I'm getting ready to preach. Preach about my walls. Please forgive me in advance because this is something I'm passionate about! A few of you asked the same great question about my nail holes...
Here's Jo:
But what do you do with all the holes in your wall above the piano where you had the barn stars before? Do you plaster and paint every time you move something on the walls? Just curious, because I like to move things around too ;-)
Does every tiny hole in a wall actually need to be filled? Did I miss that day in how to be an adult school? I know I missed the day about taking a shower every day and also the day about how you cannot feed your kids cereal for dinner but holes in the walls?
I'm sure that I am just carefree in this category but as a woman and home stager who has lived in 11 different homes 3 of which we owned I have NEVER patched every hole before we've moved. I have NEVER had a buyer back out because I have holes in my walls. I am so on my high, high horse now I'm gonna trot around.
I have a friend who's husband is the wall hole Nazi and must have every hole filled upon nail removal. I happen to think there are more important things in life--or even in my home--than filling every tiny hole on my walls. If your house is dated yet with pristine walls you'll get less money for it than if it has a few nail holes and is up to date and appealing. Please excuse the preaching. I do tend to think that people seem to major on the minors in this case. Instead of filling your holes, buy a new faucet or replace that shag carpet or repaint the front door. Potential buyers see holes {nail holes that is} in the wall as a non issue. However, that avocado green stove or that bathroom sink that is only 30 inches high makes them run for their lives!
Now, back to sweet Jo's question, it's a really valid question and, I do have a solution:
* Try to use the smallest, skinniest nails or upholstery tacks.
* To fill a hole easily, I'll get a small amount of that nail hole filler stuff on my finger and push it in the hole and right then with a wet rag I'll wipe off all the filler that landed on the paint and not in the hole. 90% of the time this does the trick and I am done with the wall. I have even been known to use white toothpaste to fill a big hole if I'm out of filler.
* If your wall color is dark, after you put putty in the hole and let it dry, get a tiny kid's paint brush and dab a drop of paint on the hole--if you can even find the hole again.
Done with the sermon and man do I feel better now that I have that off my chest. Yes, I do try to fill most of my nail holes but I for sure do not patch and repaint. I hope you can accept me and my wild and crazy views about nail holes! Now get your hammers out and and be free to make holes in your walls because it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful!
Oh, and if you want to see what is over my piano now besides lots of little holes, stay tuned, I'll show you tomorrow!
60 comments:
WHAT? Kids aren't supposed to have cereal for dinner? Dang!
I thought holy walls were a good thing. Some days it's the only holiness I can muster....
My dad is a fanatic about holes on the wall. Growing up not much of my artwork was displayed, he didn't want to damage the walls. One trick he did pass on to me is to use straight pins, the holes are virtually undetectable and if you hunt(shop) you can find the ones that are super strong. It doesn't work for bigger things but does the trick for most pictures and small to medium objects.
Although, personally I go for big nails and don't worry about the holes.
I am glad you addressed this, my husband was FREAKING out about the upholstery tacks in the wall.
I'm still scared, but I will try it.
Preach it, sister! I used to fill the nail holes with toothpaste when I was a renter with ugly white walls.
my walls are covered in nail holes too. if i make a mistake hanging something i never get all worked up about it. you can't see nail holes from my favorite chair so who cares?
Reading your blog is like therapy for me. It's ok to be my lazy self. It's ok to have Cinnamon Toast Crunch for dinner. There are other people like me! Woohooo!
If the item that I'm hanging on the wall is small or doesn't weigh too much, I use sewing pins instead of a nail. If you angle it when you put it in the wall, it is surprisingly sturdy.
P.S. I let my kids have cereal for dinner sometimes too and have been known to skip showers when I'm not working. :)
Way to go Nester!! From a professional standpoint you are right on...get rid of that shag/stove/sink and live with the holes. Enjoyed your rant.
Janet
My idea of patching a nail hole-hide it with another picture or something! I have NEVER patched a nail hole much less dig in the garage and pull out the spider web covered million year old paint, shake it and stir it just to get a dot of paint out. Crazy! I'm glad we agree. :)
I'm totally with you on this one. But my dear, gentle, tender-hearted husband is a nail hole Nazi, too. We're not allowed to paint a wall until every hole has been patched. And because he's so agreeable in every other area, I'm willing to let him fill the holes.
I will say, however, that these: http://www.drywallhooks.com/servlet/StoreFront?gclid=CKqW6qSv8ZICFQP4lgodXFZu4A are a great invention. They're a knock-off of the "As Seen On TV Hercules Hooks", but cheaper. In fact, we got ours at Home Depot or Lowe's for much less than this. Anyway, they work great for heavy items on walls without studs. I think they're better than anchor screws, etc. And they leave tiny holes when you pull them out. You don't even need a hammer to insert them...just a gentle push of the hand. We love them!
I use T pins to hang stuff (I think they are really for quilting or something, I find them in a handy little plastic box in the craft section). They are kinda like a straight pin with a T at the top so you can actually hang a pic. They are like superman too, because they can hold even big pics on my walls! and leave very small holes!
My husband was one of those nail hole nazis until he realized how frequently I move things around. I guess he gave up!
My Mother in law has a little baby food jar with paint...she just taps the paint in with her finger or a qtip- she doesn't even fill the hole in, just sorta puts the paint in the nail hole. Looks fine to me. :)
Using a baby food jar does two things...one, keeps paint handy as you can put it in a cabinet, or heck, knowing you, you'll even make that beautiful and display it!, and two- gives you an excuse to buy a jar of yummy apricot or banana baby food. Oh, sorry, am I the only adult who buys a jar or two a year for myself?
Still stalking your site! I finally got my black libary cabinet yesterday. I'm in love.
Well, darn- that last post was me. :)
Well, your friend's husband would hate me because I don't even take the old nails out half the time! 'Cause you know I might want to hang something there again.
I've also found that when you go to paint a wall, if you really glob the paint on thick over the nail hold, it will disappear. This drives my husband crazy, but I'm okay with that.
Diane! I 100% LOVE that idea about the baby food jars and extra paint! That would be good for a scratch on the wall too! I am SO gonna do this--thank you!
Mrs. B--We would be such good friends. I do that too but was to ashamed to say!!
Janet, thanks for backing me up on this one!
And everyone, thanks for letting me get all hot and bothered over stupid little nail holes and still accepting me. If you do!
LOVE all of you--holy walls or not!
My husband is addicted to spackle. Well, maybe not really, but close. At least when we're painting. And of course, when he's spackling all those holes, he's got to make sure it's all nice and smoothed out when it's dry, so he sands and sands and...you get the picture. So now that I want to repaint my bathroom I'm afraid to start because, gasp, I might not spackle properly! I probably just need to get in there and do it and reap the non-spackled consequences. BTW, I have a picture up on my blog that reminds me of you every time I see it. It's a robin's nest on my house that has (well, had...they've hatched) four perfect eggs in it. Makes me think of the Nester every time I look at it! Thank you for your beautiful blog!
Thanks for answering my question so beautifully! I really have to remember that no one is going to look at my walls close enough to criticize the holes.
I think my problem is that I use really big sturdy nails ;-) I don't care about holes in rooms I haven't painted yet, but I'm scarred to mar my own hard work.
I like the toothpaste idea! I usually put a little bit of paint into a small container so it's easy to shake up and dab on for touch ups...I hate cleaning paint brushes, so I just use my finger.
By the way, cereal is totally a dinner food...same with pancakes and waffles.
~Jo
Hehe! Swiss walls...how funny! This reminds me of how at work (I work a couple nights a month as an ICU nurse) if we have a hard stick patient that has been stuck a bunch for blood, we say we are turning them into swiss cheese because of all the needle pokes going on.
Anyway, I used to be worried about holes in the wall but not so much anymore. Now, I hang things with reckless abandon...but I have a husband who likes 'em patched.
I was so excited to tell my secret..straight pins...but I see from other posts, it is no secret....bummer.
I do have a question...I have plaster walls. Straight pins and many nails just bend when nailing them in. (It took an entire box of tacks to hang my window mistreatment. I only needed 5 to work.) If I get lucky enough to get the nail in a little bit, usually a half dollar chunk of plaster comes down. I have started putting tape where I am about to nail and it helps sometimes..anyone else have this problem? If so, any ideas?
Although I have no trouble with push pin sized holes, it really made me angry to peel the wallpaper in my downstairs bathroom and find COFFEE CUP SIZED HOLES along with about 30 plastic screw thingies that the previous owner wallpapered over because, apparently, she didn't find the need to patch. aaaaaah!
Window mistreatment is one thing. But if you start encourating holes like that, without a very, very, VERY good reason, I'm not going to read anymore. I just couldn't do it. It would kill the Spackle Nazi in me. ;)
Although I have no trouble with push pin sized holes, it really made me angry to peel the wallpaper in my downstairs bathroom and find COFFEE CUP SIZED HOLES along with about 30 plastic screw thingies that the previous owner wallpapered over because, apparently, she didn't find the need to patch. aaaaaah!
Window mistreatment is one thing. But if you start encourating holes like that, without a very, very, VERY good reason, I'm not going to read anymore. I just couldn't do it. It would kill the Spackle Nazi in me. ;)
Can I get a amen!!! Holy wall's batman, I have my share. How else can you nest? Those people with bare walls with no holes... boring. Live a little, change up some stuff. I do everyday! Now that's nesting. Call it like you see it. :) Susie H.
I don't ever fill my holes either. Like Mrs. B I paint right over the hole several times until it is no longer visible.
* upholstery tacks are my new best friends.
Blanca
My husband works for a residential construction company. He has never minded me putting holes in the drywall. According to him, when the time comes, the easiest thing to repair is drywall. I, too, find straight sewing pins very useful and truly it is amazing how strong they are. I have hung a full size quilt on the wall with straight pins every foot or so. Oh-- my mother raised eight kids and my brother still talks about the time he had oatmeal for his birthday supper. I say he is lucky his birthday was even remembered! Judy
Miss Nester... I know two comments in one day, crazy. Sorry but Im so proud of me I have to share it with you. You know how bees have a queen? Well if birds did the same I would have to say you could be our queen of nesting! well enough of that before your head gets so big it pops off before you see my post. Hope you fly by and see my wooden chandaliers for Madisons room. Im sure I spelled that wrong but I know you wont mind.... Susie H.
I have to agree about the holes not being a problem unless they were made with big old screws for a heavy mirror or had anchors in there or something obvious. I move my stuff around all the time and never once bothered to patch any regular nail holes.
Heck, when I'm hanging a picture for the first time, I just "eye it," and when the first two or three tries don't work, I keep going until it does. Makes my hubby crazy because our walls are riddled with holes, but most of them are hidden behind artwork, so who cares? Not me!
Great post as always, Nester! -Julia :-)
My husband is one of the hole nazis so toothpaste has been my friend for years and sometimes I move stuff and he never even notices! But he will notice a hole... for whatever reason!
Love this post!
I have an unusual question and I hope I can communicate it correctly. It may simple be based on my local small town and maybe others wont relate?
I have had a few people over the years view my home and say "oh well IMMMM not trying to impress anyone"...
They say this in a critical way and they also say it about my landscaping.
I realize it could be jealousy but my question is a deeper one.
Why isnt it OK to make our nests comfy, cozy AND beautiful. Just for our selves and our families?
It's the same question of personal appearance or clothing?
Why isnt it ok just to do things for ourselves :)
You ever get anything like that?
WHAT? Some people actually patch nail holes? Heck half the time I just reuse the existing hole to hang something else there!
And cereal is a perfectly acceptable dinner. If not, college kids everywhere would be dying of starvation!
I used to fill nail holes with toothpaste thinking I was doing such a marvelous thing by cleaning up after my last design idea....Then I found out tooth -paste attracts roaches! I don't like those kinds of things! Are they things?
Mrs. B is right! My hubby taught me this. I was trying to dig an anchor out to patch it one day, and he just hammered it in a little farther. That did require a little putty, but we were painting anyway.
I'm right with you sister! I rearrange all...ALL...ALL the time. My walls are proof, and it's great to hear it from someone else. I love the term lazy perfectionist. That's me, too!
You make me laugh!
BTW...I must have been absent on those days, too!
preach it sister!
i'm so with you on the nail holes...who cares about them, shouldn't we be focusing on WHAT's hanging there instead??
and you never know when you might need to use that hole again.
I'm with you, one shouldn't have to take the time to patch, sand, and repaint a hole, but I still can't stand seeing them. It seems to me like my house has a cut and it needs a bandage. So...how about just preventing it by using removable hangers like the Command strips (which is great for my plaster walls upstairs btw for that question earlier) or making sure you recover the hole with something else? Then the holes can stay without being seen; out of sight-out of mind. If only people saw what really lies behind my artwork (hehehe)...
I love this. My husband is annoyed with me for changing out some of the artwork in the kitchen and creating new holes. After 8 years I felt a change would be good.
His issue come from his mother who hasn't changed anything in 40 years.
Annony, I had to comment about your comment! Well, I have never had anyone say that to me--I guess that my yard/house doesn't look all that but, take it as a compliment!
And, you know the saying that people's responses say more about them than about you? I really think that rings true in this case!
If you are like me, you do it for yourself first, to fill a need to beautify and restore things and for your family. I also see it almost as a job--make it more pretty= more $$ when you sell! Its a win win!
I have to say, I love decorating and redecorating our home, because that's what I want it to be...a HOME! I want especially my husband and kids to love it here, but also others who come to feel comfy and welcome! I love to nail, paint, move, repaint, etc.
I have been meaning to comment on your blog for sometime now, I discovered it through a friend's blog...let me just say I absolutely love it. I think your family and ours has a lot in common. My husband and I may possibly be moving to North Carolina at the end of this year. My husband is in the Army and may be getting stationed at Ft. Bragg. Maybe you can do a post on "North Carolina" to show us all the "need to knows" of North Carolina!
This is one reason why I love being a woman. We will write and ENJOY reading five pages worth of chit chat about nail holes!
LOL! My husband actually REFUSED to make an offer on a house I loved because it was "so overdecorated" and "I don't want to spend the next month filling all the holes in the walls!"
That poor little house sat on the market for ages and whenever I drove by I just thought, "if only you weren't full of holes". Husband referred to it as the "hole in the wall place"
I agree with not always needing to patch the holes. I actually sometimes leave the nails up so that I can remember where I had things up before in case i need them again. Or I will leave the holes and then cover them up with something else I am hanging.
Love the seasonal change look in your house. I wish I could do that in my house, but I'm not brave enough to change to a lighter color. Love the blue though.
Check out my site. I got brave and painted my cabinets like your sister did. Love the change. Thanks for the inspiration.
Debbie
yet more link love and bling for you at my place...
no I am not stalking, just adoring...
Okay, I'm forwarding this post to my parents, who refuse to hang anything on the walls for fear of a nail hole. Drives me nuts.
LOLOLOL...I had the hardest day ever...came home to check my FAVORITE BLOG and you didnt NOT disappoint!!! I literally laughed out loud...my family just looks at me..lol...I soooooooo do not give a flying flip about little, tiny holes in the wall!!! I am SOOOO with you on this and love how you presented it! Holes smoles..lol
If your hubby is the nazi police then tell him he better RUN before you have your next decorating URGE..LOL
LOVE YOU MORE...CANT WAIT FOR YOUR TOMORROW BLOG....could you PLEASE blog twice a day????
My husband is a hole Nazi too. :o/ Before he hangs anything he measures up. He measures down. He measures between objects. He gets out the level. He checks for the stud. He measures again. Then if we are lucky he MAY just get that thing on the wall this century. Me? I get the first nail I find and bang it in at eye level using the heaviest thing within reach. It *almost* drives him to drink.
Ditto! I so am not concerned about nails holes & have put them all over my old house and this one too. I usually cover them up with artwork anyway, so who cares??! Not me. If there is a glaring one, I'll fill it with spackle & use the tiny paintbrush method (just did that a couple weeks ago). I've made some HUGE holes in my walls and as long as they don't show I don't fret about it.
Gotta let go of anal when it comes to hanging things on the wall, so totally agree with ya!
Rhoda
in my first little home, i made a paste out of flour and water and filled a hole in my kitchen wall...it worked!
Amen, Sister Nester. You are preaching to the choir!
Nancy
ah, yes...not to worry about such a minor thing as a nail hole...
i keep spackling compound for just this issue...and i use toothpaste, too.
bj
We have a wall hole Nazi in our house too...but he's coming around~heeehhhehe
This post cracks me up. I too have some issues with holes in the walls and your sermon have me a good chuckle. I just try to cover up the holes with something else and move on. www.lukabella.typepad.com
This post cracked me up because my hubby asked me the other day as I was moving pictures around yet again, if I thought maybe I could just stop doing that. He has a fear that the walls are going to cave in around us.
I try to hide the holes with bigger pictures and only fill them if I can't. And here I thought I was the only one ;)
rue
Hello,
I have an off the "wall" question. What kind of light bulbs do you use? I like your lamps in other posts and especially the light it gives off. I have been trying to switch my light bulbs to CFL's but hate the light it gives off in my lamps.
Brandee :)
Do not use toothpaste! It's hard to paint over. At least that is what landlords have told me. :)
I hear you, Nester. I have no problem with holes in walls. That's what walls are for, right? But my husband fusses at me for "compromising the structural integrity of the house," As I live and breathe, those were his exact words!
Michele B
"Compromising the instructional integrity of a house." AHHHHHH hahahah!!! I love it!
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