Oops! Hole in the Wall

by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger

01 Mar 2008 07:07 AM

That little spring doorstop thingy just doesn't always work. If someone accidentally opens a door a little too briskly, it just might swing into the wall causing the doorknob to make a hole. Even if you've never had this problem yourself, you have probably seen a hole in the wall in someone's home behind a door. Such a hole can be a bit of a pain to fix and to prevent from reoccurring in the future.

Or, you can use this quick, simple method until someone can permanently fix the hole. Go to your local home improvement center or a sign shop. Ask for a piece of pressure sensitive vinyl (that matches the color of your wall). This is the material used to cut lettering for signs. It is unlikely that you'll find just the perfect color, but you should be able to find something close. You can also ask for vinyl that can be painted, so you can use leftover paint after patching to make it match.

Cut a piece of cardboard to fit the hole. It should just fit, making sure it doesn't really overlap the hole but also that it is not small enough to fall into the hole. Now, cover the hole with a piece of the vinyl. While you may wish to cut a circle, it's probably easier to go ahead and work with a square. This way, you can cut it with a straight edge or use scissors and have nice straight lines. It's a little trickier to cut a perfect circle.

If you're going to paint, stir the paint thoroughly and apply a thin coat. Allow it to dry and apply another thin coat. You can pat the edges with a sponge to help blend the new paint with the existing paint so it won't be as noticeable.

The final step is to get a better doorstop (as evidenced by the patchwork behind our bathroom door).

Learn more about Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

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