A Hot Glue Gun Will Help You Fill A Nail Hole

Hot glue guns might be a popular choice for bedazzling bows or putting the finishing touches on your Christmas wreaths, but it turns out they're capable of much more than simple crafting projects. Hot glue guns can also be used for a myriad of more practical applications, including filling pesky nail holes in your decorative trim or once-smooth walls.

Instead of having to head out to the store to buy a specialty patch repair kit, you can take a look into your crafting cabinet and use something you likely already have on hand as a substitute for spackle. Hot glue can do double duty as an adhesive and filling agent, and the stable bond it creates is perfect for ensuring your finish is long-lasting. Hot glue is also best suited for porous materials, so it's a great choice for repairing both drywall and wood — two of the most common places to find annoying nail holes that ruin your seamless finish.

To use this hack, you're going to need your loaded hot glue gun, painter's tape, sandpaper, and your paint of choice. To begin, fill your hole with a small amount of hot glue until it's completely plugged — a bit of extra coming out of the hole is fine, but try to avoid larger drips. Place a piece of painter's tape over the hole while the glue is still warm, then smooth everything out as flat as possible, making sure not to burn your fingers in the process.

Once it's cool, you can remove the painter's tape and sand the surface to even out the texture a bit. Run your finger along the hole to ensure it's as smooth as possible and fully cooled, then get to work painting with your color-matched shade. After everything is dry, you should have a seamless patch job; no spackle or special equipment necessary. 

During this process, your main concern should be avoiding any accidental burns or drips that could be dangerous. Hot glue burns are notorious for how painful they are, thanks to how difficult the glue is to remove until it's completely cooled. Because of this, it's important to exercise caution and ensure you give everything the proper amount of time to cool before handling. If you do get burned, quickly soak the affected area in cool water for at least 10 minutes, per Glue Machinery Corporation. Don't try to rub off or remove the glue unless you're certain the skin underneath isn't at risk of peeling.

When filling the hole with hot glue, it's also important to make sure you protect your walls. The tips of hot glue guns can get quite hot, and drywall or wood coupled with a heat source is a recipe for burn marks. Try to limit the amount of contact that the tip of your hot glue gun makes with the surface, and you should be set to pull off this hack without any unsightly blemishes or discoloration in the final product.