I've been running into a fair number of drywall patching jobs lately
that involve small patches to existing walls. While I'm actually very
good at creating good, smooth, even seamless patches, one thing I don't
know how to do is to match wall textures.

Now, I'm not a professional drwyall hanger, never have been, and don't
want to be. I'm not about to invest in a lot of equipment. But I would
like to have a few common textures in my bag of tricks, so that I could
at least come close to matching the existing texture after completing a
patch.

The textures I see vary from the canonical "skip-troweled" texture to a
sort of blobby flattened oatmeal to a kind of rough old-fashioned
plaster look (on wallboard, not lath and plaster).

Any help here would be much appreciated, preferably using standard tools
and joint compound.


--
Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the
powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.

- Paulo Freire

On Oct 14, 1:15*pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:
I've been running into a fair number of drywall patching jobs lately
that involve small patches to existing walls. While I'm actually very
good at creating good, smooth, even seamless patches, one thing I don't
know how to do is to match wall textures.

Now, I'm not a professional drwyall hanger, never have been, and don't
want to be. I'm not about to invest in a lot of equipment. But I would
like to have a few common textures in my bag of tricks, so that I could
at least come close to matching the existing texture after completing a
patch.

The textures I see vary from the canonical "skip-troweled" texture to a
sort of blobby flattened oatmeal to a kind of rough old-fashioned
plaster look (on wallboard, not lath and plaster).

Any help here would be much appreciated, preferably using standard tools
and joint compound.

Here's a video that deals with a couple techniques.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVKPh0ZwxHk

A stick-on repair video (no idea how the stuff is, but it seems odd to
cover a big hole with a decal!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrtCkbEUiPY

For most small texturing of patched areas you're just going to be
winging it anyway. Have a selection of sponges of varying texture
(tight cells, open, natural sponge as used in faux painting) and a
selection of brushes (wallpaper paste, short bristled painting brush,
long bristled, scrubbing brush). You can apply the thinned compound
or take it off with any of the tools. It's easier to scrape a failed
attempt off of the wall before it sets up and start over. You may
need to take a couple of passes with different tools to get a good
result.

R

"RicodJour" wrote in message
...
On Oct 14, 1:15 pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:
I've been running into a fair number of drywall patching jobs lately
that involve small patches to existing walls. While I'm actually very
good at creating good, smooth, even seamless patches, one thing I don't
know how to do is to match wall textures.

Now, I'm not a professional drwyall hanger, never have been, and don't
want to be. I'm not about to invest in a lot of equipment. But I would
like to have a few common textures in my bag of tricks, so that I could
at least come close to matching the existing texture after completing a
patch.

The textures I see vary from the canonical "skip-troweled" texture to a
sort of blobby flattened oatmeal to a kind of rough old-fashioned
plaster look (on wallboard, not lath and plaster).

Any help here would be much appreciated, preferably using standard tools
and joint compound.

Here's a video that deals with a couple techniques.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVKPh0ZwxHk

A stick-on repair video (no idea how the stuff is, but it seems odd to
cover a big hole with a decal!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrtCkbEUiPY

For most small texturing of patched areas you're just going to be
winging it anyway. Have a selection of sponges of varying texture
(tight cells, open, natural sponge as used in faux painting) and a
selection of brushes (wallpaper paste, short bristled painting brush,
long bristled, scrubbing brush). You can apply the thinned compound
or take it off with any of the tools. It's easier to scrape a failed
attempt off of the wall before it sets up and start over. You may
need to take a couple of passes with different tools to get a good
result.

R

I agree...Pretty much trial and error even for a pro trying to match some
one elses mix and application...For the rough plaster look you will need to
add some sand to the mix...Sometimes ceiling texture,sand,joint compound
and paint are mixed and sprayed on walls with a texture sprayer as well and
"knocked down" with a trowl or knife for the old plaster look( That's how we
do it)...That mix can be applied with a brush for patches. Just blot it on
wait till it sets and knock it down(Trowl the big stuff off )...Good
luck....

In article ,
David Nebenzahl wrote:

I've been running into a fair number of drywall patching jobs lately
that involve small patches to existing walls. While I'm actually very
good at creating good, smooth, even seamless patches, one thing I don't
know how to do is to match wall textures.

Now, I'm not a professional drwyall hanger, never have been, and don't
want to be. I'm not about to invest in a lot of equipment. But I would
like to have a few common textures in my bag of tricks, so that I could
at least come close to matching the existing texture after completing a
patch.

The textures I see vary from the canonical "skip-troweled" texture to a
sort of blobby flattened oatmeal to a kind of rough old-fashioned
plaster look (on wallboard, not lath and plaster).

Any help here would be much appreciated, preferably using standard tools
and joint compound.

I'm not a drywall guy but it seems to me that most texture guys these
days are using either hand trowelling or spraying. Back in the day,
rolling with a nappy paint roller was also common, as was adding sand
for texture.

The blobby flattened oatmeal might be rolled on, and the rough old
fashioned plaster look might have sand in there, but those are just
guesses from my personal interpretation of your descriptions.

The only technique I know of that requires any real equipment is
spraying. Spray-on mud leaves a sort of uniform "splattered-paint"
texture.

On 10/14/2008 11:50 AM RicodJour spake thus:

On Oct 14, 1:15 pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:

I've been running into a fair number of drywall patching jobs lately
that involve small patches to existing walls. While I'm actually very
good at creating good, smooth, even seamless patches, one thing I don't
know how to do is to match wall textures.

Now, I'm not a professional drwyall hanger, never have been, and don't
want to be. I'm not about to invest in a lot of equipment. But I would
like to have a few common textures in my bag of tricks, so that I could
at least come close to matching the existing texture after completing a
patch.

The textures I see vary from the canonical "skip-troweled" texture to a
sort of blobby flattened oatmeal to a kind of rough old-fashioned
plaster look (on wallboard, not lath and plaster).

Any help here would be much appreciated, preferably using standard tools
and joint compound.

For most small texturing of patched areas you're just going to be
winging it anyway. Have a selection of sponges of varying texture
(tight cells, open, natural sponge as used in faux painting) and a
selection of brushes (wallpaper paste, short bristled painting brush,
long bristled, scrubbing brush). You can apply the thinned compound
or take it off with any of the tools. It's easier to scrape a failed
attempt off of the wall before it sets up and start over. You may
need to take a couple of passes with different tools to get a good
result.

After seeing the responses here, I went ahead and did a little
experimenting on a scrap piece of wallboard. I used regular mud, dabbed
on with a stiff brush and "knocked down" with a taping knife. After just
a few minutes, I actually managed to get a decent texture that would
probably be OK for some patch jobs (I painted it after it dried to see
what it would look like finished).

Having done that, I can say that it's definitely easier to lay down a
heavy texture than a light one. Even the lightest texturing I did ended
up looking pretty "fat". I can see how having some way to evenly spatter
small spots of mud on the surface would yield a much nicer texture.


--
Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the
powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.

- Paulo Freire

David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 10/14/2008 11:50 AM RicodJour spake thus:

On Oct 14, 1:15 pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:

I've been running into a fair number of drywall patching jobs lately
that involve small patches to existing walls. While I'm actually very
good at creating good, smooth, even seamless patches, one thing I don't
know how to do is to match wall textures.

Now, I'm not a professional drwyall hanger, never have been, and don't
want to be. I'm not about to invest in a lot of equipment. But I would
like to have a few common textures in my bag of tricks, so that I could
at least come close to matching the existing texture after completing a
patch.

The textures I see vary from the canonical "skip-troweled" texture to a
sort of blobby flattened oatmeal to a kind of rough old-fashioned
plaster look (on wallboard, not lath and plaster).

Any help here would be much appreciated, preferably using standard tools
and joint compound.

For most small texturing of patched areas you're just going to be
winging it anyway. Have a selection of sponges of varying texture
(tight cells, open, natural sponge as used in faux painting) and a
selection of brushes (wallpaper paste, short bristled painting brush,
long bristled, scrubbing brush). You can apply the thinned compound
or take it off with any of the tools. It's easier to scrape a failed
attempt off of the wall before it sets up and start over. You may
need to take a couple of passes with different tools to get a good
result.

After seeing the responses here, I went ahead and did a little
experimenting on a scrap piece of wallboard. I used regular mud, dabbed
on with a stiff brush and "knocked down" with a taping knife. After just
a few minutes, I actually managed to get a decent texture that would
probably be OK for some patch jobs (I painted it after it dried to see
what it would look like finished).

Having done that, I can say that it's definitely easier to lay down a
heavy texture than a light one. Even the lightest texturing I did ended
up looking pretty "fat". I can see how having some way to evenly spatter
small spots of mud on the surface would yield a much nicer texture.


Hi;

Home Depot sells a spray mixture that I have used to do patches. I think it
comes in several textures. Easy to use. Spray on and wait the required time and
then use your taping knife.
Let dry and paint. Good luck...

David Nebenzahl wrote:

Having done that, I can say that it's definitely easier to lay down a
heavy texture than a light one. Even the lightest texturing I did
ended up looking pretty "fat". I can see how having some way to
evenly spatter small spots of mud on the surface would yield a much
nicer texture.

Try dipping a big coarse brush (like a wallpaper paste brush) into thinned
down mud then smack it against your other hand so it spatters. Distance and
thinness of mud vary the result.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

David Nebenzahl wrote:

After seeing the responses here, I went ahead and did a little
experimenting on a scrap piece of wallboard. I used regular mud,
dabbed on with a stiff brush and "knocked down" with a taping knife.
After just a few minutes, I actually managed to get a decent texture
that would probably be OK for some patch jobs (I painted it after it
dried to see what it would look like finished).

You're a smart guy. ;-)

Having done that, I can say that it's definitely easier to lay down a
heavy texture than a light one. Even the lightest texturing I did
ended up looking pretty "fat". I can see how having some way to
evenly spatter small spots of mud on the surface would yield a much
nicer texture.

1. You can buy spray cans of texture that give you more or less the
same results we pros get with dedicated equipment. The problem is that
they're kind of expensive, and you might use up one just practicing.

2. Thin out your mud to lighten up the finish. You can spatter thinned
mud with a stiff brush.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX

David Nebenzahl wrote:

Having done that, I can say that it's definitely easier to lay down a
heavy texture than a light one. Even the lightest texturing I did
ended up looking pretty "fat". I can see how having some way to
evenly spatter small spots of mud on the surface would yield a much
nicer texture.

Try dipping a big coarse brush (like a wallpaper paste brush) into thinned
down mud then smack it against your other hand so it spatters. Distance and
thinness of mud vary the result.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On Oct 14, 1:15 pm, David Nebenzahl wrote:

The textures I see vary from the canonical "skip-troweled" texture to a
sort of blobby flattened oatmeal

The latter, I suspect, in many circles is referred to as "knock-
down". The "finished" walls are splattered with mud using a "texture
gun", then the splatter is gently flattened with a trowel.
http://www.toolfetch.com/Category--D...nits-cat.shtml

to a kind of rough old-fashioned
plaster look (on wallboard, not lath and plaster).

When I think "old fashioned" I think "flat and smooth, as if a
"craftsman" did it".

To me, texture is just a technique intended to hide shoddy
workmanship.

Any help here would be much appreciated, preferably using standard tools
and joint compound.

Like "mop stomp"? Thinned compound (or not) has a mop with cut off
strings dipped into it then the mop is stomped (usually against the
ceiling).

Then there's "broomed". A skim coat is applied and the broom bristles
are spun in it to create semicircles.

Sometimes a guy will just take his trowel and place it flat on the
last coat of wet finish mud and pull it more or less straight off,
creating "stipples".
-----

- gpsman