# Uneven drywall finish, can see every seam. How to fix?



## Legend4all (Dec 18, 2017)

Hi All, After moving into our house we noticed that we can see drywall finish change at every stud. At the studs the paint is very smooth and in between it’s orange peel like. It’s not very noticeable except under directional light, and then it’s blatantly obvious. What is the proper fix for this? Skim coat? Or is this more of a painting defect? Or both? Representative picture attached. 

Thanks so much!

Thanks!


----------



## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

They forgot to finish those, just barely skim coated it, see the nail head. You need a lot of lessons to repair this yourself.

Hang paneling over it and save your money, of course paneling is an out dated style, but I still like it if done right.


ED


----------



## Legend4all (Dec 18, 2017)

Vast majority of the wall does not have fastener marks. This was just a place where light highlighted transitions the most. I didn’t think that full layer of compound (level 5) was standard on construction in recent times. So the orange peel is presumably on drywall that wasn’t coated. So that is my doubt, is this a skim coating or a painting problem. Realistically I am not planning to do this myself, but I am not sure exactly what or who I would be asking.


----------



## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Ask A painting contractor their opinion.

Be prepared to be told that you will need an entire repainting, with the proper preparation work first.


You just moved in? Is there a clause in the contract that might get you relief on this?


ED 

P. S. wait for a few more days to allow some of the pro painters here to Chime in.


----------



## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

It looks like repairs were made but never textured - just painted over.
I'd finish the repairs where needed, texture, spot prime and then repaint.


----------



## ZTMAN (Feb 19, 2015)

In what room was that photo taken. Almost looks like a garage wall.


----------



## CodeMatters (Aug 16, 2017)

This is why some drywallers completely skim coat every wall. Of course
it's more time and that usually means more money.


----------



## mark sr (Jun 13, 2017)

Those 'slick' areas had mud applied after the texture had been applied to the walls.


----------



## stick\shift (Mar 23, 2015)

IMO, this is a finish problem; paint alone is not going to fix it.


----------



## Legend4all (Dec 18, 2017)

Just thinking logically about this, the area between the strips of mud clearly must not have any mud. This, the inconsistency. Since the drywall was new before this paint job, there shouldn’t be much of a texture on the wall, but some is clearly there. They used Farrow and Ball paint and I am pretty sure were not going for a textured finish. Should paint over new drywall look very smooth? What could cause an orange peel like paint finish? I don’t know how the paint was applied, but is this perhaps effect of not back rolling? Or something about paint itself?


----------



## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

In my opinion, that's just horrible drywall work. It looks like a light texture/stipple was applied, then, as Mark Sr said, the drywall guys (or someone else) repaired poorly done joints and then didn't match the texture. I see divots and nail pops, ugh. The orange peel, to me, is NOT the result of anything done with the paint unless the painters used a thick nap roller, something more than 1/2". Never heard of Farrow and Ball paint so you might want to check some reviews. Cheap builder's paint is full of fillers that can cause issues.

And, back to the drywall work........those repairs should have been feathered out much wider than what we see in the pic. I would contact the GC and get the drywall crew back to do it right. A full skim coat is the only way to get back to smooth walls.


----------



## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Legend4all said:


> .... we can see drywall finish change at every stud.


So, you see that basically from floor to ceiling at every stud ???

I would expect mud local, over the nail/screw, and at sheet joints.

Can you make out where each sheet is ?


----------

