DAP CrackSHOT Spackling Paste: Holes!
Written: May 16 '07
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Ready to use, elastic, easy to apply, virtually no shrinkage, economical
Cons: Potentially hazardous
The Bottom Line: While there are many ready mixed spackles on the market, including some light-weight mixtures I have found DAP CrackSHOT to be the most effective.
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| rudixeno's Full Review: DAP Crackshot Spackling Paste |
DIYers make holes, lots and lots of holes. Some large, some small but always lots of them. We also leave gaps. We don’t necessarily mean to, but still we do. It seems somewhere between the start of a project and its completion we forget the adage “measure twice, cut once”.
When hanging pictures or paintings I usually start out with my level. But, if I’m hanging enough of them, somewhere in the middle of the project I discover that I have no idea where my level has gone. Sound familiar? So, I start eyeballing it. And, trust me, I’m pretty accomplished at this, but still, I leave a few more holes than you might find desirable. This is where DAP CrackSHOT comes in.
I’d like to take credit for discovering this product on my own, but I can’t. I found it through a Hygienic Engineer we hired to inspect our home for hidden mold in the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma.
Shortly after the storm in October, 2005, in which we sustained a fair amount of water damage to our garage, kitchen and air-conditioning system, a “mold contractor” came and inspected our house. Beyond the minor visible mold damage that was obvious, he cautioned that we may have an extensive mold problem inside the walls and between the two stories of the house. His recommendation was to cut large sections of wall and ceiling out to inspect for this hidden mold. Now regardless of whether any mold was found, the cost of repairing all these sections of wall and pop-corn ceiling was going to be enormous. There had to be a better way. And, there was. Exit crazy engineer, hello smarter engineer.
Our new engineer proposed that instead of cutting giant holes throughout the house, he make many more tiny holes through which sensing and optic probes could be placed to determine the presence and extent of any hidden mold damage. Long story short, we had virtually no hidden damage, no extensive repair needed, but lots and lots of holes to be filled.
Fortunately, wherever holes were made where our engineer felt no further investigation was necessary he quickly filled them. His remedy of choice? DAP CrackSHOT.
DAP CrackSHOT
This product is a creamy pre-mixed, ready to use, elasticized spackling paste useful for filling in holes and cracks in drywall, wood, brick, stone or even metal. It is non-shrinking, so often fills smaller holes in a single application. It dries in between 1 – 5 hours depending on the thickness of the application and climatic considerations. It is easily sanded once dry and paintable. In short, this product and I were made to be together.
Using DAP CrackSHOT
As with other spackling products the surfaces to which it is applied should be clean, dry and free of foreign material.
In the tub (1/2 pint, 1Qt, or gallon) it is a thick yet creamy paste that should be stirred before each use.
For small holes a putty knife is ideal for applying. On larger cracks it can be applied with a putty knife then spread and feathered with a wall compound blade. I prefer using a 3” blade. The manufacturer suggests dipping the knife blade in water and lightly smooth the spackling. This results in the smoothest finish. I’ve done this, it works, but honestly it’s most often unnecessary. On smaller holes (up to ¼ inch), a swipe or two with fine wet sandpaper once dry was all that was necessary.
For larger or deeper holes and cracks multiple thin layers of paste works best, allowing each coat to dry before adding an addition.
Recently, while replacing some base molding I realized that some of my corner miter cuts were a little sloppy, leaving me with obvious gaps. Working in small amounts of CrackSHOT with my finger (inside a latex glove), I was able to follow the contour of the molding easily. Two applications were necessary with a minimum of sanding once finally dry (about 4 hours total). When painted the filled gaps were undetectable.
Clean Up
Immediate clean up of tools (and skin) with water is recommended. When I remember to do this clean up is quick, simple and painless. But if you let this creamy goop dry a bit it is more difficult to clean than ordinary plaster based spackle. It’s easier to follow directions.
Caution
DAP CrackShot contains the following:
Calcium Carbonate, Clay, Mica, Ethylene Glycol, Crystalline Silica and Diethanolamine
The user is advised to wear a respiratory mask and to wet sand when necessary to reduce inhaled dust. We are warned that “over exposure may cause adverse kidney, cardiovascular and liver effects.” Just how much exposure is over exposure? How adverse are these “effects”?
I can honestly say that prior to my experience writing for Epinions I probably never would have looked for that warning or read it. My advice? Use precaution.
Summing Up
If it weren’t for the Cautionary Note on this product I’d rate it 5 stars. It’s really that versatile and easy to use. While there are many ready mixed spackles on the market, including some light-weight mixtures I have found CrackSHOT to be the most effective. At $2.39 for a half pint at either Home Depot or Lowe’s, it is very economical. For larger projects it is also available for $14.99 a gallon,
Its elastic qualities make it an ideal gap filler for everything from simple settlement cracks to disguising larger voids without much shrinkage. Use it carefully.
Other Useful DIY Reviews:
Black & Decker Mouse Sander
Minwax Polyshades One Step Stain
Regards,
Rudi
© Rudi Xeno 2007
Recommended:
Yes
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