# One coat of paint over spackle?



## melissayz (Jul 25, 2013)

Hi - we just bought a new house and really like the color inside. The problem is the staging of the house included a LOT of wall hangings so when we move in there will be nail holes everywhere. Also- the paint they used is flat paint and we would like to use eggshell for a little more durability. The color is a light tan/gray. Is there a way to spackle over the nail holes and then do one coat of the same color paint but in an eggshell finish rather than flat without it showing every spackled area?


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## cdaniels (Dec 27, 2012)

Probably not.It's flat so it's probably a low end builder's flat that doesn't have the drywall sealed very well.I would do my patches,put a coat of primer on them then two coats of finish paint over the walls.That should take care of it.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Stepping back to this site only for limited posts. Spackle means different things to different people. I always think of it as that horrible, overpriced foamy type that comes in small jars and that people think they should use for fixing nail holes. Do not buy or use it. You can paint over it immediately if you do not mind your wall having acne. It has no real density. You cannot really sand it. 

Gallery clients paid my way for much of my painting career. If I found such stuff, I tossed it. You may not need one but you can buy a bucket of pre-mixed mud, or dry mix, and do a much better job of blending in whatever damages from wall hangings the past people left you. Use a wide knife, not a tiny putty knife. Use real plaster if they took chunks out of plaster walls. Wet sand the compound with a large, damp car wash sponge. Sand the plaster with real paper. 


















Artists through the years insisted I put all kinds of holes in the walls when hanging their work. I had no issue with them but when some brought forth something looking like tape as a suggested way of hanging their art I may have come either un-adhesived or un-glued. NOT NEAR MY WALLS! I can repair any hole put in a wall. I cannot promise I can fix tape or those God awful 3M, supposedly removable adhesive things. They are evil. 

Anyhow, at least spot prime your real repairs with a decent primer. If no other issues, and working with latex/acrylic products, Zinsser 123 will work just fine. The new "+" formula has a stain blocker in a waterbased product. If they left you tape residue, see if you can get Gardz in a quart. 

If stepping up from a flat to an eggshell you will probably not notice much of a sheen difference. But you need two coats anyhow to be sure. If sort of a flat sheen is what you want? I actually think you would be happier with something like the matte in the Benjamin Moore Aura line. The Ben Moore Regal eggshell is fine stuff too but clients with kids swear by the matte Aura.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Nail holes are miniscule, but the problem is you can't literally get spackle just in the nail hole. You'll spread it a bit with a putty knife, leaving residue around the nail hole. This will usually show through with eggshell paints, so 1 coat won't work. What will probably work is first going over the patched spots with a light coat of paint first (well feathered out of course), letting that dry wall, then giving the wall 1 coat of finish paint.

If you want to be sure, then prime the spots with a good sealing primer first. You won't need to prime the entire wall.

As already suggested, the new matte finishes are a nice compromise between flat and eggshell. Occasionally a paint company (such as Behr) will call this "flat enamel", although they are in the process of changing to "matte". Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore call it matte.


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

No body seems to believe in the new spackle that claims not to flash under paint. 
I have actually had good luck with it. 

Dap Crack Shot is what I've been using lately. I always hated spackle, and never really use it at all till I tried the new stuff. Its denser that it used to be, overall a lot better product. 

Good to see ya posting Sd. You should stick around, we need someone to give solid color advice .. I think most of us painters try to stay away from that.


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

I too have used the new stuff but not enough yet to form a opinion. But it does seem a lot better than the old stuff. Welcome back SD.


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

Jmays has the quote of the week........"*Dap Crack Shot* is what I have been using lately."


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Jmayspaint said:


> No body seems to believe in the new spackle that claims not to flash under paint.
> I have actually had good luck with it.
> 
> Dap Crack Shot is what I've been using lately.


To be clear - Dap Crack Shot is the spackle that claims not to flash?


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## Jmayspaint (May 4, 2013)

jeffnc said:


> To be clear - Dap Crack Shot is the spackle that claims not to flash?


 Yea, its similar to the 3M patch plus primer. But I didn't want to use that for an example because mentioning anything '& primer' tends to cause mayhem.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Well I'd rather have a spackle that didn't flash than a spackle with primer in it, because technically the primer has to go over the spackle. If the primer is mixed in, then it could only reduce the flash, it seems to me. The outer surface of the patch would contain both spackle and primer.


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

Crack shot has been around along time, and I've used plenty of it. It will flash on trim paints, so I always prime.
But it is good dense filler when you need something with some real body.
I sometimes mix it with Bordon's wood filler , gives it a little color to find where to sand.

The new grey 3m stuff is very lightweight, almost like barely moist gypsum. 
Totally different consistency and feel than Crack Shot.


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## jeffnc (Apr 1, 2011)

Brushjockey said:


> Crack shot has been around along time, and I've used plenty of it. It will flash on trim paints


How about eggshell walls?


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

Same story. I don't count on any filler to not flash, but that said if you go around with your finish paint and quick roll the spots before doing the whole room, you should be fine. 
And texture difference ( spackled spots being smooth compared with the roll stipple around it) I think causes shiners ( as appose d to flat spots from flashing) and are often confused as flashing.


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