Patching that dent in the wall

Q:

I was just about to make use of some of your wonderful color suggestions from your website articles to paint my son's room. He's 10 and fortunately loves blue, which I'm happy to know is a calming color. But he decided to have a baseball game inside his room and threw a baseball into the wall! There is now a big dent and some cracks inside the dent. I know how to fill small holes from nails, but how should I fix this bigger one?

- L.B.
A: Oh, no! I'm sure you had a conversation with your son about inside games and outdoor ones - and had him save his money to help with the repair and a new foam ball!

Fixing a hole like that isn't hard if you are comfortable with a putty knife, and you can match the wall's finish. Or call a licensed contractor. If there are any damaged electrical wiring or ducts behind the hole, though, definitely call in a contractor.

Fill small nail holes with spackle paste, let dry, and sand lightly to smooth the edges. You should do this before painting, anyway. I became very good at filling holes when I was a child because I loved moving around the pictures in my room!

For bigger holes - up to about 2 inches wide, or dents like yours - look for self-adhesive wall patches and joint compound at a hardware store. Larger holes require a little carpentry and more materials, especially if your walls are plaster.

Clean the wall, apply the patch, and cover with joint compound, which isn't quite as thick as spackle and is easier to sand. Let the compound dry, sand, apply another coat of compound if necessary, and sand again.

Before painting, prime all patches so the paint will stick better. Depending on the texture of your walls, using a roller will give some extra texture to the smooth patch.

Good luck, and let me know how it goes.