Rehabbing a textured wall

Question

The previous paint job was a faux plaster texture.  Looks pretty dated now, but how do I get rid of it?  Do I have to sand down the whole walls, or is there an easier way?

Sheryl Johnson · Answer

I'm in the same delima. My problem is 60-year-old paint with sand added. I would love to find a solution that does NOT include me on a ladder with a grinder :(

Kim C · Answer

Two options: sand it and fill it, very hard work time consuming and makes a mess or drywall over it which is probably about the same, maybe a little less work.

Cathy · Answer

I used a thinned drywall compound and smoothed with a wide squeegee. 
Results were very good!

Kelly MacGregor · Answer

What about beadboard? That's what we did in our kitchen. Pretty quick and easy - easier than drywall for a DIY

Renae Breskovich · Answer

Sanding will give you the best result - another option would be to use the padded underliner wallpaper and skim it - have done this in our 1927 house and worked well

Alanna · Answer

I am in a similar position but all my plaster is falling down, ceilings, walls, you name it. After this really rough Michigan winter, there was no hope for it.. I will be scraping the walls, ceilings,built ins (yes they plastered built ins ...grrrr) etc. Then using paint on the walls, painted bead board wallpaper on the lower half of the walls and the ceilings will be fake tin ceiling tiles that look completely real. (They are styrofoam and cost around 100$ per room). My entire house will be 'tin' ceilings after this year. It is a huge project. I am thinking to add it all , the entire house updates here. Wish me luck and I wish you luck too! Let us all know what you decided!

Patti Cagle · Answer

Be careful with sanding if you do not know what they used when texturizing the wall. Most of those products have fiberglass in them and you would not want to sand them and breathe in those fibers. You would need a professional to do it. Just be careful!

Tim Baker · Answer

cover wall with bead board .We had a wallpaperred bathroom also a large pet bird he torn off paper so I paneled walls was easier than trying to prep walls then painted

Suzanne Melton · Answer

From Dave: Sanding is the LAST thing you should do (unless you can completely seal off the room and use a sander with a vacuum attachment).

His choice is to re-sheetrock the entire room.

I like chartwell55's thin 'mud' -- if you like knockdown, you could sand off only the high parts (I see three in your photo) and then do a heavy knockdown.

April E · Answer

Or you could paint over it and use a stain glaze technique by painting on then rubbing off. To give depth to the texture by using a coordinate color it would look fresh and outstanding

Cheryl Lawrence · Answer

If it hasn't been painted you can dampen a small spot and after several minutes it will scrape up with a putty knife. If that works for you then Spray a large portion and scrape. You don't want to spray more than you want to scrape at a time so that the Sheetrock doesn't get thoroughly wet underneath and mold or lose its reliability

Mary Ker · Answer

It has been painted.

C · Answer

Looks to me like you live in the SW and that is called 'knock down plaster'. Also looks like someone tried to camouflage a bad plaster repair on top of the Knockdown plaster. Like you, I hate it too. Not much you can do except either skim coat with USG joint compound (a lot of work & sanding) or go over your walls with Dry Wall (also known as sheet rock). Good luck. Let us know what you do and take pictures!

Rehabbing a textured wall

Suggested Project Book

Here's How Girls Get Ready for Holiday Guests With Power Tools

Other

More

Rehabbing a textured wall

Suggested Project Book