DIY library / Room 03

Wall and ceiling DIY repair guides

A clean repair should disappear into the room. These guides focus on preparation, colour matching and the small finishing decisions that separate a patch from a proper result.

7 published guides

Choose the problem

Start with what you can see.

Open the closest match, confirm the surface, then follow the photographed sequence in order.

Close-up of a flexible filling knife applying white spackle into a small nail hole in a painted drywall, with feathered edges beginning to blend into the surrounding surface.

Guide 3.2

How to Fill Nail Holes in a Wall So They Disappear

Learn to fill small, dry nail holes with compatible spackle, controlled sanding and matching paint without damaging the surrounding wall.

Child's colourful marker marks on a white painted bedroom wall, before cleaning begins

Guide 3.5

Pen, Marker and Grease Marks on Walls: A Paint-Safe Cleaning Ladder

Remove pen, marker and grease marks from washable painted walls with hidden testing, mild detergent and only products the paint maker approves.

Ceiling corner with small dark mould spot visible on white painted gypsum board before cleaning.

Guide 3.4

Remove Small Mould Spots on the Ceiling Safely

Handle a tiny mould spot on a dry, intact painted ceiling with moisture control, proper PPE and a surface-compatible cleaning method.

Dental floss positioned behind an adhesive hook on a painted wall, ready to slide gently downward to separate adhesive from surface.

Guide 3.7

Remove Stickers and Adhesive Hooks Without Peeling the Paint

Learn how to safely remove wall hooks and sticker residue using gentle heat, floss and solvents—without peeling paint or damaging your walls.

Four identical wall areas showing progression from scuffed to clean using escalating methods, natural daylight from left to right

Guide 3.1

Scuff Marks on Walls: The Gentle-to-Strong Cleaning Ladder

Learn the escalating method to remove scuff marks without damaging paint. Start dry, then damp, then test magic eraser on a hidden area first.

Two adjacent wall patches side by side: left patch shows a visible harsh edge with different sheen, right patch shows a seamlessly blended repair where the colour and texture merge naturally into the surrounding wall.

Guide 3.3

Touch-Up Paint That Doesn't Look Like a Patch

Learn why touch-up paint looks different and how to improve the match using the original product, application texture and a full dry-down check.

A row of light switches on a white wall, several with yellowed or discoloured switch plates beside clean ones

Guide 3.6

Yellowed Light Switches: The Safe Way to Clean Them

Clean only the intact external surface of a light switch with a dry or barely damp cloth, without opening, removing or electrically testing it.