Removed chair rail, now need to smooth wall


  #1  
Old 07-04-17, 12:52 PM
O
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: United States
Posts: 5
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Removed chair rail, now need to smooth wall

I just removed the chair rail from my dining room and now I need to smooth out the surface where it was. I went over it with some dry-wall sandpaper, but the layer of paint above and below where it was is too high. What can I do to smooth the wall out now?
 
  #2  
Old 07-04-17, 01:28 PM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,061
Received 1,910 Upvotes on 1,716 Posts
First, be sure you scraped off all the caulking that was on both sides of the moulding. Use a sharp putty knife, chisel, or even a paint scraper to try and peel the caulking off.

Once it's gone you will likely need to skim coat the wall with joint compound and do some sanding with a pole sander to get it flat. The joint compound will likely need to be primed with a roller to give it some texture before it is ready for paint.
 
  #3  
Old 07-04-17, 01:33 PM
A
Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Ca
Posts: 747
Upvotes: 0
Received 1 Upvote on 1 Post
I did numerous drywall patches in my main living room where the slightest imperfection would be obvious. The method I used to get it perfect is to use a drop light at night and graze the light along the drywall, sanding or skim coating as necessary.

In situations where you have a long wall, near eye level ,with light coming at angle the quality of work required is almost like auto body work. The light makes this possible. Make take several passes of skim coating/sanding but it will be invisible.
 
  #4  
Old 07-04-17, 01:53 PM
O
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: United States
Posts: 5
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thanks !

What about situations where the drywall is peeling a little? Should I just skim coat over it?

Name:  IMG_20170704_164457610.jpg
Views: 6645
Size:  10.4 KB

Also, what about the corners where there's some cracking?

Name:  IMG_20170704_164653196.jpg
Views: 5672
Size:  10.8 KB
 
  #5  
Old 07-04-17, 01:58 PM
XSleeper's Avatar
Group Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 27,061
Received 1,910 Upvotes on 1,716 Posts
Cut off loose or torn paper with a utility knife. You can then usually skim over that with your joint compound.

Minor cracks can be filled in with joint compound, but a "setting compound" would be better. It comes as a dry mix in a bag, in 5, 20, 45, 90 minute varieties, and you mix up only what you need to use. Setting compound dries harder and is less likely to crack, as in your photo of the corner. You can use it anywhere you use joint compound, but it is harder to sand and so you usually do not use it as your final coat. Regular premixed joint compound is softer and easier to sand, so it is almost always used for the final coat... it dries quickly when it is put in very thin.
 
  #6  
Old 07-04-17, 03:59 PM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
You find that the finished repair is too slick, if so you'll need to add a little texture. Some joint compound thinned down to paint consistency [maybe a tad thinner] should do the trick.
 
  #7  
Old 07-05-17, 11:23 AM
O
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: United States
Posts: 5
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Thanks. Would a paint primer resolve the slickness?
 
  #8  
Old 07-05-17, 12:56 PM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
Yes but it's hard to get a build up of paint to mimic years of paint being rolled on. Thinned down j/c is quicker.
 
  #9  
Old 07-05-17, 01:29 PM
O
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: United States
Posts: 5
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes on 0 Posts
Got it. Thanks!

Another question. I've never done drywall work before. Is there a rule of thumb when it comes to selecting what size knife to use when applying the joint compound? The section I need to fill is 2 1/2 inches wide. Would I get a knife about the same size, or something significantly larger to cover more of the total drywall?
 
  #10  
Old 07-05-17, 02:13 PM
M
Forum Topic Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: USA - N.E.Tn
Posts: 45,659
Received 835 Upvotes on 732 Posts
If I was to get just one knife, it would be a 6". I normally tape with a 3" or 4", then use a 6" with the final coat being applied with a 10" or 12". Usually you need to feather the repair out to make it disappear, not so much with your small patch.
 
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description: