The primary purpose of spackle is to fill and patch holes and cracks on different surfaces. The main ingredient of spackle is gypsum powder.
We are going to discuss and find out whether spackle is waterproof or not. We will also shed light on the possibility of using spackle outdoors.
Is spackle waterproof?
Spackle is not normally waterproof. But there are specially manufactured waterproof spackle available in the market for special use. Spackle does not get affected by water when it dries off. But one can certainly put water in unused spackle to soften it up.
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Let’s look at different types of spackle and find out if they are waterproof.
Vinyl spackle:
Normal vinyl spackle is not waterproof. Normal vinyl spackle dries very quickly after application and you can not do anything to soften the surface of the vinyl spackle.
This means vinyl spackle is not waterproof under normal circumstances. However, there is waterproof Dap Drydex vinyl spackle available in the market which is waterproof.
The special thing about vinyl spackle is that it requires several layers of application and can be used for both interior and exterior purpose.
Lightweight spackle:
The best thing about lightweight spackle is its drying time. It does not take a lot of time to dry and harden. But lightweight spackle is not waterproof under normal circumstances.
There are however Dap Drydex version of lightweight spackle available which is waterproof in some cases.
Can spackle get wet?
Unapplied spackle can get wet if you add water to it. However, you can not get fully dried spackle wet no matter how much water you add to it. When spackle is sitting unused in the container, you can attempt get it get by adding water.
But spackle paste dries very quickly upon application and you can not get it wet after it hardens.
This is due to the fact that spackle is not waterproof. That is why water has no effect on the dried spackle paste at all.
What happens if the spackle gets wet?
Hard spackle sitting in a container can be softened by adding water to it. When the spackle gets in contact with water and a mixer is used to mix the water with the spackle, then the wet spackle turns into a paste.
This wet paste is then used to fill holes and cracks on the drywall.
But spackle does not get wet after it hardens. No matter how much water you apply to it, it will not give up its shape. So if you want to get spackle wet, you will have to do it before you apply the spackle. There is no other way around it.
Can spackle be used outdoors?
Spackle has got the ability to be used outdoors. There are exterior spackles available in the market that can be applied on outdoor projects to fill holes and cracks on the surface. The heavy variety of spackle is used outdoors as it has to endure changing weather conditions.
There are a lot of reasons why spackle can be used outdoors. Let’s discuss in detail about them.
Hardening ability:
Spackle paste has incredible hardening ability as it does not take much time to dry. This hardening ability of spackle makes it a good choice for outdoor application.
You can easily apply spackle on your outdoor projects without worrying the spackle paste not hardening enough.
Versatility:
Spackle paste is versatile in the sense that it can be used on many different surfaces. It is believed by experts that you can use spackle for both interior and exterior projects.
You can use spackle on many different surfaces including drywall and wood. There are also different types of spackle available for different purposes and textures.
Durability:
Spackle is not waterproof when it is in the paste form. But after the spackle paste dries off, it is nearly possible to get it wet because of its hardness upon application. Spackle paste is really durable on different surfaces.
Usability:
Spackle is pretty easy to use if you manage to follow the correct steps and methods. There are also lots of premixed spackle available that do not require a lot of preparation. The usability of spackle makes it a good choice for outdoor application.
What is exterior spackle?
Spackle has a wide range of products available for different surfaces. An exterior spackle is the spackle paste that is used outdoors. The exterior drywalls sometimes have holes and cracks on them that can be repaired by using exterior spackle.
Exterior spackle does a wonderful job of sealing these holes and cracks by hardening on them.
Exterior spackle is also long lasting due to its core strength and quality. Exterior spackle can be used on different types of exterior surfaces ranging from wood to drywall.
What is the best exterior spackle?
There are many exterior spackle products available in the market. But the Dap Drydex platinum spackle is considered as the best exterior spackle by many experts because of its unique qualities.
Dap drydex platinum spackle can be used on many different surfaces such as composite, metal, PVC, and wood.
Dap drydex platinum spackle is famous for its simple applicability and long lasting feature. This variety of exterior spackle also dries quickly on the repair area. This is the best exterior spackle according to many criteria.
Can spackle be used on exterior wood?
Spackle can certainly be used on exterior wood. In fact, the versatility of spackle makes it usable on many different surfaces.
The wood is no exception. You will have to clean the area of the exterior wood with sandpaper and cloth before you put spackle on it.
The spackle has to be applied on the exterior wood with the help of a putty knife. The exterior wood needs to be sanded after the spackle has dried off. Multiple layers of spackle paste can be applied on the exterior wood if one layer does not do the trick.
Can you use spackle in a shower or bathroom?
Spackle can effectively be used in a shower or bathroom. But the drywall of the shower or bathroom has to be dry before you apply the spackle on it. Otherwise, the spackle will have problem adhering to the surface of the shower or bathroom wall.
Spackle does not take much time to dry on the repair area of the shower or bathroom as it is a natural hardening product.
The durability of spackle in a shower or bathroom is also remarkable. So you can use spackle in a shower or bathroom without worrying about the spackle coming off.
How to seal spackle?
Sealing spackle can seem like a daunting task if you do not have any prior experience regarding the matter. However, there are some steps and methods you can follow to accomplish the task. Let’s discuss in detail about them.
Selection process:
First of all, you will need to select what type of spackle you want to use for your project. Lightweight spackle would be an ideal choice if you are working on a small area.
On the other hand, both standard spackle and vinyl spackle is used for large scale projects. The spackle selection process also depends on whether you want to use it on exterior surface or interior surface.
Lightweight spackles are good for interior surface and heavyweight spackles are good for exterior surface.
You will need to select the spackle after considering all these things. Your spackle’s texture also needs to match the texture of the surface. Otherwise, you will not be able to seal it.
Use a sandpaper:
You will have to use a sandpaper to clean the area you are going to apply the spackle. This is a very crucial step as the application area needs to be free from dust and dirt.
Prime the area:
You will need to prime the area before you apply spackle on it. Otherwise, the spackle will not adhere well to the surface. You will have to use an appropriate primer for the surface.
You will be required to let the primer dry off and then apply the spackle. You will also have to prime the area after you have applied spackle to seal it properly.
Paint it carefully:
You will need to paint over the spackle carefully in order to seal it. You will have to start by painting the repaired area and then move onto other areas of the surface to seal the spackle in a better way.
Final Thoughts
Despite not being waterproof in its normal state, spackle is an excellent choice for outdoor projects as it hardens quickly and effectively. The raw spackle can be tempered with water. But the dried spackling compound does not get affected by water. Spackle can deal with any weather condition.