# How to Skim Rough Walls
Old plaster walls are notorious for being wavy and uneven to start with, and for developing other problems later, including cracks, holes and ridges. Tearing out a plaster wall to hang drywall is a big, expensive undertaking that should be an absolute last resort. Consider instead a simple skimcoating project. This is the process of spreading a very thin layer of fresh plaster over the old plaster, so it fills in those holes, cracks and depressions.
Things You'll Need
- Razor scraper
- Joint compound (plaster)
- 12-inch drywall knife
- Drywall sanding pad
Instructions
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1
Go over the whole wall with a razor scraper, removing any high points of plaster or other obstructions.
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2
Spread joint compound over the wall with your 12-inch drywall knife, in a thin layer, holding the knife edge at an angle and scraping tightly over the surface. This should fill in the depressions and low spots while scraping most of the compound off the flat parts. Do the entire wall.
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3
Let the compound dry for four to six hours. Scrape it flat with your knife to remove any high points.
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4
Lay a second layer in the same manner. Again, keep it very flat and thin.
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5
Let the compound dry about four hours.
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6
Let the third coat dry overnight. Hand-sand it gently, smoothing out the surface. Re-paint the wall.
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1
Wall Repairs
- How to Cover Rough Walls
- How to Cover Plaster Walls
- How to Install Beadboard to Plaster Walls
- How to Demo Plaster Walls
- How to Skim Coat Concrete Walls
- How to Repair Plaster Walls in Old Houses
- How to Repair Plasterboard Walls
- How to Sand Plaster
- How to Cover Plaster & Lath Walls
- How to Replace a Plaster Ceiling & Walls
- How to Sand Damaged Plaster Walls
- How to Do Italian Plaster Walls
