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How do you texture drywall without it looking like hot garbage? (self.homeimprovement)

submitted 1 year ago by witten to c/homeimprovement

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For context, I'm talking about texturing smaller drywall repairs like, say, a patched 3-inch hole (don't get me started on railings not installed to code...) or even nail pop repairs as per the other recent post. Assume I've mudded and sanded and it's nice and smooth and now I want it.. less smooth. To match, say, an orange peel texture.

I fully realize that no repair texturing will 100% match an existing texture, but I'm not going for a 100% match. Hell, I'd settle for 50%. To date, my efforts have involved a paint roller with 1/2 inch nap (something like this one) and slightly dilluted joint compound. The results have been ... less than stellar. Just a bunch of random wrinkly ridges on the wall rather than orange-peely bumps. From thirty feet, you probably wouldn't see it. Unfortunately it's in a hallway that's less than thirty feet wide...

Also, I'd love to believe that spraying texture isn't necessary for a repair this small. I have tried the spray cans in the past (so, not a real sprayer like the pros use). Not only were the results less than less than stellar, it was a huge mess.

So, what the heck do homeowners do for this sort of thing? Just take off their glasses when they walk by?

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[–] Neb 6 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I have never done this myself (not a lot of drywall in europe), but I found this video which seems to describe exactly what you want https://youtu.be/FonedKgrP5U?t=224

hope it helps!

[–] witten 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Thanks, I'm watching it now!

EDIT: Looks like they're using one of the spray cans. I've tried one of those before—with uneven results. Maybe I need to work on my technique though.

[–] Neb 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

From what i can see the results in the video seem to be quite good, so I'd follow the instructions on the can much as possible and then paint over it (or if you dont have the same paint available, paint the whole wall)

[–] witten 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Thanks.. Guess I'll have to give this another shot. I do have the matching paint, which never matches 100% but is good enough for these purposes.

[–] Billy_Gnosis 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Good find. Wish I had this video when I did my repair.

[–] Neb 2 points 1 year ago

She has a few cool videos. I remember a video of hers that was posted on /r/videos quite a while back about carpenter's pencils that was pretty interesting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAsSOnU0jqk

[–] shoephones 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Just to add on, I've heard it's good to practice on cardboard to get the right pattern

[–] witten 3 points 1 year ago

Yup, that totally makes sense. I'm running out of cardboard though. :D

[–] BloodyFable 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Are you trying to get an orange peel texture? If so, try getting one of the big grout sponges and daubing your wet mud with it. The problem with texture, be it skiptrowel or anything else, is you have to blend, which means your 3" fix is going to end up being waaay more than that to make it less noticeable.

[–] ItsMyFirstDay 2 points 1 year ago

This is the way, I've known it as feathering it out. This is the technique to blend the new and original.

[–] witten 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Good idea. Yes, a dense orange peel texture. And yeah, it's already more like a 6-8" fix because of course the patch is bigger than the hole... Might as well just replace the whole wall...

[–] ScottE 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I use the spray cans, and it just takes some practice. If the result isn't good you can wipe it off and try again. It's not an easy skill to master at all.

[–] witten 2 points 1 year ago

Okay, thanks. Sounds like another vote for the spray cans. Good to know that I just need to keep at it!

[–] fodder69 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Always prefer a smoother 3/8 nap roller look, but I'd say dabbing thinned joint compound with a brush, let it dry, and then a wet sponge to knock down the tops of the dabs. Can lightly sand if it's really dry. Prime well and paint.

[–] witten 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It seems like there are as many methods as homeowners! I assume you dab with the very tip of the brush?

[–] fodder69 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yep, think happy little trees. Tried to do a quick search but every video is 20 minutes long. Just barely put paint on the brush and stab at the wall, straight brush, stab straight, angle brush, stab at an angle so all the bristles hit at once. You are looking to get a rough texture and then rolling it after just knocks he sharp peaks down. Do that twice with primer and then a couple times with paint (mixed well) and it should just disappear. The beauty is you have just a tiny bit of cleanup of the brush and roller instead of loading things up with paint, which frankly won't work anyway as you get way too much paint in a patch area and it looks overbuilt.

[–] witten 1 points 1 year ago

Interesting, thank you. Primer instead of watered joint compound, huh. I've got more experimenting to do!