How To Apply New Wall Texture Techniques To Your Old Plaster

How To Apply New Wall Texture Techniques To Your Old Plaster

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Have you ever looked at the old plaster in your home and wished you had a simple solution to make it sparkle again?

Painting alone is often not enough, especially if the old texture is outdated and unattractive. One solution may be to put on new wall and ceiling textures yourself.

This can be easier than you think, provided you follow a good system and know what you are doing.

As a plaster and drywall renovation specialist, I have seen first hand how stunning new wall and ceiling textures can turn a plain home interior into a Cinderella. And I have seen the glowing pride on the faces of homeowners who did this themselves - after some instruction from me.

The purpose of this article to lay out possibilities, to tell you how someone with no experience can learn to do a professional looking job with wall and ceiling textures.

I remember as a boy, hanging out in the kitchen and watching my mom put icing on a new cake. It was entrancing to see the deft way she was able to apply the frosting to the cake and work it with the flat knife to create the little dips and swirls . Of course, my hope was to lick the frosting bowl afterwards, but meanwhile - unknown to myself - I was getting a valuable lesson in textures.

When years later I was being trained in the art of drywall finishing, I watched my boss working his tools and putting texture on a ceiling, And the first thing I thought of was how much alike it was to icing a cake. Even the white texture compound reminded me of cake frosting.

However, entranced as I was at the sight, I had enough presence of mind not to want to lick the bucket.

The key to my learning to do textures was watching a master at work. Of course, practice was also required, but I was quickly surprised how I was able to learn and do good work that even satisfied my boss. And I need to say up front, I had NO special talent. I have never been "artistic."

My boss started me out doing textures in garages and closets, where the visual standard was less demanding. But I soon graduated to bedrooms and living rooms as my boss was satisfied with my wall and ceiling texture results. I was learning to do the textures he did so easily, and I went on to create many of my own unique patterns.

An old wall or ceiling needs to be prepared before new texture is applied. The first thing is to get it clean of dust, grease and finally any cleaning agent residues like soap or tri-sodium phosphate.

The second basic step is to repair defects, like cracks, holes and dings. Texture may cover some defects, but they will probably show up again eventually if not dealt with properly beforehand.

Old texture, if it is rough or heavy, will need to be hidden before new texture is applied. This is accomplished by skim coating the wall or ceiling to bury the old texture. Usually two or three coats are necessary to get the surface reasonably smooth. However if the old texture is light, such as a sand finish, it may be possible to apply the new texture directly over it.

Any repairs done before texturing (usually with drywall joint compound) will need to be primed before applying your new texture, unless of course you are going to be skimming the whole area first. The purpose of priming is to equalize the new raw material with the rest of the painted area, so it all takes the texture in the same way.

New textures can be done with drywall joint compound or special texture mixes. All such materials are easily available at home improvement stores and some paint stores. Texture tools can be a variety of things, from broad knives to brushes of various kinds to special pattern boards. Both wall and ceiling textures may have some sand in them, depending on what you are trying to accomplish.

I usually suggest that anyone trying to learn to apply texture should do some practicing first, maybe on a garage wall, or on pieces of scrap drywall or plywood. This gives him or her a feel for handling the tools, practicing different effects and learning the best consistencies to give the texture material.

Once a person says "??I think I"??ve got it!"??, then he can move to the real thing. Even so, it is probably a good idea to start with a small wall or ceiling before moving on to a larger one.

Obviously, there is a fair amount of heads-up information that is needed for quality instruction, for which there is insufficient room in a short article such as this. But if you will check the author"??s resource box, you will find links to web pages with all the basics laid out for you.
Including plaster repair guides and skim coat tips.




About the Author:
Edwin Brown works on the west coast of the US as a plaster and drywall repair and renovation specialist. He has almost 40 years serving residential and commercial clients, and in recent years has put together a website of tips and techniques for the motivated homeowner.

See pages regarding wall and ceiling textures, including photos and a DVD of live demonstrations.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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