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I finally learned why my spackle kept cracking after every patch job

For like 6 months I was patching holes in my living room walls and every single one would crack within a week. I figured it was just cheap spackle or bad luck. Turns out I was putting it on way too thick. I was filling nail holes and small dents with a glob that stuck out a quarter inch. Once I started doing thin layers and letting each one dry for a couple hours before adding more, the cracks stopped completely. I wasted about $30 on extra spackle and sanding pads because I kept redoing the same spots. Has anyone else dealt with patches cracking and figured out it was something simple like this?
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2 Comments
max_ramirez48
Did you use any primer on the wall before you put the spackle on? I had a similar issue and it turned out the old paint was too slick for the spackle to grab onto. A light sand and some primer fixed it right up.
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wendygrant
wendygrant5d agoMost Upvoted
Actually that sounds like a poor application problem, not a thickness issue. Thin layers can be just as bad if you're not forcing the compound into the hole properly with the knife.
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