If you have to seal any holes and cracks then spackle and painter’s putty are two of the best materials to consider for this task.
These materials have plenty of similarities which often results in people confusing the two.
In this article, you will find out the differences and similarities between the two materials.
DISCLOSURE: TheRuggedRooster.com is reader supported so if you buy any products featured on this site I may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Read my full disclosure here.
What is Painter’s Putty?
A painter’s putty is a soft and malleable paste that is greyish-yellow in color.
It is mainly made from raw linseed oil and ground chalk.
The paste hardens when it is exposed to external environmental conditions for a few hours.
Besides filling holes in wood, this paste is mostly used to seal glass in window frames.
What is Spackle?
Similar to painter’s putty, spackle is also used in construction.
It is composed of glue, gypsum plaster, and hydrated calcium sulfate.
Ideally, this paste is used to seal off small surface defects in the wood, drywall, and plaster.
It does not contract or stretch after drying which means that it cannot be used to seal areas that move or bend after an application.
Comparison Between Painter’s Putty and Spackle
Functionality
The two materials are different in terms of their functionality.
This is because of their varying makeup and strength.
Putty is available generally in a range of strengths which makes it applicable in place of magnets, thumbtacks, staples, and tapes.
On the other hand, spackle is mainly used to replace drywall compounds.
It results in a resurfacing that is suitable for filling and painting holes in walls.
Furthermore, this paste dries faster than putty and once the drying process has ended, it can’t be made wet again.
Types of Putty and Spackle
As mentioned earlier, putty is widely available in various forms and sizes.
They also possess various dimensions and weigh different amounts of money.
Due to these reasons, the painter’s putty is highly versatile and can be used to perform a myriad of tasks, chores, and purposes.
Spackles, on the other hand, are different from putty.
They ideally come in bins or buckets that are designed to maintain the original forms and shapes of the material.
They do come in differing weights and strengths just like the painter’s putty.
This makes them suitable for use in connection with pieces of wood and wallpapering, among numerous other crucial chores.
Composition
Putty has various types of ingredients.
Most of the painter’s putties add silicone and several chemical compounds such as platinum catalysts, hydrogen polysiloxanes, and plasticizers.
Spackle consists of materials such as calcium carbonate, clay, vinyl, and pre-gelatinized starch. A few of them incorporate quartz dust and titanium dioxide.
These significant differences play a key role in the efficacy of both of these construction materials.
- Sturdy Design: The blade and handle in our drywall knife are processed in one piece, which is very sturdy. Stainless steel blade has superior load-bearing performance for a long time to use
- Comfortable Grip: The handle part is a perfect combination of soft rubber and plastic, and using an ergonomic design. Our putty scraper tool makes full use of the elasticity of rubber to make you hold comfortably
- Anti-Rust Quality: Compared with carbon steel material, our stainless steel spackle knife tool is far stronger in terms of corrosion resistance. The rust-free blade makes you more enjoyable to work in home improvement jobs
- Various Sizes: Our joint knife covers four sizes of width, 2", 3", 4", 5". The small size is suitable for applying adhesives, and drywall tape. The large size is ideal for applying putty, plaster, and other home improvement materials
- Widely Used: It’s more effortless to apply putty, plaster, cement, and concrete with a putty knife scraper. You can repair and fill the cracks in drywall, ceiling, ceramic tile. In addition, it's perfect for removing paint, sticky objects, and wallpaper
- Package includes: Set of 6 with variety of size from 1.5", 2", 3", 4", 5" and 6" inches
- Plastic Scrapers are flexible and solvent resistant plastic
- Perfect For spackling, patching, and painting
- Bates Putty Knifes set of 6 that fits your needs
- An excellent alternative to metal knife options
- Flexible blade: works well for spreading spackle and adhesive; made of taper-ground, mirror-polished carbon steel
- Nylon handle: classic-style handle provides a sturdy hold and a professional look and feel
- Reinforced strength: full-length tang secured to the handle with 2 heavy-duty rivets for added support
- Durable construction: consists of 55% carbon steel and 45% nylon
- Warranty: backed by an Amazon Basics 1-year limited warranty
- Good Helper for Repairing Wall: wall mending agent is a good helper to complete small repairs of the wall, no wall damage problem bothers you anymore. Just squeeze and scrape it on the wall to make a quick-drying patch. Repair traces are almost invisible, simple, and fast to solve the wall damage problem for you.
- Environmentally Friendly and Waterproof: This spackle Wall Repair is made of wall glue, resin, and carbonate cover. No harmful ingredients, safe and effective. White and delicate scrub resistance, environmental protection, you can repair any holes and graffiti on the wall!
- Fast Drying & Durable: Wall Repair Paste is a delicate paste with strong viscosity, fast-drying, and crack resistance. Easy to apply, repair and seal can quickly fill holes and cracks in the wall, and wall putty cream will be virtually invisible then giving you professional-looking results.
- Package Accessories: Our hole patch kit has 1 * 100g wall plaster, 1 * scraper, 1* nozzle extender, 2x Sandpaper, 1 x 2inch Wall Repair Patch.
- Wide Use: Crack Repair Cream can easily solve most wall damage problems in homes, schools, and offices. Perfect for repairing Nails Hole on walls, Wall cracks, Peeling, Graffiti, Stains, and Scraping.
- Package includes a 6" taping knife.
- Bates taping knife is made of stainless steel, rust-resistant and corrosion-resistant, and durable.
- Soft-grip handle offers a secure hold and comfort, even during extended use.
- It offers a perfect, precise flex for better finishing and faster application rates.
- Taping knife is a multi-purpose tool and is ideal for home improvement projects like applying joint compound, puttying windows, scraping paint, etc.
Which one is Better – Putty or Spackle?
Comparatively, the putty is better to use as compared to the spackle.
It is not very thick although it takes the form of a paste.
Therefore, it tends to be easier to spread and shape out.
Additionally, it takes a comparatively shorter amount of time to settle.
Spackles are different in that they have to be used together with the primer.
It takes more time and effort for it to perform its intended tasks.
However, both of these materials are quite similar in other regards and are handy for any contractor.
Last update on 2023-03-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
