What Size is the Hole?

  • Hairline cracks and nail holes: Fill directly with filler, smooth, sand, paint.
  • Small holes up to 5cm: Lightweight filler with no backing needed.
  • Medium holes 5–15cm: Adhesive mesh patch or California patch method.
  • Large holes over 15cm: Requires cutting back to studs and patching with a new piece of plasterboard — see a plasterer or use the full repair method.

Small Holes — Filler Method

  1. 1

    Clean up the hole

    Remove any loose plaster, paper facing or crumbling material around the hole. The edges should be firm. Brush away dust.

  2. 2

    Apply filler with a putty knife

    Use a flexible putty knife or filling knife. Load it with lightweight filler (Polyfilla or similar) and press firmly into the hole. Feather the edges outward — the filled area should blend into the wall surface with no hard edges.

  3. 3

    Let dry, then sand

    Drying time varies — 30 minutes to a few hours depending on depth. Once fully dry (no damp feeling, uniform colour), sand with fine-grit sandpaper (120–180 grit) until smooth and flush with the wall.

  4. 4

    Apply a second coat if needed

    Filler shrinks as it dries. If the filled area is slightly recessed after the first coat dries, apply a thin second coat and sand again when dry.

  5. 5

    Prime and paint

    Apply a coat of primer over the filled area before painting — filler is porous and absorbs paint differently to the surrounding wall, causing a patch to show through even with colour-matched paint. Primer seals the filler and makes the repaired area invisible.

Medium Holes — Mesh Patch Method

  1. 6

    Apply a self-adhesive mesh patch

    These are available from hardware stores in various sizes. Peel and stick over the hole — the mesh provides a backing for the filler to key into.

  2. 7

    Apply joint compound in thin coats

    Use joint compound (not filler) for larger holes — it covers more easily. Apply in 2–3 thin coats, feathering widely each time (20–30cm past the patch edge). Sand between coats with 120 grit, final sand with 180 grit.

  3. 8

    Prime and paint

    Prime the entire repaired area. Paint to match — you may need to repaint the entire wall panel for a seamless result.

Frequently Asked Questions

Take a chip of paint from an inconspicuous area (behind a door, inside a cupboard) to a paint shop — they can colour-match it precisely. Even with a perfect colour match, a freshly painted patch often looks slightly different due to sheen differences. Painting the entire wall panel gives the best invisible result.
Almost always caused by skipping the primer coat. Filler is very porous and absorbs paint differently to the surrounding plaster, creating a dull flat patch even with the right colour. Always prime before painting over filler.