# Skim or 1/4 in over old orange peel texture



## David61 (Sep 27, 2014)

Hey guys,
I have a project with a really bad orange peel texture that the owner wants gone. Should I skim coat or drywall over with 1/4? There are a few hairline cracks in the walls but overall they are structurally sound but ugly.
Thanks,
Dave


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## kray (Sep 22, 2014)

i would go over it with drywall, but you will have to build some extentions to windows and doors. you couldrun the rock to the trim but always looks like crap. it makes your trim shallow. plus you spend more time flat tapping than you would just cutting jamb extentions. up to you though.


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## SuperiorHIP (Aug 15, 2010)

Sand/scrape walls and skim. Helluva lot more work to hang new drywall just to cover bad texture not to mention the height difference on mouldings.


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## builditguy (Nov 10, 2013)

I've never liked 1/4" drywall. Always seems to have bulges because it bends to easy. If I were going to hang anything, it would be 1/2". Skim coating the entire wall, and having it look smooth when done will be a challenge.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

Skim coat it! :thumbsup:
Never liked the 1/4" drywall route to cover texture. :no:


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## wnc viking (Aug 4, 2011)

Sand and skim 1/4 over is not the way to go


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## elbert (May 28, 2014)

We just did one whole house(~1400 sq ft 9 foot ceilings) by skim coating the walls and it took a while but look beautiful when done. Popcorn on the other hand forget about it. Dynamite is the only thing to get that stuff off.


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## CrpntrFrk (Oct 25, 2008)

Rent one of these..









Then skim! :thumbsup:


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## BUTCHERMAN (Jan 19, 2008)

Is it a plaster wall or drywall. Either way skim is the way to go. I would just have a different approach. Plaster weld or primer may be in order. Especially when addressing the cracks.


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## SuperiorHIP (Aug 15, 2010)

elbert said:


> We just did one whole house(~1400 sq ft 9 foot ceilings) by skim coating the walls and it took a while but look beautiful when done. Popcorn on the other hand forget about it. Dynamite is the only thing to get that stuff off.


Only if it has been painted over, if not it's pretty easy to deal with. Spray with water and scraping takes it off in no time, comes down in sheets.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

What if it has asbestos in it? Do you guys still just wet and scrape?


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## ToolNut (Aug 9, 2012)

Just about anything would be better than putting 1/4" over it. And Yes although not P/C I wet it let it soak in wet it again, scrap.


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## BUTCHERMAN (Jan 19, 2008)

Orange peel is such a fine texture. Why scrape? Just open cracks, use plaster weld, feather repairs then use multiple skim coats cross sweeping in different directions with each coat. It's not stucco. I would just stand up the blade or trowel while doing it. Also use quick set with handfuls of plaster on the hawk. The quicker you can get the coats to lock up on the base, the better the odds that the existing paint underneath won't peel. I recommend at least three skims. On and off. Very easy and effective.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Knock off the high spots, do better than that around trim, and then skim.


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