# Textured to smooth walls



## Coastalview (May 28, 2017)

Hello. 
I have a job coming up that is changing a heavy skip trowel texture to smooth. Level 4. My plan was to use a festool planex with 36 paper to hit the high spots. Then use a 18 paint roller with a large nap to roll thinned drywall mix and while still wet a squeegee trowel to flatten. Then repeat till smooth with some sanding at the end with a light. Is there a faster way? The only other idea I had was to use a texture gun and then right away use the squiggy trowel to make flat. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. 
Thanks
Eric


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## MrWillys (Mar 10, 2014)

Coastalview said:


> Hello.
> I have a job coming up that is changing a heavy skip trowel texture to smooth. Level 4. My plan was to use a festool planex with 36 paper to hit the high spots. Then use a 18 paint roller with a large nap to roll thinned drywall mix and while still wet a squeegee trowel to flatten. Then repeat till smooth with some sanding at the end with a light. Is there a faster way? The only other idea I had was to use a texture gun and then right away use the squiggy trowel to make flat. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
> Thanks
> Eric


I would hand apply the first coat to keep the mud thicker. After the first you could use your roller. Because you're skimming the entire surface it will be level 5.

Welcome.


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## thefinisher (Sep 2, 2011)

If it were me I would hit it with the sander to help plane it down then skim it with durabond heavy. When it starts setting up I would slick it back down. Then put a tight coat of pre mixed mud of your choice for sanding.


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## Mr.Brightstar (Dec 2, 2011)

Yup, what he said ⬆


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## Coastalview (May 28, 2017)

Thanks for the advise. Will sand then hand skim with the duabond. Then used topping compound to fill the last bit. :thumbup::thumbup:


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## MrWillys (Mar 10, 2014)

i have no problem with using a fast set mud for the first coat. i would only warn that when sanding too make sure to not expose the fast set to the surface or it will create a sheen in the decoration (paint).


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## endo_alley_revisited (Aug 9, 2016)

We do a lot of this kind of work. One thing that can be helpful is, after knocking off the worst of the old texture, and then spreading a good quality setting mud (Home Depot stuff is not very good quality) is to trowel down all off the mud in the same direction. For example, you may make the final pass on the walls all with a horizontal stroke of the trowel. When this has set up, scrape any edges, mix more setting compound, recoat the wall, and pull the final stroke perpendicular to the first coat. Which would be vertical. This second coat should be pulled much tighter. In essence, you are screeding out any vertical waves from the initial horizontal coat. When this is dry and scraped, a very fine coat can be applied over the top. Look out for any air bubbles, which can happen when topping over Durabond. Touchup, and sand as needed.


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## mikon (Aug 10, 2017)

https://youtu.be/oU_jtDK3PXM

I've just finished skimming the heavy texture on ceiling.
Looks perfect and goes fast!
Mike


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## VANMAN (Jan 14, 2011)

mikon said:


> https://youtu.be/oU_jtDK3PXM
> 
> I've just finished skimming the heavy texture on ceiling.
> Looks perfect and goes fast!
> Mike


Have u heard of a float and Hawk? Or trowel?:blink:


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## endo_alley_revisited (Aug 9, 2016)

VANMAN said:


> Have u heard of a float and Hawk? Or trowel?:blink:


It's good when people think outside the proverbial box and do things a little different. Maybe he is onto something. We usually trowel heavy skim coats because we are accustomed to plastering.


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## Lovin Drywall (May 27, 2016)

Ok now what to charge per sq ft for ceilings like heavy knockdown to smooth with vaults and multiple skylights


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## Mr.Brightstar (Dec 2, 2011)

Lovin Drywall said:


> Ok now what to charge per sq ft for ceilings like heavy knockdown to smooth with vaults and multiple skylights




Welcome back to the thread that never ends. You got brains in your head, shoes on your feet. How much do you want to make?


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## endo_alley_revisited (Aug 9, 2016)

Charge as much as you can. And then be prepared to lose money.


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