Are one or more of your walls a little roughly textured? Maybe the walls have some pockmarks in them, or perhaps the mud has worn off the drywall in certain areas. A good solution, in this case, is to apply a skim coat of plaster to the drywall before priming and painting it. This is not that difficult to do, but since it's not something most people do every day, you might benefit from a few tips as you go about it.

Use a thinner mud.

There are different preparations of "mud" or joint compound. If you buy one that is too thick, you will have a hard time getting a thin, even layer over your drywall. You have two options here. You can purchase a drywall mud made specifically for skim-coating, which should be noted on the label. Or, you can buy a thicker mud and dilute it with water. Pour some into a container, and add water about a tablespoon at a time. Stir well after each addition. Keep going until the mixture is the texture of thin pudding. If you have some bigger holes to patch, you'll need a thicker mud, so diluting some of it like this can allow you to get away with buying only one container of it.

Use a large putty knife.

The tool used to spread mud is known as a putty knife or finishing knife. It's not really a knife at all, though. It has a handle and a big, flat, spatula-like end. When you are skim-coating, you want to use a large putty knife. This will lead to more event results than if you were to use a smaller knife. Do keep a smaller knife on hand, though. It will come in handy in the corners.

Let it dry completely before sanding it.

Even the best drywall professionals can't get a skim coat 100% flat and perfect. They let it dry, and then they sand the high spots to smooth them out. You can do the same. Just make sure you let the mud dry completely before you sand it down at all. It will need to sit for at least a day.

Skim coating a rough wall is not too hard as long as you follow the tips above. If you're struggling to do this on your own, consider hiring a professional instead.

For more information, contact a local company, like Bosco Plastering, Inc.

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