# A few questions on skim coating, matching drywall texture, and corners



## Scott99999 (May 26, 2009)

Hello, 

I've been remodeling a wallpaper-covered bathroom and laundry room. 

- The *laundry room* had wallpaper over drywall. I stripped with Dif, sealed with Gardz, and I've skim-coated this room with Durabond 90. Sanding Durabond is a pain, but the walls are pretty solid now. I'm going to Gardz next, then paint with Aura Bath paint when done. 

- The *bathroom* had some flat paint, some of which was chipped when the wallpaper was pulled off. The wallpaper came off easy, but I've done some patching in this room of damaged drywall after the vanity was ripped out and some old water damage was relaced. I sealed the chipped paint with Gardz and skim-coated the chipped areas. I also patched the various holes. (Sorry - a total drywall replacement isn't an option for reasons too long to list). 

*QUESTION #1*: My flat walls look good in the laundry room, but my corners look like hell (the original corners weren't great). What's the best way to get nice corners? Scrape or cut the originals and start fresh? Better compound technique? Special tool? Sanding? 

*QUESTION #2*: The drywall and paint in the bathroom have a very light texture to them - small bumps. The areas that I've skim-coated or patched, of course, are perfectly smooth. Will the difference in texture show through the Gardz and Aura? Other than skim-coating the entire room , how do I minimize the differences in texture? Will the paint naturally create a little texture? Will a roller create texture? Can I skim coat over existing paint? Or do I need to treat or sand the paint first? 

THANK YOU!


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

#1 What I do is ( this is going to sound strange) using easy sand( not durabond) is get a gob on my finger and run it up and down the wavey corners, sand down the edges, done.

#2 A good nap 1/2 in or 3/4 will certainly create some texture, will it do what you want? maybe, probably


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## Kevin M. (Nov 26, 2009)

If you plan to use a satin finish in the bathroom it will tend to show the discrepancy in your walls. The lower the sheen the better it will cover. I've had success thinning joint compound to a thick paint texture and rolling over the patch areas. You need a tight nap roller to make it work. Follow that with a spot prime on the patch areas with a thicker nap roller. Subsequent primer and finish coats are best applied with 1/2 or 3/4 inch lambs wool covers. The lambs wool leaves a nice stipple for blending wall areas.

Avoid any type of cheap synthetic roller cover. We call those "corn cobs" in my neck of the woods. 

Good luck!


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## tpolk (Nov 7, 2009)

you can rent a hopper and spray gun that will spray a light texture similar to what it sounds like you have. A mix of water and premixed dryall compound goes in hopper and is sprayed on walls the more you spray the more pronounced the effect, called orange peel texture here in Va. you could go over the whole room this way covering your repairs. I would suggest talking to a drywal/texture person for mix requirements or they may be able to help at rental place. this is not a popcorn texture.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

Avoid any type of cheap synthetic roller cover. We call those "corn cobs" in my neck of the woods. 

Where is that neck?, corncobs,I have never heard, good one though


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## Kevin M. (Nov 26, 2009)

chrisn said:


> Avoid any type of cheap synthetic roller cover. We call those "corn cobs" in my neck of the woods.
> 
> *Where is that neck?,* corncobs,I have never heard, good one though


Nebraska, the *Corn*husker Sate.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

There are a number of light textured additives you can put directly in the primer. Matching texture is tricky though so experiment. Texture, thinned compound, and stippling it on with something like a wallpaper brush sometimes works.

An inside drywall corner finishing tool might come in handy but I usually do it the way Chris does.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

An inside drywall corner finishing tool might come in handy but I usually do it the way Chris does. 

Really? I thought I was the only person in the world that did that,glad to know I am not alone.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

chrisn said:


> An inside drywall corner finishing tool might come in handy but I usually do it the way Chris does.
> 
> Really? I thought I was the only person in the world that did that,glad to know I am not alone.


It is may fave caulk finishing tool too! And it is always on site and "handy" and I don't have to look for it! I've even been known to use the extended middle one when a client puts me in a certain mood but I cannot guarantee results like I can with the index finger. :laughing:


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

sdsester said:


> It is may fave caulk finishing tool too! And it is always on site and "handy" and I don't have to look for it! I've even been known to use the extended middle one when a client puts me in a certain mood but I cannot guarantee results like I can with the index finger. :laughing:


 
I couldn't agree more:thumbsup:


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