Nothing ruins your day more than a damaged interior wall. But don’t fret – you can fix it. When you need a texture-patch on an interior wall, you have to do it yourself or hire a professional, depending on the extent of the damage or your skill level in home improvement.
Textured drywall has several benefits, including its ability to hide flaws, visual appeal, and easier installation and maintenance. However, it’s still not spared from the potential damage.
Repairing flaws with a texture patch can be challenging. In addition to the repair itself, the new texture and paint color should match those of the entire wall or space.
The following instructions will show you how to repair a textured wall:
- Inspect and clean the location that requires repair.
- Clean the edges of the hole or crack with a box cutter.
- Use self-adhesive mesh tape for the patch to add strength to the material.
- Apply a spackling paste over the mesh tape to fill the hole.
- Allow the spackling paste to dry completely. The spackling paste is usually pink when applied. It will change colors to white, indicating that it has dried.
- Once the spackling paste is dried, sand its rough edges to smoothen it until it is completely level with the wall.
- Here’s the easier way to apply texture: spray the aerosol wall texture over the leveled wall patch in a quick but fluid motion from one side to another.
- Let the texture dry, preferably overnight.
- Paint over the newly patched surface with the matching color as the rest of the wall. Or, paint the entire wall with a new color.
For patching larger cracks and holes:
- Due to the crack or hole size, you have to cut a new piece of drywall that you will use to patch the damage. Start by using a tape measure to measure the hole, then use any suitable knife to cut a new piece of drywall larger than the hole.
- Cut the drywall around the hole. The drywall patch needs to be larger than the hole because most drywall holes are irregularly shaped. The hole has to be cut into a regular shape before you can patch it.
- Measure and cut furring strips and install them vertically on the inside on either side of the hole, with half of every strip attached to the drywall using drywall screws and the other half sticking out into the hole to function as a support to the drywall patch.
- Position the cut drywall patch into the hole and secure it to the furring strips using drywall screws and a drill. Make sure that you have traced and cut the patch to the same size and shape as the hole so that it should fit snugly in the opening.
- Use a one-sided mesh tape on the borders of the patch to add strength to the repair and help prevent cracks in the future. Cover the tape and the entire patch with the spackling or joint compound using a putty knife. Apply another layer if necessary. Let the compound dry completely.
- Once the compound has dried, sand its rough edges to smoothen until it is flush with the wall.
- Apply texture by using the aerosol spray (mentioned above). Let the compound dry.
- Prime and paint over the patch.
How to hire a painter when you need a texture-patch on an interior wall
If your textured walls have a larger crack or hole or have too many flaws, you can hire a professional painter to save yourself from the trouble. Here are some tips for hiring a professional contractor for your texture-patch interior painting project:
- Do online research – Look for online reviews from Google and Yelp for independent and reliable customer reviews. You can also visit the Better Business Bureau website to check their BBB rating (the higher the rating, the higher level of trustworthiness) and find out if the painter has resolved complaints and disputes with their clients. Also, visit the painters’ company websites to check their company history, services, portfolio, and customer testimonials.
- Interview the painters at the job site. Look for some “green flags,” such as years of experience, a valid license, and active insurance.
- Don’t forget to check customer references. Request at least 2 to 4 references from the contractor. Contact those references and ask them about their working experience with the contractor. They will recommend them to you if they are happy with the contractor’s work.
- Ask for a warranty. Painters with a good reputation will provide only warranties in writing. The average warranty period is one to three years, depending on the contractor. Custom Painting, Inc. offers a full five-year warranty.
- It’s also a good idea to ask the contractor about their painting techniques. Professional and reputable contractors take their work seriously and conscientiously. They always emphasize the importance of prep work on the walls before painting. Knowing their overall painting techniques and methods, you will understand better if they are worth hiring.
If you have smaller cracks and holes, you can apply patches on textured walls and paint over them by yourself, using the instructions mentioned above.
However, if you don’t have the time, the tools, and the patience, you know what to do! Hire a professional instead when you need to texture-patch and paint interior walls. Hiring an experienced, licensed, bonded, and insured full-service painting company with all the necessary tools to complete the job is recommended.