# Texture help



## Rich (Apr 26, 2007)

I need help matching the texture in my dining room. I did some sheetrock repair after having some wire run for a chandelier. It's a fine popcorn texture and I can't seem to get it right. I've tried the spray cans and it was a bit too coarse. I've tried those little tubes that you squirt and they we're the closest, but still too coarse and full. Any suggestions? I'm pulling my hair out...


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## Dave Mac (May 4, 2007)

Ive never been able to match texture, and always tell the client that up front. But i have had some luck with those spray cans you get from Sherwin williams. Sounds like you want the finest texture possible. sorry i know not much help, but good luck. 

dave mac


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## Humble Abode (Apr 11, 2007)

Popcorn is probably the hardest to match texture. I'm glad you barely ever see it up here...

Why don't you scrape the texture off and re texture with knockdown or sand? I know it's a lot more work but it will have a cleaner look in the end.


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## Rich (Apr 26, 2007)

Humble Abode said:


> it's a lot more work


This is my reason.... 

is there any additive that is by itself that you add to paint? (That sand additive is too fine) I've never gotten real into texturing ceilings-I generally remove the stuff-so I'm not sure what's out there


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## Rich (Apr 26, 2007)

I may have just found what I need precisely....sweet

http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=47


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## Humble Abode (Apr 11, 2007)

Rich said:


> I may have just found what I need precisely....sweet
> 
> http://www.zinsser.com/product_detail.asp?ProductID=47


uhg, I hate that stuff. It clumps up like crazy and you have to constantly mix it while you use it... I always try to use factory mixed textures whenever possible. Additives are a pain.

That might work for a patch job. Good luck.


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## Rich (Apr 26, 2007)

Humble Abode said:


> That might work for a patch job.


that's what I am using it for, a patch, about 8"x24"

when you say factory mixed texture what are you referring to?


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## Humble Abode (Apr 11, 2007)

You can get factory suspended sand texture. It works a lot better than any sand additive. A lot more uniformity and not as much mixing as you go. You never get clumping with a sand texture that is mixed at the manufacturing facility, like you do with those boxes from Zinsser.

By factory mixed I mean buying a jug of liquid, knockdown, sand, orange peel etc. You just pour/spray and go...


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## Tmrrptr (May 4, 2007)

Rich, looks like you found a high performance formula... good luck and tell us how it works for you.
r


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

Humble Abode said:


> You can get factory suspended sand texture....


Which is usually finer than a fine popcorn isn't it?
I haven't found one that works for popcorn touchup


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## Humble Abode (Apr 11, 2007)

Yea it's much more fine than any popcorn. 

I was suggesting that Rich scrape off the popcorn and then re texture with a factory mixed in order to hide any surface imperfections caused by removing the old texture.

Sand finish is very common here.


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

Humble Abode said:


> I was suggesting that Rich scrape off the popcorn and then re texture with a factory mixed in order to hide any surface imperfections caused by removing the old texture.


Ah...well I have to agree about the factory sand paint then

Except if I was going to scrape off the popcorn, I'd fix the wall (80-90% of popcorn walls around here are to hide horrible tape jobs) and make it smooth
But that's just me...I can't stand sand/popcorn walls
Looks cheesy, and it's annoying wen you bump against it
Bleah....


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## Tmrrptr (May 4, 2007)

Ditto sanded finish would not be good in a hi traffic hallway!
r


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## Rich (Apr 26, 2007)

yeah the textured wall thing hasn't really taken up here...as a matter of fact I've only seen it in 2 homes out of the hundreds I've been in


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## Tmrrptr (May 4, 2007)

*product*



Rich said:


> I may have just found what I need precisely....sweet


Ha!

Rich, that may be what it was done with!

...I had people ask me to fix a lid that had been done years ago with a little handy-dandy texture kit from Sears? They did the cutest little 1/4 radius swirly-Q's in a 4x repeating pattern across a whole lid, in tile-like fashion, using a Vnotched 6" trowel...

I didn't get the job.
r


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## DelW (Apr 18, 2007)

Tmrrptr said:


> Ditto sanded finish would not be good in a hi traffic hallway!
> r


Yeah but my dogs love it. My last house had sand texture walls and I had a nice dirt streak from where they would rub against it.


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## Kelly Painting (Apr 17, 2007)

I fix texture allot, I actually have "ceiling repair specialist" written right on my truck. I've been mixing and matching texture on site for a while now.... I use the sand in the box also. I use a brush and then hot dog roller technique. I've been lucky enough to match almost all of them flawlessly.I took a wallpaper brush and cut some brissel's off to make the swirl textures just the right size.
Just do a half swirl and bury every one into each other.

Here's some pics of the last one
DSCF0042.JPG
DSCF0007.JPG

DSCF0048.JPG


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## Tmrrptr (May 4, 2007)

Kellstar, that's just horrid!

Takes all kinds, doesn't it?

Nice workmanship.

I like fun stuff. and then I like re-do when they change to something else, on down the road!
r


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## Rich (Apr 26, 2007)

*update*

the ceiling is coming out great
I picked up some roll-a-tex and put 1 coat on (with a brush)
it's looking better than any of the other patch kits I've used (and scraped off!)

anyway, just wanted to say that this stuff is exactly what I needed


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## Rich (Apr 26, 2007)

*update*

thanks to all your input guys, here's the finished result-not perfect close up, but it never is when you are patching something that was sprayed with a totally different product


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

Dang...came out nice

Looks good from my house anyway...lol


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## Tmrrptr (May 4, 2007)

Great job!

Fun light fixture, too!
r


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## Rich (Apr 26, 2007)

Tmrrptr said:


> Great job!
> 
> Fun light fixture, too!
> r


yeah...my wife and I have named it the "spermalier"...lol...it has turned into quite a conversation piece with company


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## Tmrrptr (May 4, 2007)

Ha! That's a good one, Rich...

It's great when people have fun with their homes.
That is something I would hope for everyone.

After a while, the overly serious, excessively concerned, loong faces of stressed out homeowners would really get to me as they exhibited almost extreme agony over pitifully miniscule details that very nearly crushed their dream of home ownership.
And it was my task to calm them down, rectify whatever discrepancy was the focus of their anger, (in some cases), and send them on their way to a happy and prosperous life.
Gosh, most of the folks would have done well to open a bud or two and maybe even hang a picture!

Spermalier is what they needed !
r

How come my spell checker doesn't like that word?
Makes perfect sense to me...


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## wpkraft (Feb 15, 2008)

Can you get a knockdown texture using Roll A Tex and if so, any tips?
Thanks in advance


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