Working with Drywall by Editors of CPi

Author:Editors of CPi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Creative Publishing international
Published: 2009-03-24T16:00:00+00:00

Textures & Skim Coats

The most common texture on walls and ceilings is no texture at all. Smooth surfaces are easy to clean, are non-abrasive and are less likely to accumulate moisture, dirt and mold. And when the time comes, smooth surfaces are easy to repair and repaint. A coat of high-quality drywall primer, tinted to the color of the topcoat and sanded lightly with fine sandpaper, makes an adequate base for flat wall paint.

For a custom appearance, you can apply a skim coat of joint compound, which will make your wall resemble traditional plaster. Or, you can apply one of many textured finishes. For a basic skim coat, roll or spray a thinned drywall topping compound onto a properly taped and filled drywall surface and then scrape the surface smooth with a 12" trowel. A skim-coated surface is consistently smooth, and differences between the drywall paper and the dried joint compound are eliminated. This prevents taped joints and fastener patches from showing through paint. Skim coating is especially important under gloss paints and on surfaces that will be harshly lit.

Textured coatings have the advantage of being more forgiving of surface imperfections than paint alone. Most textures start with joint compound or, better, a joint-compound-like substance specially formulated for texturing. This “mud” may be thinned with water to a pancake-batter consistency for sprayer or roller application. Aggregates like sand or perlite may be included in the compound to create a gravelly texture. Applied mud may be left to dry or tooled to achieve a particular look.

Ceilings sprayed with popcorn texture contain vermiculite or polystyrene aggregates. Popcorn textures should not be used in contact areas, where aggregates may be scraped off. Aggregated textures may be left unpainted or spray-painted if desired (rollers tend to lift off the aggregate). If a somewhat washable aggregate surface is desired from the start, paints mixed with aggregates are available. Acoustical-rated ceiling textures have the best sound-deadening qualities.

Interesting textures involving swirls, patterns, or ridges add yet increased visual dimension to the surface of walls and ceilings. Thick and sharp textures should not be used where people may scrape against them, since peaks of plaster and sharp aggregates can cut through skin and catch clothing. Deep textures are also difficult to clean. Smooth, low textures such as orange peel and knock down are most appropriate for walls, since they are non-abrasive and are easy to paint and clean.

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