHRINKING, CRACKING, OR SAGGING Interior/exterior (with exterior paint) EASY TO SAND spackling compound |
GET IT ON AMAZON |
| US GYPSUM ALL PURPOSE JOINT COMPOUND
|
Large quantity – 12 pounds.
Works on wood and drywall. Great consistency. |
GET IT ON AMAZON |
| Red Devil 0805 Crack Patch Premium Acrylic Spackling
|
This pre-mixed formula spreads easily for fast, professional repairs to walls and ceilings and will not crumble or flake when used as directed.
Interior/Exterior Use Dries fast; Paintable; No Shrinking; Cleans up easily in water Made in the USA |
GET IT ON AMAZON |
DAP 12330 Dry Time Indicator Spackle
There are not too many great and reliable makers of drywall spackle. You can name the top makers easily and DAP belongs to this category with a good number of quality spackles, putty, and various other adhesives. DAP 12330 Dry Time Indicator Spackle is top of the shelve.
The best thing about it is the fact that it is easy to use for non-pros because it is prepared with a special way for them to know when the paste has dried. It is equally easy to apply, especially with a putty knife. This gives the product a unique selling point.
| PROS | CONS |
| It is resistant to cracks and shrinking | Doesn’t do well with large holes |
| Tells when the paste is fully dry | |
| Sands easily |
3M SHR-3-AIO Patch Plus Primer (4-in-1)
3M is another awesome maker of drywall spackling products that will fix a damaged hole in your building. With 3M SHR-3-AIO Patch Plus Primer 4-in-1, you probably got a great deal in terms of efficiency and cost.
So what does it mean by 4-in-1? Well, in the package, you will get it is a primer, spackle, sanding pad, and putty knife. The round head of the cover has a sanding patch attached to it while the base is designed to function as a putty knife.
Also, this thing does not require that you prime before painting, owing to the primer that comes with it. This is unlike your regular vinyl spackling that has no built-in spackling.
| PROS | CONS |
| The base of the tube functions as a putty knife | Cannot fix large holes |
| Quick fix for small nail holes | Content is small |
| Comes with a primer | Not heavy duty |
| Has a sanding pad | |
| Dries fast |
DAP Crack Shot Spackling Paste
DAP® CrackSHOT® Spackling Paste is a High performance spackling for filling holes and cracks in surfaces such as drywall, plaster, wood, brick, and stone. It can even be used for filling dents. metal doors and trim. It’s ready-to-use smooth, white formula spreads easily for fast, professional repairs that will not crack, crumble or flake. It has a de-aired texture for excellent tooling and easy smoothing to a feather edge. CrackSHOT® sands effortlessly.
| PROS | CONS |
| Use for drywall, plaster, wood, brick, and stone | none |
| IDEAL for dents in metal doors and trim | |
| Sands easily |
Erase-A-Hole Drywall Repair Putty and Spackle.
Erase-A-Hole Wall Repair Putty is a quick and easy solution to fill the holes in your walls.
Whether you are conquering a DIY project or moving and need to fill the holes left behind from artwork. Erase-A-Hole makes things easy with no tools needed! All you need to do is simply apply, wipe, then paint. Let Erase-A-Hole save you from complicated drywall repairs.
| PROS | CONS |
| Lightweight and easy to use | Large holes need second coating |
| Comes in a nice package | |
| Sandable and printable | |
| Fast-drying |
DAP 12141 FAST’N FINAL
A lightweight spackling for repairing walls, ceilings, and woodwork in one fill. Needs no sanding, won’t crack or shrink.
| PROS | CONS |
| Works for both exterior and interior | The mixture does not hold together sometimes |
| Sanding is not necessary | Can be messy during application |
| It is lightweight | |
| Fast-drying |
RED DEVIL ONETIME LIGHTWEIGHT SPACKLING
This lightweight, the color-change formula goes on pink but dries white when it’s time to paint. The pre-mixed formula for fast, professional repairs in just one application. Made in the USA
| PROS | CONS |
| Requires minimal to no cracking. | None |
| No shrinking or cracking. | |
| Premixed with primer. | |
| Spreads easily. | |
| Easy cleanup. |
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 paint 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.
| PROS | CONS |
| Highly adhesive | none |
| Quick-dry formula | |
| Need a putty knife to apply | |
| Squeeze tube packed spackle |
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.
| PROS | CONS |
| Comes in all-in-one drywall repair pack | none |
| Best for large drywall hole repair | |
| No crack or shrink after drying | |
| Can be sanded |
US GYPSUM ALL PURPOSE JOINT COMPOUND
If you’re planning to repair a large area, then you need lots of spackle. Instead of getting many tubes that pack just a few ounces, you could just get the US GYPSUM All-Purpose Joint Compound. It is a 12-pound container full of spackle.
When it comes to price efficiency, this is virtually the best drywall spackle anyone can get. Imagine getting all that quantity for just around 20 bucks.
Now, I know what some of you might think – cheap is expensive, in the sense that it might compromise quality. But that’s not the case with the US GYPSUM All-Purpose Joint Compound. This product presents great quality as you’re about to discover.
First off, the product is long-lasting. As long as you restore the lid firmly each time you open the container, then you can rest assured the product will remain usable. It’s not one of those spackles that expire quickly after opening.
| PROS | CONS |
| Versatile: Works on wood, drywall, and others | Takes 12 hours to dry |
| Can cover large areas of drywall repairs | Not for small tasks |
| Has great consistency | Requires primer |
| Large quantity | |
| Heavy Duty |
Red Devil 0805 Crack Patch Premium Acrylic Spackling
Containing 163 ml of fluid, all cracks, and nail holes will be covered in no time. The beauty of this stuff is in its versatility. You are never going to believe the number of items it can work on.
This one is not meant to repair holes and cracks in drywall alone. It can also be used on wood, stucco, plasters, and even bricks. Similarly, it will produce results with aluminum, cinder block, and glass.
Some similar spackles tend to fall off while you are applying them. That can be messy and leave you with so much clean up to do afterward. If used as directed, this particular mixture will not cake or crumble.
Red Devil 0805 Crack Patch Premium Acrylic Spackling is sandable and paintable. Nonetheless, it would require that you prime certain surfaces before using it. Overall, it is a very good product.
| PROS | CONS |
| Does not flake off or crumble | Needs priming before application |
| Stainable and paintable | The fluid doesn’t come out easily |
| Fair enough quantity | |
| Good results |
CONCLUSION
Whether you’re moving out of a rented house and need your full deposit from the landlord, or you just want to restore your home to its earlier beauty, spackle will come in handy. With the right product, you will be able to cover up those holes and cracks so beautifully that no one will tell where the imperfections were. You might also consider getting engine stands if you are an automobile mechanic. You will need it.