Thursday, October 10, 2013

How To Remove Drywall Texture

By Cameron Fernando


With a great deal of skill and expertise, a finisher can bevel the outer edges of the damaged area so that when the new material is applied over the exposed substrate (drywall, brick, concrete, etc.) it can be gradually eased toward the outer edges without overlapping the surrounding material to keep it level with the existing grade. But even this shows a slight ridge around the repair and is noticeable to those who know it's there... namely, YOU. And this is the best that can be done without complete replacement. The more common approach I've seen people try is to simply try covering the crack with more of the same material used on the overall surface. The problem with this is that anything you add to the surface of a textured profile only magnifies where the damage is with a hump in a sea of bumps. So what do you do if you're not a master mason and don't want to spend the money on complete removal and replacement of your stucco just to fix some cracks?

Ultimately, you want a repair to be invisible or at least, depending on the severity of the damage, unobtrusive to the eye. To accomplish this in the middle of a textured surface, the repair has to fill the crack, preserve the surrounding texture and not reopen as the surface shifts over time. Solid drying fillers such as plaster and drywall compound can easily fill in the crack but do little to preserve the texture and usually result in bad approximations of the surrounding surface at best. They also dry hard and brittle allowing the underlying crack to easily break through the surface in short period of time. So the ideal material must remain flexible to keep up with the movement of the crack and it has to make the crack disappear within its native profile. What can do all this and be easily applied? Latex caulking.

It has actually always been easy for me to obtain $30 - $70 per hour doing drywall and plaster repair works. I might invest a couple hours one day tearing out and patching in brand-new material and an additional 3 or 4 hours the next day finishing the task. I can win $350 for a total of 7 hours of work and I invested very little in materials expense.

Believe it or not, there are many different types of drywall that should be used in different situations. If you are using drywall in the bathroom, you need a water resistant type of drywall that will hold up well to the conditions. This is very important when you are repairing drywall in a home. If you do not use the proper type of drywall, then it is possible that it could corrode and become an efficient in the home. For instance, if you were to use a regular drywall in the bathroom, where you need a water resistant drywall, this drywall could become waterlogged and it will begin to develop mold. This is not a situation that you want to find yourself in, be sure to purchase the right type of drywall when you are repairing your home. Your contractor should know the type of drywall to use and they should be very familiar with the different types.

Repair cracks and dents before skim coating. To repair them, tape over the cracks with drywall tape and secure them with joint compound. When the wall is smooth, a drywall primer and sealer will seal the wall and help prevent cracks and dents from reappearing. Primer also neutralizes the pH of the wall for a more even appearance.

With a large amount of skill and know-how, a finisher can bevel the external edges of the damaged location so that when the new material is applied over the exposed substrate (drywall, brick, concrete, and so on) it can be gradually relieved toward the outer edges without overlapping the surrounding product to keep it level with the existing grade. But even this reveals a slight ridge around the repair and is noticeable to those who know it's there ... namely, YOU. And this is the very best that can be done without complete replacement. The even more usual method I've seen individuals try is to simply attempt covering the split with even more of the same material made use of on the general surface area. The problem with this is that anything you contribute to the surface area of a textured profile just magnifies where the damage is with a bulge in a sea of bumps. So what do you do if you're not a master mason and do not desire to spend the cash on full removal and replacement of your stucco simply to repair some fractures?




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