Good morning Friends,

When I used to spackle drywall it took me 7 years to learn the best way for doing the job so I wouldn't have any sanding to do for I hated the dust from sanding.

How long did it take you fellows to do the job?

Luckily, we live in an area where knocked down orange peel is the standard. Spray it on, knock it back with a wide knife and...done. Random swirl patterns acceptable. Actually, the skill involved is in getting the right mixture for spraying and the right spray technique. Not in the knife wielding.

 

I've always admired smooth plaster finishes but, have never even attempted one. 

 

 

Let's see, I'm 66 and about one third of the way there.

I had an older gentleman ( term used loosely ) teach me how to do it. Even then it took a year to get it down right according to him. Everything was hand mixed and applied. To this day I still have his tools and cherish them.

 

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Wayne Mahler
God bless and protect our troops that serve so we can be free.

for a smooth look to the plaster, you'll need a wet brush.    A few flicks of the wrist with the brush,as you go along with a steel trowel( not a knife) will smooth things out.   Almost like getting a "slick" finish on a slab of concrete.  Took me awhile to get that slick part down.  

 

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'and may the road raise up to meet ye'

Good Morning Fellows,

The secret is feathering for you start out with a small amount of mud in the recessed seam and tape over the joint and let dry over night and the same for the butt joints. Then you start not over the joint but on each side of it and feather away from the joint then on the third coat cover the joint again and continue feathering away from the joints till your joint can't be found and the wall will appear to be flat and smooth. Three coats of compound just won't get it done for you need to feather a little more each time. Sure it takes longer than most cases but well worth the time spent. The same holds true for the screw indentations.