My simple patch job turned into a full day of chasing a bubble

Had to fix a small hole from a doorknob in a client's hallway, maybe 6 inches across. Figured it would be a quick 30 minute patch and sand. But after I mudded and sanded it smooth, a tiny air bubble showed up right in the middle every single time it dried. I must have put on four thin coats, sanding between each, and it still kept coming back. What should have been a fast fix ended up taking me almost 5 hours from start to finish because I refused to leave it looking bad. Ever have a tiny problem like that just eat up your whole afternoon?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_sarah3mo ago

My buddy Dave had the same thing happen fixing a nail pop in his living room ceiling. He kept skimming it with joint compound and that stupid little dimple would just reappear after every sanding. He finally got so fed up he cut out a bigger section and put in a new piece of drywall. Sometimes the paper facing on the board is just messed up underneath and it won't hold the mud right no matter what you do. It's crazy how a spot the size of a quarter can steal your entire Saturday.

felixw683mo ago

Honestly, did Dave ever figure out what was wrong with the paper facing? Like was it torn or just got damp at some point?

karenlane20d ago

Cutting out a whole new piece of drywall for a nail pop that size is way overkill. Dave probably just had dust or a bit of loose paper from the original pop. A little sanding, a dab of primer like Gardz or even just some cheap Kilz, then two thin coats of mud will lock that paper down. Nine times out of ten that fixes it without turning a quarter sized problem into a whole Saturday project. I've fixed dozens of those in my own house and never had to rip anything out.