The Nail Gun Hack For Perfectly Concealed Holes Every Time

Whether you're refinishing stairs or redoing your home's trim work, odds are you'll have glaring nail holes in need of filling. Some people opt to paint over them, shaving some time off their DIY project. The problem with this is that nail heads eventually rust, leaving unsightly spots on your brand-new woodwork. Instead, defer to a genius TikTok hack that allows you to cover any tack hole with nothing more than a piece of tape and some wood filler. The results are perfectly smooth surfaces with very little prep work. 

If you're tempted to skip wood putty altogether, consider the following: Wood swells and contracts with changes in temperature and with the seasons. Small nail holes can eventually expand, leading to larger ones. However, wood filler is great for keeping nails concealed so your home always looks its best. Even better, this helpful hack is versatile — you can use it when reinforcing floorboards, stairs, molding, furniture, and so much more. And since you won't have to sand the area afterward, it offers an easy, fast solution for concealing nails. 

In an incredible TikTok hack shared by @calgarycustomconcepts, you can easily conceal nail gun holes using tape and wood filler. The trick is to apply tape to your wooden surface first, then shoot your nails through. With your tape still in place, grab some wood filler and cover the pits, wiping away the excess. Remove your adhesive and you'll have a perfectly smooth finish without any sanding. 

Although the video shows masking tape, you might want to opt for something with a milder adhesive. Otherwise, some of the tape's sticky backing might transfer to your carpentry. A great alternative to masking tape is painter's tape, and you can grab a roll on Amazon for under $10. Wood filler is available for around the same price, making this an inexpensive hack to carry out. 

You can use this trick on any type of timber, but it works exceptionally well on finished surfaces that you don't want to scuff up with sandpaper. Normally, when you apply wood filler and let it dry, you may have to sand the surface to remove excess product. If your lumber is finished, this can strip away its paint or stain, meaning you'd need to refinish the area. But applying a piece of tape before you grab your nail gun can help you seamlessly cover any pits. You could also use this hack to fill nail holes on walls — just be sure to swap out wood filler for spackling paste.