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Can You Put Plaster Over Textured Walls? (How To)

Texturing walls is a great way of hiding flaws and imperfections on drywall. However, it’s out of fashion and it is difficult to remove without damaging the wall. Besides, a textured wall is not aesthetically appealing, and thus it may be challenging to sell your home. So, what can you do to change the appearance of a textured wall? Can you plaster over it?

You can plaster over textured walls to give them a new look and increase your home’s value. Repair cracks and holes on the wall and degrease it to remove wax or oils. Apply a primer and let it dry before putting the first layer of plaster.

Man putting plaster on the wall

Textured walls can make it challenging to sell your home because they are outdated and not appealing to potential buyers. Besides, the texture traps dust and debris, making it difficult to maintain, and removing the surface can potentially damage the walls.

You can plaster over textured walls to avoid the cost of removal and cleaning the mess. Check the walls for damages or cracks and apply scrim tape to prevent future occurrences and ruin the plaster. Scrap the walls with a wire brush to remove mold stains and trapped dust or debris.

Wash down the walls with sugar soap to remove grease or wax, and apply a primer to increase plaster bonding.

Should You Plaster Over Textured Walls?

Man putting plaster on the wall

Plaster over textured walls is a popular home renovation method.  It’s easy to do; you don’t need to have special skills to have a successful project. However, there are several problems that you need to look out for when plastering over textured walls—and these can be costly mistakes if you don’t take care. Learn more about these problems and how to avoid them in the section below.

When plastering over a textured wall, you will likely face unevenness, plaster debonding, cracking, blistering, efflorescence, grinning, or flaking. Prepare the wall adequately and apply plaster correctly to avoid these problems.

Uneven plaster can occur due to inconsistencies and poor craftsmanship, and you can prevent it with the correct plaster application. Debonding can occur when plaster detaches from the textured walls due to applying a thick layer or plastering over a greasy or oily textured wall. Remove dust, wash down the walls with sugar soap, and mix plaster according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Plaster may crack due to lack of proper surface preparation or using plaster with a high fine particle content. Additionally, applying a thick plaster layer or allowing the plaster to dry too quickly can cause this problem. Hence, use the right kind of plaster and apply a 1.5-centimeter thickness. Protect the wall from the sun or wind to avoid the plaster drying too quickly to prevent this problem.

Small swellings characterize blistering due to the late addition of water to the plaster mixture. On the other hand, grinning describes the appearance of a textured background in the finished plaster due to the lack of undercoat application or poor artistry.

White crystals can occur on the plaster surface due to the migration of moisture and salts. You can prevent it using salt-free plaster and avoiding plastering over wet textured walls.

What Tools Do You Need To Plaster Over Textured Walls?

Man putting plaster on the wall

Plastering a textured wall can give your home an inexpensive makeover, but you should have the right tools for a successful project. The section below discusses the must-haves for an efficient textured wall plastering project.

To plaster a textured wall, you should have safety gear, a 5-gallon, an electric hand drill, a paddle mixer, a bucket trowel, a hawk, a spackle knife, a broom, a wire brush, and a paintbrush. Hire or buy these tools from your nearest home improvement store or order online.

Plastering yields dust particles; hence, you should have a dust mask and a pair of goggles to protect your eyes and prevent dust inhalation. Textured walls trap dust and debris; thus, you will need a broom to brush them and a wire brush to remove mold stains. You will need a 5-gallon electric hand drill with an attached paddle mixer to mix plaster before application.

Plaster work can be messy. Have a bucket trowel to scoop plaster and a hawk to hold it during application. Have a spackle knife to spread plaster across the wall and a paintbrush to apply the wall primer. Finally, have a float to smooth the plaster and finish the application. 

Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on December 3, 2022.

If you have done other DIY home improvement projects, you should have some of these tools in your toolbox. However, you can purchase or hire what you don’t have from your nearest hardware store.

What Preparations Do You Need To Put Plaster Over Textured Walls?

Man putting plaster on the wall

When you make the necessary preparations, you can have a successful DIY textured wall plastering project. Read the section below to find out how to prepare for this venture.

To put plaster on a textured wall, gather the materials and tools and repair any cracks or damages. Brush the walls to remove dust or debris, and wash them down to remove grease or wax. Apply PVA Unibond, allow to dry, and apply the second coat before applying the plaster base coat.

Before beginning a textured wall plastering project, gather the necessary tools and materials. If you have old tools from your toolbox, ensure they are clean and in good working condition. Order enough plaster from your nearest home improvement store. If you are not planning on doing other plastering projects, you can hire the tools from your local hardware store.

Brush down the walls to remove trapped dust and debris, and use a wire brush to remove mold stains. Wash down the walls to remove grease, wax, or oils that could interfere with plaster bonding.

If the walls have cracks or holes, seal them or apply scrim tape to prevent them from appearing on the finished surface. Apply the first layer of PVA Unibond and allow it to dry before applying a second layer to increase plaster bonding, reduce wall suctioning and prevent grinning.

How To Put Plaster Over Textured Walls

confused woman standing

Building and construction experts recommend leaving plastering jobs to professionals to avoid repair costs from botched projects. However, you can save the cost of hiring one and the headache of a failed project by getting it right the first time. Read the section below to learn how to do it correctly.

To put a plaster over textured walls, mix plaster and load it into a hawk using a bucket trowel. Apply the first and second coats and allow enough time to set. Moisten the wall and run a float to smoothen the surface. Allow the manufacturer recommended time for the plaster to dry.

You can put plaster over textured walls in the following steps.

Step 1: In a 5-gallon, pour water and add plaster in the manufacturer-recommended ratios.

Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on December 3, 2022.

Step 2: Scoop plaster from the mixing gallon using a bucket trowel and load it onto a float.

Step 3: Scoop a small amount of plaster and spread a thin layer across the wall using a spackle knife. Work in sections until you cover the whole wall.

Step 4: Repeat step 4 to apply the second layer, but ensure 1.5 centimeters of plaster thickness. Pay attention to the rough and uneven areas.

Step 5: Leave the plaster to set until it’s moist but not wet. Run a float across the surface to smoothen the plaster and give it a glossy finish. Smoothen all the bumps and rough areas to achieve an even finish.

Step 6: Protect the walls from direct sunlight or wind and leave the plaster to cure for the manufacturer’s recommended time.

You can plaster textured walls for a fresh look and increased property value. Wash the walls to remove wax or oils, and patch any gaps and fractures. Before adding the initial layer of plaster, apply a primer and allow it to dry.

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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on December 3, 2022.

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