Repair Drywall Texture
Unless you're repairing a smooth wall or ceiling, fixing and matching the existing drywall texture is part of the project. If it's not done right, no matter how well you did the drywall repair, it will be glaringly obvious after painting if the texture doesn't match the surrounding surface. Luckily, most textures these days are sprayed on -- but this doesn't mean you have to rent a cumbersome drywall texture sprayer. Some nifty products on the market make repairing and matching spray texture a fairly simple process. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Identify the texture. Even smooth walls may have a light stippled texture resulting from many coats of rolled-on paint. Some textures are applied with specialized brushes -- they are usually easy to identify because they have a swirled or linear appearance. Hand-applied textures are usually heavier, with a rough, stucco-like appearance. Most homes built in recent decades have a spray texture, most typically "orange peel" that looks like tiny blobs, or "knockdown," where the texture is flattened.
2. Prime areas of bare drywall or drywall repairs if you are repairing a spray texture. Other textures don't require priming first.
3. Purchase aerosol spray for matching spray texture. It comes with three straws, for fine, medium or coarse texture. Follow the directions on the can. For knockdown texture, wait 10 to 20 minutes for the spray to start setting up, then "knock it down" by smoothing it gently with a drywall knife.
4. Thin down some joint compound with water until it has a thick, soupy texture if you're matching a smooth stippled wall. Use a damp cellulose sponge to dab the texture over the repair, blending and feathering it out onto the surrounding wall. Let it dry and evaluate it in a strong light, or run your hand over the surface to feel how well it blends.
5. Trowel on heavier textures with a 4- or 6-inch drywall knife. It may take some experimenting to match the existing texture. If you're not happy with the result, wipe it off with a wet sponge before it dries and start again.
6. Buy a texture brush for applying a stomp or swirled-on texture. Take a photo of the existing texture and bring it with you to a drywall and plaster supply store, and ask them to identify the type of brush that was used.
Tags: spray texture, drywall knife, drywall texture, existing texture, matching spray
