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jaxo_gw

Cover holes left after removing wall-mounted surround-sound speakers?

7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago

I'm decluttering and replacing my existing home theater in a box system with a sound bar and single wireless sub woofer. I need to remove 2 wall-mounted satellite speakers in the front of the room and two more in the rear of the room.

Removing the bracket-mounted speakers will be easy, but this will expose the bracket and speaker wire holes as well as an unpainted area under the bracket.

I don't have any more of the original wall paint, don't remember the name of the paint color and don't want to repaint the room in a new color for at least a year.

I thought of sticking on blank 1-gang cover plates or even hanging small pictures in those spots, but the places the speakers are mounted may seem like odd places to hang pictures.

Does any one have ideas for small, decorative things that can cover the 4 bracket holes until I'm ready to repaint the house?

Comments (39)

  • 7 years ago

    Why are they odd places to hang pictures. You've given us no idea. Too close to the floor? Butt-level? jammed against a jamb?

    No idea.

  • 7 years ago

    Agreed; a photo or two would help.

    When I could remember the brand and line of the paint, but not the color, I've had pretty good luck with getting a stack of paint chips from the store and finding the closest match to the walls.

  • 7 years ago

    Leave the speaker covers in place. No one needs to know that they are nonfunctional.

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    I agree patch the holes and paint the walls no exactly a huge job and sure will look better than hanging pics to cover the holes which usually are high up the wall.

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    if there's a way to get some paint chips of the existing paint take them to a local paint shop with a scanner that gives them a matching mix design and have a small custom batch made for your touch up. take the chips from some inconspicuous corners and then touch them up too.

  • 7 years ago

    Since you have to patch the holes anyway, just cut off a dime-sized piece of drywall that has paint and take that to a paint store. They can match it. Then patch the drywall (having removed the speaker wires), mud, sand, etc., and once you paint it should disappear. Done!

  • 7 years ago

    This is what the speakers look like.


  • 7 years ago

    Either touch up with matched paint (paint stores are amazing at this) or leave them until you redo the whole room. If they've looked okay so far, they'll continue to look okay.


  • 7 years ago

    Simple, its not a big issue to get a paint match.

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    i actually stuck a round sticker over a couple of holes a year before a repaint... the sort you use at a garage sale. the wall was light blue, i stuck on a white sticker. it worked because the sticker was so small, your eye just skimmed over it. a 1/2" sticker is less obvious than what turns into a 4" diameter not-quite-sanded-enough-not-quite-matched paint sample. especially if the sheen is wrong, and it flashes, too.

  • PRO
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    they have this stuff called 'spackle'. it's used to fill holes like this. (in a pinch you can use toothpaste)

    then you can buy a small sample jar of paint to match your existing wall color. take it a sample piece from a hidden area to have it color matched if you have to.

  • 7 years ago

    yeah, I continue not to see the big deal here. I had some insulation blown into my walls recently, and they left a row of round holes in my wall that were 2.5" across at waist height. annoyed, but took just ten minutes each of three days to make them invisible.

  • 7 years ago
    Crawfords spackle and drywall texture spray. Paint.
  • 7 years ago

    An obvious touch up job from mismatched paint will look bad. I'm not sure I can get this paint matched closely enough to not be noticeable.

    Home Depot has white plastic blank cover plates for 59 cents each. They look cheap, but still better than looking at a bad patch job.

    I'll use the cover plates if I can't find anything better.

    Maybe small 4X6 or 5X7 framed photos would look better than plastic cover plates. I could also put some kind of remote control holder for TV and fans in one of the spots to keep from losing remotes since there is no coffee table.

    I think I'll visit Ikea tomorrow to see if I can come up with some other ideas.

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    why are you not sure? just take a sample in and get it matched. it's not a big deal. You don't think a .59 white plastic cover plate will be noticeable?? You're not patching drywall, you're filling in a few holes and painting over them. good lord.

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    Lol!!!!!!! And thinking Michaelangelo will inspect???

  • 7 years ago

    There are the holes from the drywall screws that need to be patched.

    How would I get paint off the wall without tearing up the drywall and how large of a paint sample is needed for paint stores to do an accurate match?

  • PRO
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    patch it with putty or spackle, as I've stated. use a putty knife to smooth it so it's level w/surrounding wall. when it's dry, sand it smooth and then paint w/a bit of primer (they have primer in a can you can use) (sometimes if you don't prime, the paint will 'flash' compared to the surrounding paint on the wall. if you use a paint/primer, it might work fine)

    how to patch molly screw holes in drywall

    http://homeguides.sfgate.com/repairing-molly-holes-drywall-37493.html

    In a closet or somewhere behind a piece of furniture, see if you can remove a small piece of the drywall w/the paint color on it. (you can also patch this) take it in and have them color match it. they only need a size of a quarter or so

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    IlOmg.......... Lol! Are you by chance an engineer!? Honey just do it. As Beth. Don't all start yelling, I love engineers , lol

  • 7 years ago

    I'd rather not cut off pieces of drywall.

    Is there any way to peel a section of paint off without having to take the drywall with it?

  • PRO
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    No. There is not. Honestly hon, you're making paint into a nuclear science problem. Go behind a piece of furniture ! You're not bashing the wall out

    Or choose a new paint color and paint the entire room!

  • PRO
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    oh jesusmaryandjoseph. i'm out. these new generations kill me.

  • PRO
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lol!!!! Shoot us Beth?! ps My mom said that every two days and so do I !!!

  • 7 years ago

    In the time we've spent discussing this and suggesting fixes, I could have patched it, sanded it, primed it, matched the paint, and dabbed it on....

  • 7 years ago

    Those are small holes and they're easy to fix.

    Go to the paint store and bring back a pint of light spackle and a bunch of paint samples.

    Find a sample that's a decent match to color and gloss. It doesn't have to be perfect since you only have to paint areas maybe 3/8 inch in diameter. Go back to the store and get a quart of that paint, even a pint if that's possible (not likely).

    Using a finger to dab in spackle, get the holes level with the rest of the wall. It might take 2 or 3 applications. Let the spackle dry between applications. Then, if necessary, smooth the spackle with a damp finger.

    Finally, when it's had a few days to try thoroughly, wipe around the holes with a damp rag to get rid of any smeared spackle. Dab the paint on carefully with an artist's brush. Let it dry and dab paint on again, this time slightly into the surrounding paint.

    The holes will disappear unless you're staring right at them..

    Or cover them up with ugly plastic plates or pictures, Whatever suits you.

    That is all.

  • 7 years ago

    I forgot to mention. To remove the plastic anchors, thread a screw a few threads into them and pull straight out with pliers, wiggling very gently if necessary. Don't twist. If the screw comes out of the plastic anchor, screw it in a couple more threads and try again.

    With patience, in most cases you can remove the anchor with minimal damage to the drywall. If you do rip out any gypsum, use the butt of a screwdriver or a pencil eraser to push it back slightly below the face of the drywall. Then spackle as above.

  • PRO
    7 years ago
    Funny...... this may be a joke? The question has been answered thoroughly..... homeowner, either google how to patch and paint, or hire a professional. Good luck with it all.
  • PRO
    7 years ago

    Small holes that size? You are the only one who will see that patch, unless you keep pointing it out to everyone.

    "See how it doesn't match just quite right? Yes, over there in that corner and another one over here "

  • 7 years ago

    It's more involved than just patching those "small holes" you see in the photo.

    The entire area under the bracket (about 4 inches by 2 inches) is discolored/scratched by the bracket and will need to be repainted.

    Anyone will easily be able to see mismatched paint if it's left exposed.

    I have a contractor coming over to do other work this week and all ask him if he can just take care of it while they're doing the other work. He hasn't seen it yet, but said over the phone that he might need to refer me to a drywall guy to patch speaker holes in walls.

    I'll see if he can cut out a piece of paint large enough for the color calibration equipment at the paint store to be able to work with without cutting a big hole in the drywall.

    Unfortunately, hidden areas such as inside the closets were not painted in the same color, so the paint sample will have to be taken from the room.

  • 7 years ago

    jaxo-

    Regardless, this is still a trivial repair. And if a contractor is saying he needs a sheetrock person to fix the holes, you've got a real primadonna there...

  • 7 years ago

    Just leave the holes there. Tell any visitors you are going to repaint "soon".

  • 7 years ago

    hoovb-

    But only if they ask... ;-)

  • 7 years ago

    Beth-

    What is simple to some is not to others. I can't play two notes on a piano but I do know how to repair most anything. And I have helped otherwise very competent friends who have "major" problems, like the handle falling off their refrigerator because two screws worked loose and they didn't know what to do. If one is not DIY-oriented, the simplest repair can be a bridge too far...

  • PRO
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    kudzu,,sorry for your friends. perhaps if you gave your 'competent' friends a video on how to screw in their fridge handle, it would have made all the difference. As for filling in a few holes w/spackle, I attached a video that was very clear as well as numerous instructions. I believe David did as well. I'm trying to save the guy having to pay his GC when he takes advantage of him over this little repair. I don't think OP had an issue w/filling it in, but rather the paint match up. Even you said "It's a trivial repair".... please,,,no philosophical metaphors,,,, I'm hoping the OP can learn something he can use later on down the road.

  • 7 years ago

    Beth-

    I learned long ago that some people just don't have the ability or interest to do these things themselves. Pushing a video on them doesn't work. It's like, you can lead a horse to water...oh, dang, another metaphor.

  • PRO
    7 years ago

    ;)

  • 7 years ago

    If you must patch rather than match or redo the room, and if changing furnishings to set something in front of the wall damage will not work, then, for whatever you do add to the places where adding a picture would be uncommon, then the idea would be to have the changes to such uncommon places appear to be a deliberate addition for practical use or as art to enable to you to add something that will represent your own interests.

    While you may not want to hang a traditional picture in such places, creating an open niche

    https://i.pinimg.com/736x/6c/d3/87/6cd38715530988e123906cd55544a47f--wall-bookshelves-bookcases.jpg

    https://i.pinimg.com/736x/17/73/32/177332af450130b191410ad0755197e4--small-bathrooms-beautiful-bathrooms.jpg

    or shallow closet with door might

    https://i.pinimg.com/736x/50/45/59/504559ffa2d294c27069e3fe7868bc86--wall-stud-recessed-shelves.jpg

    or

    or covering the holes with a board (think upscale kitchen cabinet door or small unusual carving

    https://secure.img2-fg.wfcdn.com/im/65545158/resize-h400-w400%5Ecompr-r85/2975/29757638/sarwaedi-hand-carved-wood-owl-sculpture-panel-wall-decor.jpg

    https://i.pinimg.com/736x/20/37/a4/2037a47ef255482d7df48a70ccb1eb1a--wooden-art-wood-planks.jpg

    https://i.pinimg.com/736x/c9/57/4b/c9574b8af4133cba7c0d65a8cc34e780--wooden-sculptures-wall-sculptures.jpg

    https://i.pinimg.com/originals/40/38/56/403856de62e7a312a8d1da529bb0826c.jpg

    or even add a single longer vertical board

    https://i.pinimg.com/236x/cf/c1/cd/cfc1cd8146717fe7834f2b15dc6fb97f--decoration-home-home-decor.jpg

    or even a plain wide shelving board affixed vertically, from baseboard to ceiling, and add unusual art to that, perhaps even wire or metal wall art might be considered -- their unusual shapes or groupings of related pieces could serve to cover unusual places even while being placed at not so odd a place.

    http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mFDzC8EXDcu6_ykEpWJU0Hw.jpg

    A grouping of birds over trees could cover spots high and/or medium and/or low.

    https://i.pinimg.com/736x/95/2a/42/952a421035a7bc268aa9d286ec673812--metal-wall-art-decor-art-metal.jpg

    or a tree w/trunk to baseboard might be painted onto the wall where repainting is needed.

    http://www.diarytale.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/IMG_20170520_112906_AO_HDR.jpg


    Shelving might work in some instances:

    https://i.pinimg.com/736x/f4/7d/d4/f47dd43af9c914cf59fa0c233c36bdf9--ikea-lack-shelves-lack-shelf.jpg

    http://homesforsaleinvictoria.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/small-wooden-wall-shelves.jpg

    https://img1.etsystatic.com/161/0/10532096/il_340x270.1226564361_f53d.jpg

    http://legambienteanzionettuno.info/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/cute-small-wood-wall-shelf-set-of-2-great-from-barnwood4u-pertaining-to-dimensions-1024-x-802.jpg

    http://doxoh.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/small-wall-shelf-home-decor-with-creative-diy-wall-shelves-furniture-decorations-photo-hanging-bookshelves.jpg

  • 6 months ago

    I’m hanging wall art over mine. Just an idea.

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