Drywall patch repair.?

Question

I am trying to repair a couple of holes in an existing wall that has been finished with an orange peel texture and painted. The problem is, when I try to feather the edges of the new patch, the existing texture makes the new joint compund on the patch have a zillion ridges. I have tried sanding the existing painted texture down around the patch, but it seems to be hard as a rock..... Does anyone have a trick to overcome this problem? I want the newly repaired and textured patch to blend in as best as possible with the existing wall.

Answer 1

Ive done a lot of this type of repair myself...

You need to remove the texture back a few inches from the patch... you already know and have tried this... but youve discovered its tough. Try using a metal putty knife (stiff and sharp) to scrape off enough texture around the perimeter of the patch. If you can't get it with that, I would recommend a 40 grit sandpaper (very coarse), in a power sander. This WILL create some dust hehehe. (I prefer the stiff putty knife, hehe) An alternative is a wide chisel (Inch and half or better), very sharp. Safety tip...keep your hands behind the chisel or putty knife... a sharp edge can open up your thumb pretty quickly, hehe. Keep the edge flat against the wall (working from the patch, outwards), and it will make quick work of the texture.

You didnt mention how big the patch is.... if it is a relatively small patch (say 1 square foot or less) you can probably mimic the texture using a sponge, or by stippling with a paint brush... but if its very much larger than that... you may want to go ahead and rent a sprayer (hopper gun). Might take you a few practice shots to match the existing pattern, I like to use cardboard for this.

By the way... it helps to blend in the repair if you do not scrape the old off in a straight line.... take the old texture off far enough to make it easy to finish your patch... and then scrape it off in a jagged pattern beyond that. A jagged line is harder to see in a patch job than a straight line. ;)

Have Fun

Answer 2

You are being unrealistic. Don't you think that if there was "less work involved and less tools" for some other way to patch that people would do that instead of using drywall scraps, tape and spackling compound? There is really no other way to patch big holes than to use the proper materials. Trying any other option not only will be MORE work but it will look like hell and not hold up. You can buy small pieces of drywall at places like Home Depot. If the piece is still too big to carry on the bus, just use a blade cutter to score it and snap it into one or two smaller pieces. Then cut the patches (you say you know how to do this -- I assume you know to cut them a few inches bigger and then cut away the paper and gypsum on one side to make a "bandaid.") and feather them in with spackling compound. The guy who told you to use cardboard and plaster of paris is messing with you -- no way will that work.

Answer 3

Try using 60 grit sandpaper with a sanding block or just wrapped around a piece of flat wood. Sand at least 6 inches out from your patch job. Apply the tape and spackle and got to work. You need a good bit of space around so you can feather out the way it should be. Start with a small (3 inch) taping knife, go to a four and then a six inch knife, you should be fine. Good look matching the orange peel though.