The Easy Way to Add Texture to a Drywall Patch

Have you ever patched a hole in your drywall, only to have it stick out like a sore thumb? Does your patch look almost as bad as the hole you were trying to repair? Fear not, there is a very easy way to add an orange peel texture to your patch and let it blend in better with its surroundings.

This is so simple you’re probably going to laugh, but I’ve done it hundreds of times and it works better than you can probably imagine.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Quickset drywall mud

Small drywall mud pan

6″ drywall knife

Straw whisk broom

Mix up a small batch of drywall mud (preferably the quick set type to save time), maybe around 1/2 an inch deep in a 12 inch drywall pan (you may need more or less, depending on how large of a patch you are texturing). Mix it a little thin, so it’s like a thick soup. You’ll figure out the right consistency after you’ve tried it a few times.

Now, go change your clothes or put on a pair of coveralls because this next step is going to be messy until you get the hang of it.

Ok, now take your straw whisk broom (the straw type works the best, don’t even bother with the plastic ones, the bristles are too flimsy for this application), and dip the tips of the bristles into the Drywall Contractor near me. Just the tips, you don’t want to “load up” the whisk broom or you’ll have a big mess on your hands.

Now hold the whisk broom upright, with the bristles pointed towards the ceiling, in front of the drywall patch you’re going to texture, about a foot or so away. Here’s the messy part, take your other hand and drag your fingers across the tips of the whisk broom bristles, pulling your fingers towards you, so they “flip” the soupy drywall mud onto the wall in little droplets of varying size. Each time you dip your broom into your mud, you should be able to get four or five “flips” on the wall before you have to load up again.

Experiment with holding the broom closer and further away from the wall, and how fast you drag your fingers across the tips of the bristles. Both of these factors will change the size and pattern of the drywall droplets you are flinging onto the wall.

When you are satisfied with the amount of texture you’ve flung onto the wall, let it dry for just a few minutes before proceeding to the next step. You don’t want it to dry completely, just let it set up a bit.

Depending on the surrounding wall’s texture, this next step may be optional.

When your newly textured patch has set up a bit, take your 6″ drywall knife and very lightly drag it across the droplets of drywall mud, just enough to “flatten” the tops of the droplets, but not hard enough to smear your texture (unless the texture you are trying to match is the more smeared type).

You can try to clean the mold that is on drywall that isn’t the best way to tackle this mold problem. The best way to 100% take care of mold on drywall is to remove it by removal of the drywall. While this seems like more work than just trying to clean off the drywall it is a long term solution and ensures all of the mold is removed from your residence.

Do you still have a water problem in your house?

There is no point in removing mold only to get more mold because the water problem has not be fixed properly. Check for any leaks from the outside or leaks in plumbing.

Having all the proper tools will ensure you are successful in removing the drywall that is covered in the mold. These tools are not that expensive you can go to any local home improvement store to purchase them for minimal cost. You may also be able to rent or borrow (from a friend) some of them if it is not something you think you will use again.

I would also recommend the following safety equipment:

1) Gloves

2) Safety Glasses

3) A Tyvek Suit

4) Dust Mask

Put on all of your safety equipment and ensure that you are fully covered. Begin cutting the drywall from about 12 inches above the last trace of mold. Check behind on the wood after the drywall is removed, make sure the mold was contained to the drywall and not spread out to wood behind the drywall. But the old drywall into a sealed trash can or into a garbage bag and careful take it out into the trash(remember to check local regulations, some cities require special disposal of mold covered surfaces).