Smoothing textured walls

Frannie
by Frannie
How would you smooth a wall with knock down texture?
  2 answers
  • I assume your looking to remove the knock down texture from the walls. Depending upon how many coats of paint are on the wall will determine the best method. If there is only a prime and single finish coat, you may be successful using a electrical sander. You can get drywall sanding tools with special vacuums that will draw up the dust. If you use a handheld sander you will need assistance using a shop vacuum to catch the dust as the wall is evened out. Wear a dust mask and tape off the rest of the room with plastic and tape or you will have dust all over the entire home. Be sure to seal off your heat ducts as well. The other method is to simply apply a skim coat of spackle on the wall then sand the spackle down and paint. The last method is to use a wall paper product called sizing paper. This material goes on exactly like wall paper and comes in smooth or textured finishes. It will bridge the spaces on the texture. Once dry you simply paint it like any other wall.
  • Frannie Frannie on Sep 15, 2014
    Thank you for three great options. I think I will try the skim coat process. :)
    • @Frannie Check out the powder mix formula for spackle instead of the ready mix stuff. Its a bit more work to mix it, but it dries really hard and fast. The premix stuff may require you to place several coats on the wall before its hidden. Only trick is that the fast drying stuff 90 min sets up in about 30 min so you need to work quickly using a large trowel. Ideally a finishing trowel is best. All that is, is a large square trowel with the corners rounded off so they do not dig into the finished surface.