Getting a new house is one thing; turning the house into a home is another. The essence of our homes is that they carry some reflections of who we are. We can do this by fixing curtains and hanging or picture frames. Any of these will require that you make holes in your walls at strategic places.
So, you’re wondering if you can make holes in apartment walls. In this article, we’ll discuss this.
Can You Make Holes in Apartment Walls?
Homeowners often ask whether or not they can make holes in their apartment walls. Often, this is to know whether or not they will be violating any rules by doing so. So, can you?
Yes, you can make holes in apartment walls. However, if you want to make holes in your apartment walls, you have to ensure you remember to fix it before leaving the house else your owner might cut some money from your security deposit.
You should also check the requirements guiding the use of your home to determine your level of compliance. Otherwise, you may end up being liable for making holes. You may have to surrender your security deposit, depending on the level of the violation.
You are probably eager to pick that hammer and make the holes you need. But before you do that, let us take you through some things you need to know. Why should you make holes in your house? What to fill in those hoes? How to fill holes in your apartment walls
3 Common Reasons For Making Holes in Walls
1. You May Want To Hang Your TV
TVs are a core part of our homes, especially high definition TVs. Many of these TVs require that you make holes in your walls so that you can fix them. We all love TVs, and why not. They beautify your home and are also a necessity. You may want to watch the news and keep pace with the world. You may also want to watch movies to relax and grab some fun. Either way, TVs are essentials.
However, TVs can be heavy. As such, the standard way to hold them is by drilling holes in your wall. This will help host the mounting kits on which your TV would stand. Getting mounting kits that you will fit into your wall is more affordable than getting TV stands. So, you will have to drill your wall to install the mounting kits. To effectively do this, you may have to drill up to four holes in your walls.
3. You May Want To Hang a Picture
Another legitimate reason you may want to make holes in your walls is for pictures. Hanging pictures is a common way to add some beauty and document memories. Pictures and shelves will help you decorate your room and help you personalize your space.
3. New Windows and Curtains
You cannot have your apartment without your window blinds. Window blinds serve many purposes in a home. Basic and affordable window blinds not only help homeowners reduce expenses but also give them their privacy.
So, you may want to put some holes in your walls to hang your blinds and fix your curtains. This may cause you to dig some holes in your apartment walls.
What To Use To Fill Holes in Walls?
When you make holes in your walls to hang curtains or pictures, you will have to fix the holes later on. If you have to leave the house, you need to fix the holes to avoid becoming liable. There are different methods you can use to fill holes resulting from fixings. We shall discuss them below. But before, what can you use to fill the holes in the walls?
1. You Can Use Two-coat Plaster
- The double coat plaster technique deals with the use of an undercoat and a finishing plaster. It provides a lasting repair and dries up quickly. The undercoat plaster comes first, and then the finishing plaster comes after.
2. You Can Fill Holes With Single-coat
- This method also uses plaster to fill the holes. It is similar to the two-coat method. The only difference is that you apply the plaster once, as against the two times with two-coat.
3. You Can Use A Ready-mix plaster
- You can also use ready-mix plaster to fill holes. They are easy to use and also ensure that you keep your wall surface clean while at it. You can get ready-mix plasters from a store near you.
How To Fill Holes In Your Apartment Walls?
An understanding of how to fill holes in your apartment will save you a lot of troubles. Once you know, you can conveniently do it yourself, thereby reducing your expenses. Above, we discuss what to use till holes in your walls. In this section, we will discuss how you can do this.
1. Using The Single Coat Method
If you have a deep hole to fill in your home, you can use the single-coat method. It fills up the hole and a fine finish.
- Ensure you make the surface clean and remove loose bits using your filling knife. Wipe the surface to ensure it is dust-free.
- Use your paintbrush to dampen the surface area so that it can make the plaster thick
- Your goal is to get it to a thick level. So, add the powder and cold water inside a clean bucket. Use your paddle mixer until it starts to get thick.
- Once you do that, use your knife to apply the plaster in layers until you fill the hole completely.
- Give it a little time after that, and then use your knife to smoothen the surface area.
- Allow it to dry entirely. After drying, you can make use of attractive wall paints to decorate the repaired area. When applying wall paint, adhere to the manufacturer’s instructions to get the paint’s best.
2. Using The Two-Coat Filling Method
You can use the two-coat method to fill deeper holes seamlessly. The process has some similarities with that of one-coat. However, the application of the plaster is in two layers. It boasts of a more comprehensive process than the first. With this method, you have to apply the undercoat and the finishing plaster.
Read: How Much Weight Can a Brick and Cement Wall Hold?
The Undercoat
You make use of the undercoat plaster as a primary plaster before the main one. It creates the build-up for the appropriate level of thickness before you apply the finishing plaster. So, you have to get your undercoat plaster.
To use the undercoat, follow the steps below:
- Get your filling knife and hold it tightly.
- Use the filling knife to scrape the loose parts on the surface away. Also, use the knife to remove pieces of paint hanging on the part of the wall.
- Brush and wipe the surface area of any dirt or debris that may remain. Essentially, keep the area clean before you start.
- Get cold and clean water in a clean bucket. Pour the powder inside and use your mixer to stir. Ensure you follow the details and instructions on the plaster’s bag. This will prevent you from making mistakes that can reduce the plaster’s strength.
- Continue to stir the plaster carefully, until it becomes thick. You can also use a machine to mix during this process. However, you have to ensure it doesn’t mix it too hard, as that may reduce the effectiveness.
- Ensure you wet the area surrounding the hole as well as the insides of the hole.
- Hold your filling knife firmly and use it for carefully applying the plaster. Ensure the application is in layers and continue until there is a build close to the surface area.
This is the point where you will use the finishing coat. The finishing plaster will give the hole a clean surface and make it look almost as though there hasn’t been a repair. To apply the finishing coat, you can follow the steps below:
- Get a finishing plaster.
- Ensure the undercoat is still wet, so you can scrape a little from it to make a sticking platform for the finishing plaster. That is, the undercoat should be set and ready but not completely dry.
- If your undercoat is already dry, you can dampen it a little so that it can become wet again.
- The same way you did the undercoat, get a clean bucket and clean water. Pour the powder and use your mixer to stir. Do not repeat the tools you used for the undercoat without washing them. Making use of dirty tools may reduce the effectiveness of the plaster.
- You have to exercise some level of care in applying the finishing coat. At one-millimeter (1mm) layer, apply the first coat. Wait for a little before applying the second coat, which will bring the thickness up to 2mm.
- Make use of your filling knife to smoothen the surface perfectly to establish a seamless finish. Leave it for about 90 minutes or 2 hours for it to dry up.
- After it dries up, you can get creative. Please use paints of your choice to beautify the surface and give it the look you desire. You can also retain the look that was there so that you can have a matching room color.
3. Using The Ready-Mix Plaster
The ready-mix plaster is a convenient choice. It works perfectly for small holes. In about three steps, you can complete the process.
For a quicker option to fill your holes, follow the steps below:
- Get your ready-mix plaster at a store near you.
- You can apply the plaster directly from the container. Use your filling knife to get the filler inside the hole and smoothen the surface right after.
- After smoothening the surface, give it enough time to dry up. It doesn’t take too long to dry up, so you can decorate the surface not long after you finish applying the filler.
Ready-mix plasters are straightforward and convenient. If you have small holes to fill, you can go for them.
Prioritize Your Safety During DIY
While you can fill your holes by yourself, you need to ensure you stay safe during the process. Do not expose yourself to health risks. This makes it essential to limit your exposure to injury, especially if you are working alone.
To protect yourself, ensure you always put on the protective gear necessary during the process. During powder mixing and surface cleaning, you will expose yourself to a great amount of dust. It is only appropriate you wear protective equipment for your facial region. Wear gloves as well and ensure the area has enough ventilation.
If there is not enough ventilation, you can always mix your plaster outside your room.
Conclusion
Everyone loves to beautify their homes, especially new homeowners. It’s how we personalize our home experiences. However, while decoration may excite you, you need to understand if you can make holes in your new home and for what reasons.
You also need to know how to fix these holes when you are leaving the house. While you can do it yourself, ensure you stay safe while doing so. This article helps you to understand the entirety of making holes in your walls.