Repairing textured drywall

Q: In FHB #122, Myron R. Ferguson details many different strategies for repairing drywall. But all the repairs that were shown end up with a smooth wall. Here on the West Coast, most of the newer houses have a “skip-trowel” or “knockdown” texture. How should I re-create and then blend in the texture when repairing this type of wall?

A: Myron R. Ferguson, author of Drywall: Professional Techniques for Walls and Ceilings, replies: When repairing a wall or ceiling that has a textured surface, it’s usually necessary to scrape or sand the area surrounding the damage so that the joint compound can be feathered or blended into the surrounding surface. Without feathering the compound properly, a rough-looking or raised edge may show through when the texture is reapplied. And once the patch is dry, some additional sanding and feathering may be required.

For large repairs—say, larger than 2 ft. in dia.—I’d recommend renting professional equipment or hiring a professional to apply the texture to assure the best results. But for smaller repairs, I’ve had good results with Spraytex (818-222-3525; www.spraytex.com), which is a spray texture that comes in an aerosol can. There are three different textures available: orange peel, knockdown and acoustic (or popcorn).

An adjustable nozzle on the spray can allows you to fine-tune the texture to match the existing texture. But before spraying the stuff on your wall or ceiling, I’d suggest doing a test piece of drywall to get a feel for the finish. And with any repair, it may be necessary to repaint the entire area to get a color match once the texture is dry.