# Trying to match Imperial basecoat finish.



## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

I just used up my last bag of basecoat (sand finish) on a historical project. I got carried away and started blasting out entire walls and forgot a few rooms that have quarter size holes that I need to match up. Is there anything premix I can get? Will some durabond and a little sand do?


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## Mr.Brightstar (Dec 2, 2011)

I would Try Durabond with sand. Imperial is sharp sand and Portland cement. Durabond with sand should be fine.


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## Mudslinger (Mar 16, 2008)

I use sand and Durabond all the time, I'd say go for it.


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## Wimpy65 (Dec 17, 2013)

Mudslinger said:


> I use sand and Durabond all the time, I'd say go for it.


 
Hey Mudslinger, how much sand do you usually add to a 25# bag of Durabond?


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## Mudslinger (Mar 16, 2008)

Wimpy65 said:


> Hey Mudslinger, how much sand do you usually add to a 25# bag of Durabond?


I hate to say it but I just eyeball it, Just the way I was taught. Durabond is so strong it's pretty forgiving.


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## P.E.I.Taper (May 4, 2015)

is it silica sand you guys are talking about?


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

Thanks. I was having some fun doing some plaster repair today. Some of the walls were so bad I just said F it and ended up troweling the **** out of the entire walls in almost every room. I looked up, went through 2 bags and it was beer thirty. I have not used the imperial base coat since 1992. Still remember all the the journeymen bitchin about my mixing. Many years later, on my first batch I bitched at myself (water was too cold, lumpy, and thin). Batch two was mint.:thumbsup:.


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## endo_alley (Nov 2, 2013)

There are other basecoat plasters around besides Imperial. The local Home Depot even sells Diamond Finish basecoat. But a finished wall done in basecoat sounds very ooooglie. What does it look like? Just an unfinished brown coat?


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## boco (Oct 29, 2010)

I can get more base but just not on the weekend. Its a very hard and durable surface that looks similar to eifs or stucco combined with orange peel. Not sure if I have all the terms right but I think its called a sand float finish. After prep you just mix up a medium batch up and skim entire surface about an 1/8 as smooth as possible. Wait till it browns then use a red or green sponge float lightly to bring out the sand. Just before it dries burnish. Tadah. Prime and paint.
When you do it right it should be pretty random and the idea being to try and match 100 year old sand finish walls that have at least 20 coats of paint. It may be a regional thing. I have only seen it twice at our hospital and our city hall.


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## endo_alley (Nov 2, 2013)

boco said:


> I can get more base but just not on the weekend. Its a very hard and durable surface that looks similar to eifs or stucco combined with orange peel. Not sure if I have all the terms right but I think its called a sand float finish. After prep you just mix up a medium batch up and skim entire surface about an 1/8 as smooth as possible. Wait till it browns then use a red or green sponge float lightly to bring out the sand. Just before it dries burnish. Tadah. Prime and paint.
> When you do it right it should be pretty random and the idea being to try and match 100 year old sand finish walls that have at least 20 coats of paint. It may be a regional thing. I have only seen it twice at our hospital and our city hall.


We do that kind of sand finish on exteriors from time to time using a Portland / sand mix.


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