How to avoid lap marks in your new plaster or drywall texture

Lesson 10  Fixing Your Plaster Right

Once you have practiced the texture you want to do and are ready to start putting it on, there is something important you need to be aware of.  Lap Marks!

You are applying wall texture over a porous surface most likely, unless you chose to put on drywall PVA sealer on the wall or ceiling first.  Of course, if you primed before you start texturing, you will have a slick surface, which will affect how your texture goes on.

I will be talking here about a solid continuous kind of texture application, which will have no skips or open areas in it.

A porous plaster or drywall surface will grab moisture from your texture mix as you apply it and move across the surface.  This has the effect of stiffening the texture that is in place.  As you move across a wall, for examply, the leading edge is where you may have some concern.

You can’t be in all places at the same time.  When the edge of your texture advance sits there while you are working elsewhere, it is stiffening.  When you come back to continue that part of the texture line, you may have difficulty getting the “new” texture to blend perfectly with the “old.”

You may experience a problem getting a flawless blend. The result will be a visible wavy line called a “lap mark.”

So, how do we avoid getting lap marks”

One is to prime the area to be textured first and then wait a day to start the texture process.  But even here, you cannot leave that texture until you have textured the whole surface.  If this is the apporach you want to take, then be sure you practice your texturing technique on a primed or painted surface before you start the real thing. That way, you get a realistic feel for the process.

Another way to avoid a lap mark is by going very fast.  Easier said than done, but not impossible.  A third way to get around a potential lap mark problem is to choose something other than a solid, no skips type of texture.  On my website, I talk about some of these kinds of textures.  The “skip trowel” is onc such texture.

What about additives to a texture mix?  Some people like a little sand in the texture finish.  You can find white quartz sand in different particle sizes at masonry supply houses and some lumber yards.  Check your local Lowes and Home Depot.  Some of those may have these products.

The open skip trowel texture has thirty mesh white sand in it.

I have some photos of some popular textures I do for clients.  Skip trowel is the third.
I hope you can see them well enough to get an idea.

http://www.plaster-wall-ceiling-solutions.com/wall-texture-samples.html

The best way to learn how to apply texture is to see a professional at work   With that in mind, I have prepared a DvD where I demonstrate how to do several wall texturing techniques.  I also discuss tools and mixing texture compounds.

This page has more helpful information about doing textures and links to a page you can access my texturing history and my DvD.

http://www.plaster-wall-ceiling-solutions.com/wall-texture.html

Drywall and plaster texturing work can be quite fulfilling.  You can be the artist and win the compliments of your neighbors and friend (and, we hope, of family as well).