Spackel or Patch or both - Electrician cutouts?

Hi all,

We've got about a dozen holes cut in the wall from an electrician who installed some LEDs for us. He did a pretty good job of keeping the cutouts for us. A few he couldn't save or fell in the wall, so I had to cut some new sheetrock for those.

I've attached some example photos.

First - Ceiling (yes, there are two different colors in this pic)
Second - Wall

Some questions.

1. For the holes that I managed to replace the cutout, which contains knockdown texture and paint, would it look OK to simply spackle the cut lines..sand and paint?
Or, should I sand the texture down on those and the surrouding area, apply tape and compound and then do new knockdown texture and paint?

2. For the new sheetrock plugs, I'm thinking I should sand down the texture from immediate surrounding area to match as close as possible the new wallboard, then tape, compound, texture and paint. Sound like the best method on these?

3. Since the areas are pretty small (3" x 6" biggest), I thought I could do fine with getting some knockdown texture spray in a can from Homax. I know this isn't ideal or the professional way, but for this purpose and the fact that I've never shot texture from a bin...I thought this would be OK. I also heard the best thing to do with the can sprays are to warm the bottom under hot water for a minute or so...then shake well and practice on some cardboard or spare wallboard. Thoughts on this method?

While I have some framing background, I'm a novice at this stuff and would like to keep it as simple as possible to lesson the mistakes that would look obvious.



Thanks!

P.S. The cutouts are screwed into 1x2 backing strips, done after learning about that neat little trick.

 

Spackling is for minor repairs [nicks and dings] you will need to use joint compound along with drywall tape for the joints. While it's always a good idea to sand first [promotes good adhesion] you don't need to sand it smooth.

To start with, apply a coat of mud, then press the tape into the wet mud and smooth it out with your knife. Apply another coat of j/c when dry. The repairs will take 2-3 coats of mud, each one coming out further than the previous. Sand the final coat to make it smooth but don't sand into the tape. If it needs that much sanding - spread the j/c out a little more.

Don't have much info on the aerosol cans of texture as I never use them. Matching texture often takes a bit of practice but it's easy to wipe off while wet or sand down when dry.

 

Yep, joint compound, not spackle.

The handyman we use in our units uses the spray cans of texture pretty effectively but he's been doing it for us for several years. It's best to practice on scrap material or cardboard first and then move to the actual surface once you have the hang of it.

 

OK, so I really only need to lightly sand the areas (in both situations) and simply mude / tape / mud / texture / paint right on top of the existing texture as long as I apply a few thin coats and keep expanding out a bit more and sand/feather out in between coats.

Thanks for the suggestions guys...much appreciated!

 

While it's a good idea to sand the painted texture, don't sand the new uncoated drywall pieces.

 

OK, got it. Thanks again!

 

After 1st round, mud --> tape --> mud --> sand

Getting ready to apply 2nd round of mud, extending a bit further than the current area.

 

A bit after apply the 2nd round of J/C.

This J/C helps a novice like me know when it's ready to sand (goes on pink and turns white when dry).

I just hope it's not too thick. Also noticed that the tape is very close to the surface of the J/C in a few spots due to the wall being "high" in that area (after lightly scraping with J/C knife). Hope the texture and paint will be sufficient to not notice it.

After this, I'll sand and feather the edges in prep for the texture which is the part I've been dreading the most since it's really the part that will either make or break the visual on these repairs.

 

You may be able to duplicate that texture on your second coat. Get a tub of kid's modeling clay. Take a good sized chunk and press into an undisturbed area to make an impression then lightly press it into your compound after it has stiffened up a bit. I've never done this but it seems like it should work.

 

The only problem with applying the j/c too thick is it takes longer to dry and if you have to sand any of it back off. If it's applied really thick, the j/c will crack as it dries. What you've done so far looks good

I'vw never heard of toolmon's method of texture but it might work. I've never done it but have heard of folks using a scrap piece of carpet to texture with so most anything is possible.

 

IMO you need to feather out the repair much further than you have in the pictures. Without doing this, you will notice a bump in the wall after you are done.

Feather out a minimum of 6" on all sides. Let joint compound dry completely. Sand until smooth. Then take a damp sponge and drag around the edges of the joint compound to blend it into the surrounding texture.

Find a friend who has a small air compressor or you can rent a small hopper gun and compressor.

Thin down some joint compound with a little water and mix until smooth. Consistency if critical, too thick and it will not flow through the hopper, too thin and it may run on the wall. I have a 1 inch metal marble I use to test consistency. If you place the marble on the thinned joint compound and it floats, it is too thick. If you place the marble on the joint compound and it immediately sinks it is too thin. It should slowly sink just below the surface for the right consistency.

Hook a compressor to the hopper gun. Add your thinned joint compound. Start at a low pressure setting and smallest opening on the hopper gun and practice spattering on a scrap piece of cardboard. Adjust pressure settings until you achieve a pattern similar to what your existing wall looks like. Once you have got a handle on how the hopper gun acts you can begin on the wall. Spray lightly across the patch extending into the existing wall by several inches (even possibly up to 1 foot). Step back and look at your work. If the spray pattern looks good, leave and let dry. If you are not happy, immediately wipe the wet compound off and try again. You can apply in several light coats if you are skittish.

Allow spattered compound to dry, prime and paint wall to blend.

 

I've never noticed this issue but I suppose if you take to the extreme......
IMO what's more important is the fact that texture will have a different look if it is a different consistency. Thick texture is more prominent while thin texture is lighter.

There is no doubt that the best texture blend can be done with a hopper gun but they are messy! You'll need to cover up the surrounding area although dried texture can be dissolved with a wet rag/sponge - but who wants to do unnecessary clean up. Personally for repairs that small I'd thin down some j/c and apply it with a sponge [just dab it on] It won't be perfect but it isn't hard to get it good enough. With the right tip adjustment a spray can of wall texture should also work.

 

"It won't be perfect but it isn't hard to get it good enough."

Mark, always love your comments, they are always spot on!

I think we have given the homeowner a couple of valid choices on how to proceed with his repair. Only he knows to what level of finish blending he desires on these patches. Considering he has a dozen holes in this room, I assumed he would want as seamless a repair as possible. Can't see getting there with a sponge, and controlling the pattern out of a spray can can be tricky.

In some ways I think it is easier to repair an "orange peel" textured wall than other types of textures (knock down, brushed, stomped, etc). For me, I get paid to make the patchs disappear, so I would take the hopper route. Messy? - Yes, but any drywall repair work can be messy.

The wife says I'm a perfectionist, and I do fuss over the little things. In all, its a good trait to be stuck with if you are in the business.

 

1. In the first pic, painted repair, you can see the texture isn't even close (too smooth). I've since learned not to be too conservative with my application of the texture, and to let it dry for about 3-4 minutes (instead of 1-2 indicated on the can instructions) so it sets up a little better before knocking it down. So, I'll need to retexture, or add more texture to those.
Question: Can I simply add texture on top of this paint (after lightly sanding first), or..do I need to sand this all down and start new?

2. In the second pic (not painted yet), I can still see far too much of the square edges of the repair.
Question: What's the best way to fix this by feathering it out? Should I apply joint compound further out (6") around the edges using the method described in above quoted text...or something else?

Thanks again for all your help and suggestions.

 

Yes you can re-texture the test patch without problem

Drag a moist sponge around the edges to take some of the sharpness out of the JC that filled into the texture around the patch.

Take a light (table lamp w/o shade or shop light) and hold it up tight to the wall near your patch. The light will cause shadow lines on your work and help guide you in getting it right. It will show you where you need to sand more or where you need additional texture. Should help you zero in before you apply paint. Hold light and inspect from all sides of the patch.

 

I think I understand, but want to clarify that the JC is now under a layer of texture.

Will this wet sponge technique be used to remove/feather out, not only some of the JC but the texture that's over it as well? Meaning, both layers? Or, do I need to remove the texture first, and then feather out the JC...and then reapply the texture?

 

You only need to feather out your edges if there is a ridge. In that case you'd need to remove whatever it takes to make it smooth or add more j/c. Both the j/c and the texture are water soluble.

 

At this point, its a massage game, a little of this and a little of that. You may have to remove some texture to feather the JC and re-apply. The moist sponge was to help blend the JC with the original texture as it is hard to sand inside the low spots of the original texture without sanding down the high spots. The sponge will melt away a little of the JC without effecting the original texture. Thus feathering your patch out.