Independent comparisons. We may earn from shop links. More info

How to fill holes in a wall

Updated: October 2026

A picture has come down and you want the hole flat before the next coat of emulsion. This is how to fill holes in a wall when the damage is a shallow interior nick or a short crack, not a void and not a crack a surveyor should see. Clean the edges, press ready-mixed paste in layers, wait until it is dry through, then sand and paint. The pastes are on the [surface filler comparison](/hub/fillers-adhesives-and-sprays/surface-filler). A plasterboard hole with nothing behind it belongs on [filler for plasterboard joints](/hub/fillers-adhesives-and-sprays/surface-filler/sub/surface-filler-plasterboard). Shelf prices on the comparison are from 15 October 2026. The Products Compared editorial team did not run a lab test.

A picture has come down and you want the hole flat before the next coat of emulsion.

Our top picks

Polycell Polycell Multi-Purpose Polyfilla 330 g

Best overall

Polycell Polycell Multi-Purpose Polyfilla 330 g
8.9/10about £3.49
View offer
Palace Palace Fine Surface Filler 600 g

Best value

Palace Palace Fine Surface Filler 600 g
8.1/10about £1.25
View offer
Palace Palace Langlow Ready Mixed Filler 1 kg

Alternative

Palace Palace Langlow Ready Mixed Filler 1 kg
8.7/10about £6.99
View offer
On this page
  1. 1.Which holes this method is for
  2. 2.Clean the hole and the surface
  3. 3.Fill in layers and let each one dry
  4. 4.Sand, then paint
  5. 5.When to patch or call someone

Which holes this method is for

Use these steps on a picture hole, a screw hole with solid plaster behind it, or a hairline you can feather. Palace fine, model 68-4, keeps deeper repairs to layers of no more than 3 mm. Multi-purpose pastes that state a cap, including Palace 68-1 and the Polycell multi-purpose page, sit around 10 mm a layer, then another coat after drying. A hole you can see through is a patch. Ready-mixed paste shrinks as the water leaves it, and it has nothing to grip across a void. Powder sets chemically. Ready-mixed paste only dries.

Clean the hole and the surface

Knock off loose plaster and old paint, and brush the dust out. Dust left in the nick is why the paste falls out later. Gloss and a damp stain bond poorly, so fix a leak and let the plaster dry first. Polycell says touch nail heads with oil-based paint before you fill, so rust does not come through. On a dusty chip, Checkatrade’s note for medium holes is to dampen the edges, then fill while they are damp rather than wet. Keep the lid on between knifefuls. A lid left off is how the next session turns lumpy.
Polycell Polycell Multi-Purpose Polyfilla 330 g

Testsieger

Polycell Polycell Multi-Purpose Polyfilla 330 g
8.9/10about £3.49
View offer

Fill in layers and let each one dry

Press the paste so it meets the back and the sides, then strike it just proud. If the hole is deeper than the layer cap, stop and let that coat dry. Skipping the wait above about 3 mm on Palace fine, or above about 10 mm on the multi-purpose pastes that state that cap, is how a one-pass repair shrinks. Times are not one number. Palace 68-1 skins in about 30 minutes and can take up to 24 hours at 20°C to cure. The Polycell listing says a 2-hour full cure, and Polycell’s page says surface-dry in 1–2 hours. If a fingertip still dents the fill, leave it.

Sand, then paint

Sand only when the fill is no longer soft, or you drag the paste out of the hole. One picture hook is not a room of taped joints. HSE cites 4.0 mg/m³ for respirable gypsum dust over 8 hours when sanding those joints, with on-tool extraction. One hook is not that task, and COSHH 2002 applies to workers. Wipe the dust off before you paint. Do not paint a deep repair the same day because the skin looks pale. One Polyfilla review says the repair grins through unless you prime. Palace fine and Palace 1 kg both name oil or water-based paint once the fill is dry and sanded.

When to patch or call someone

Stop if you can see through the hole. Checkatrade separates filler from a patch. Wickes uses a repair patch on a medium hole and a new piece of board when the hole is large. Stop if the crack is wider than 5 mm, or still growing. That is the NHBC line for advice. A diagonal crack near a lintel, or a crack into the brick, needs a builder or a structural engineer first. Call someone when the ceiling sags, doors stick, or damp sits with the crack. Do not fill a live electrical opening. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Common questions

Should I clean the hole before I fill it?
Yes. Dust, loose edges, gloss, and damp are why filler falls out or stains. Brush the nick and let a damp patch dry after the leak is fixed. On a nail head, an oil-based touch of paint before the filler is Polycell’s way of stopping rust coming through the repair.
Can I fill a deep hole in one go?
Not past the product’s layer cap. Palace fine stays at layers of no more than 3 mm. Palace 68-1 and the Polycell page sit at about 10 mm, then another layer after drying. One deep fill of ready-mixed paste can shrink as the water leaves. A void with no back is a patch, not a thicker coat.
How long do I wait before I sand?
Wait until a light touch no longer dents the fill. Palace 68-1 can skin in about 30 minutes and still need up to 24 hours at 20°C to cure. The fine two-pack says touch-dry in 1–2 hours. The Polycell listing says a 2-hour full cure, and the Polycell page says 1–2 hours surface-dry. Sanding while it is soft pulls the paste out.
Can I paint the filler the same day?
A very shallow fill can take paint once it is dry and sanded, using the paint that card names. Do not paint a deep repair the same day because the skin looks dry. Palace 68-1 can take up to 24 hours at 20°C for a full cure. The 30-minute line on FOME FLEX is that listing only.
When should I stop and call someone?
Stop above 5 mm, or when a crack is constantly over about 2 mm and horizontal or vertical, or still growing. That is the NHBC line. Stop if it is diagonal, near a lintel, or in the brick, which is the BBC line. Stop if the ceiling sags, doors stick, or damp is in the crack, and never fill a live electrical opening.

Related pages

Wall filler buying guide

Fine or multi-purpose filler

Best fine surface filler

Surface filler

Filler for plasterboard joints, screws, and patches

Sources

Public UK sources used for this comparison. Listing prices are from amazon.co.uk on 15 October 2026.

  1. Polycell — Multi Purpose Polyfilla Ready Mixed (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  2. Palace Chemicals — Ready Mixed Filler TDS (28 October 2024) (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  3. Toupret UK — powder versus ready-to-use (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  4. HSE — sanding taped plasterboard joints (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  5. NHBC — Cracking in your home (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  6. BBC — cracks in walls (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  7. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 9 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  8. Checkatrade — how to fill holes in a wall (retrieved 15 October 2026)