Removing texture from painted walls

> All the walls and ceilings in my 55-year old tract house were
> finished
> with texture paint, giving them a finish like very coarse, dull
> sandpaper. I never liked the look, it looks like it's made to
> cover up
> sloppy work, it holds dust, and there's no matching the texture
> when
> nail holes and the like are mudded over. I'm a do-it-yourselfer,
> using
> drywall mud to skim a smooth surface over them, and I'm pretty
> bad with
> the stuff - it was a major chore when I did the living room some
> years
> back, but I may be getting a handle on it now.
> Here's my basic M.O:
> - Lightly hammer in protrusions like popped-out nails, crude
> patchwork,
> etc. to slightly below the finish.
> - Using a wide drywall knife, skim mud in a vertical pattern
> over the
> textured wall. Not a lot - let the texture show through, but
> work in
> thoroughly. Note the high points of the texture will leave the
> mud
> finish full of horizontal ridges. Allow to dry.
> - Lightly sand high areas of new mudwork.
> - Apply second skim coat of mud, this time in a horizontal
> pattern,
> fully covering the first coat. Allow to dry.
> - Finish sand. The second coat fills in the ridges of the first
> coat,
> and the mud will be just thick enough to allow for sanding down
> most
> rough spots with minimal patching. There'll be some vertical
> ridges in
> the second coat, but they tend to sand down easily.
> This seems to be working well for me (I'm in the process right
> now,
> waiting for coats to dry) - if anyone has input on how to do it
> better
> I'm anxious to hear it, as I have two more rooms beside this
> one.
> VMacek
>

> All the walls and ceilings in my 55-year old tract house were finished
> with texture paint, giving them a finish like very coarse, dull
> sandpaper. I never liked the look, it looks like it's made to cover up
> sloppy work, it holds dust, and there's no matching the texture when
> nail holes and the like are mudded over. I'm a do-it-yourselfer, using
> drywall mud to skim a smooth surface over them, and I'm pretty bad with
> the stuff - it was a major chore when I did the living room some years
> back, but I may be getting a handle on it now.
> Here's my basic M.O:
> - Lightly hammer in protrusions like popped-out nails, crude patchwork,
> etc. to slightly below the finish.
> - Using a wide drywall knife, skim mud in a vertical pattern over the
> textured wall. Not a lot - let the texture show through, but work in
> thoroughly. Note the high points of the texture will leave the mud
> finish full of horizontal ridges. Allow to dry.
> - Lightly sand high areas of new mudwork.
> - Apply second skim coat of mud, this time in a horizontal pattern,
> fully covering the first coat. Allow to dry.
> - Finish sand. The second coat fills in the ridges of the first coat,
> and the mud will be just thick enough to allow for sanding down most
> rough spots with minimal patching. There'll be some vertical ridges in
> the second coat, but they tend to sand down easily.
> This seems to be working well for me (I'm in the process right now,
> waiting for coats to dry) - if anyone has input on how to do it better
> I'm anxious to hear it, as I have two more rooms beside this one.
> VMacek
>

> Overall your system sounds good. One tip: When we float out large areas as
> you are doing we mix one drywall pan of water to five gallons of drywall mud
> with a drill and mixer. This will make the mud real smooth and it goes on
> much easier.
> Have fun,
> cm
> > All the walls and ceilings in my 55-year old tract house were finished
> > with texture paint, giving them a finish like very coarse, dull
> > sandpaper. I never liked the look, it looks like it's made to cover up
> > sloppy work, it holds dust, and there's no matching the texture when
> > nail holes and the like are mudded over. I'm a do-it-yourselfer, using
> > drywall mud to skim a smooth surface over them, and I'm pretty bad with
> > the stuff - it was a major chore when I did the living room some years
> > back, but I may be getting a handle on it now.
> > Here's my basic M.O:
> > - Lightly hammer in protrusions like popped-out nails, crude patchwork,
> > etc. to slightly below the finish.
> > - Using a wide drywall knife, skim mud in a vertical pattern over the
> > textured wall. Not a lot - let the texture show through, but work in
> > thoroughly. Note the high points of the texture will leave the mud
> > finish full of horizontal ridges. Allow to dry.
> > - Lightly sand high areas of new mudwork.
> > - Apply second skim coat of mud, this time in a horizontal pattern,
> > fully covering the first coat. Allow to dry.
> > - Finish sand. The second coat fills in the ridges of the first coat,
> > and the mud will be just thick enough to allow for sanding down most
> > rough spots with minimal patching. There'll be some vertical ridges in
> > the second coat, but they tend to sand down easily.
> > This seems to be working well for me (I'm in the process right now,
> > waiting for coats to dry) - if anyone has input on how to do it better
> > I'm anxious to hear it, as I have two more rooms beside this one.
> > VMacek

>- Lightly hammer in protrusions like popped-out nails, crude patchwork,
>etc. to slightly below the finish.