How To Skim Coat A Wall

If you are remodeling, you may find the textured wall doesn't appeal to you anymore, or you have a rough surface after removing wallpaper. However, you can't remove the roughness or unwanted texture by scraping.

One way to smooth a wall is by skim coating, adding a drywall joint compound, but you don't need a professional to apply this technique. Follow these steps to skim coat a wall.

Prepare to Skim Coat  the Wall

To skim coat the wall, gather:

  • work gloves
  • eye goggles
  • dust mask
  • plastic sheets or drop cloths
  • painter's tape 
  • rags or sponges
  • bucket
  • self-sticking fiberglass tape or screens
  • putty knife
  • drywall knife or trowel and mud pan
  • joint compound
  • drywall mud compound

Remove as much furniture as possible out of the room or to the center, and lay drop cloths or plastic over the floor. Seal outlets and trim with painter's tape, and tape a drop cloth or sheet over the door to keep dust in the room

Repair and Clean the Wall

Inspect the walls for loose nails or nail holes by running your hand over the walls. Remove the nails, fill the holes with joint compound, and let it dry. 

Cover cracks or wall seams with a thin layer of drywall compound, then apply the fiberglass tape, cutting it to size. If you run into larger cracks or holes, or the wall is excessively uneven, attach fiberglass mesh sheets to the wall.

Use a duster to sweep dust from the walls, and wipe the surface with a damp rag or sponge. Clean stubborn grime or stains with a commercial wall cleaner.

Apply the Skim Coat

Pre-mix mud compound saves you the trouble of having to mix it, and it is easier for novices at skim coating. Never apply spackling compound as a skim coat, since it is harder to spread. A setting compound doesn't come apart when it gets wet, malignity ideal for bathrooms or kitchens.

Mix a small batch of the compound to the consistency suggested in directions, which is commonly the thickness of custard or peanut butter. The mixture is thick enough when it stays on the knife or trowel. 

Apply the mixture in a thin layer beginning outward at one corner. Holding the knife at a 30-degree angle, breaking lumps with the putty knife. Smooth the compound by sliding the blade along the top of the texture. 

Alternately, apply the compound by pressing a trowel on the wall, and sliding it horizontally to cover one to two feet. Let the first coat dry, sand the uneven areas, and clean the dust. Apply a second coat working in vertical strokes, and let it dry before painting. For more information, contact a company like mcleanhomeimprovement.com today!

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