Removing Texture off Walls

[gmorrell]

Hi,

I am looking to removing orange peel textures off the walls and trying to do it with a limited budget.

I am not too confident with skim coating a wall just wanted to know what peoples opinions on removing this to a smooth finish. Some paint was coming off the wall so the picture it to show the make up of the wall. looks like there is the texture on top of a blue colored layer. Would it be easiest to scrape off this layer down to the white layer (then prime and paint) or sand from top down to flat (thinking this may take time to do though?) would a rental dry wall sander work for this?

any thoughts would be appreciated

Thanks

 

[Doghouse Riley]

Hi and welcome.

Try scoring it up a bit and hire a steam wallpaper stripper and see where you go from there.
With enough heat and steam, you may be able to scrape it off.

Be careful around wall sockets and light switches. Don't let any water run into them. Best if you can, turn it off at the mains.

 

[mb1280]

Try a heat gun. They're in the paint department. $40 ones are faster and more durable than $25 ones.

 

[piglet11]

In the UK this is called textured wallpaper or sometimes Anaglypta.
It's basically used to cover up crappy wall surfaces.
If it's been painted a few times, you need to get the paint off before water does the rest.
If you can stand the fumes, methylated spirits will soften most paints up, especially if applied with a sponge abrasive.
Spray it or sponge it with water with some sugar soap.
If you are really brave and careful, caustic soda is quick, but read the label first (at your own risk).
A wide bladed carbide scraper will shift it easily.
Don't bother trying to skim it, that's just crap on crap

 

[Tombstone]

Skin coat is way easier than people think, and if you mess up just wash it off and try again. A tip would be to thin your mud.

 

[He who knows]

If you can stand the fumes, methylated spirits will soften most paints up, especially if applied with a sponge abrasive.

Meths for the odd bit of cleaning/degreasing small items or areas is one thing, but using it to do all the walls in a room is quite another.

When the MSDS for it says things like

"May cause damage to organs" (with no stated exposure route, which means that no form of exposure is known to be safe).

"Do not breathe dust/fumes/gas/mist/vapours/spray."

And under First Aid for Inhalation: " Move the exposed person to fresh air. If breathing stops, provide artificial respiration."

There's more than "If you can stand the fumes" going on.

Spray it or sponge it with water with some sugar soap.

The problem is that most paints are meant to stop water penetrating them. I've never tried sugar soap for this purpose, but isn't it designed to not damage paint? And can you get it in the USA?

If you are really brave and careful, caustic soda is quick, but read the label first (at your own risk).

Yup - that'll do the trick. One of those drain unblocker gels might have a useful ability to cling to the surface. Bravery might be OK regarding the odd splash on your skin (you'll soon find out what your tolerance for the stinging pain is, and dear god if you think lemon juice or salt in a small cut focuses your mind, wait until you try caustic soda . But bravery is no good for eyes - if you do use this method FGS wear closed goggles.

Don't bother trying to skim it, that's just crap on crap

Try scoring it up a bit and hire a steam wallpaper stripper and see where you go from there.
With enough heat and steam, you may be able to scrape it off.

Handheld wire brush to scratch it up, and away you go.

gmorrell - I've only just noticed that I've fallen victim to Tombstones thread resurrection, but I'll leave my comments in case they are of use to others.

One thing I would have suggested would be to use a thin flexible scraper to see if you could get it under the paper where the photo shows - it's possible that it might all just lift off quite easily - it would depend on how the guy who put it up prepped the wall, what adhesive he used etc. Would definitely have been worth a try, and the paint might have been your friend if it stopped the paper from tearing.

And one thing I would have cautioned would have been soaking/steaming it too much lest you find you're removing the paper coat of the drywall.

Ultimately, if getting the textured paper off was too much of a pain, it might have been that you just needed to bite the bullet, and rip and replace the drywall boards.

So - what did you do in the end? How did it go?

 

[Tombstone]

Easiest and cheapest is to sand with a sandpole with 100 grit sandpaper. Hard work but no chemicals or hiring anyone. I've done it a few times when the texture guys spray the wrong walls.

 

[He who knows]

removing this to a smooth finish.

100 grit sandpaper.

 

[Tombstone]

To remove textures that have been painted.

 

[He who knows]

Indeed.

It was a comment on the apparent conflict between the use of 100-grit sandpaper and the requirement for a smooth finish....

 

[Tombstone]

Indeed.

It was a comment on the apparent conflict between the use of 100-grit sandpaper and the requirement for a smooth finish....

You have to get the texture off. All walls of a new house are detailed/sanded with 100 grite paper to remove high spots.

 

[He who knows]

Or you have the plastering done by someone competent who doesn't leave high spots....

 

[Tombstone]

When the texture is sprayed on like on orange peel there's always going to be high spots.

 

[He who knows]

I'm beginning to think that we are at cross-purposes....