I'm preparing to plaster the walls in my three-year-old daughter's bedroom, but the current texture is pretty brutal—sharp ridges and tough material that can hurt if bumped into. I thought about tearing everything out, but I'm looking for a quicker solution that I can manage over a couple of weekends. I'm hoping to plaster over the existing rough texture instead. What steps should I take to prepare the surface, and what kind of products would give me a smooth finish that lasts?
3 Answers
To tackle the texture, start by knocking down the high points with a plaster plane. Then clean the walls with TSP, rinse them, and let them dry completely before priming. A lightweight pre-mixed drywall mud like Sheetrock Plus 3 works great for a skim coat. You can thin it a bit with water, but definitely not too much or you'll end up with a chalky surface that doesn't stick well.
If it's feasible, you could remove the high spots and install 1/4" drywall directly over the rough areas. It really depends on what’s hiding under that plaster—if it's drywall, I’d just rip it out. A scraping blade for your reciprocating saw can help, but if you don’t want to take on the whole project, simply skim with a joint compound instead. Plenty of tutorials online explain the skimming process!
I decided against a full demo since I want an easier fix right now. I think I’ll just cover it and then paint to make it a nice space for my daughter. I might scrape a few high spots but no way am I doing that for the entire room!
You'll definitely need to prepare for a cloud of dust! Make sure to remove everything from the room and have a good respirator ready, as this dust can be really harmful. Ventilation is key, so open a window with a fan to blow the dust out while you work, and consider using a vacuum sander attachment to help contain the mess. Just a heads up, your daughter shouldn't be in the room until you're done!
That's good advice! My wife and kids are actually going to leave for the weekend, and I’ll keep the windows open for ventilation. I’ve got a respirator too, so I should be set. I’m aiming to finish sanding and priming by Sunday night.
Thanks for that! Should I paint with primer before I add the compound, though?