Smooth Out Rough Walls

Tools:

5-in-1 painter's tool
large putty knife
damp towel
paint tray and paint roller
drywall compound (mud) and tray (mud bucket)
sandpaper
sanding sponge
primer and paint
dust mask
safety glasses

1. Sand the damaged areas until smooth (figure A). Be sure to wear safety glasses and a dust mask while sanding.

2. After sanding with sandpaper go over the area again with a fine sanding sponge. Pay close attention to any areas where the drywall paper is exposed or raised, and sand these areas carefully to get them as smooth as possible. Your goal is to sand the rough areas into the smooth, so that when you run your hand across the wall it feels smooth.

4. Press and smooth a thin layer of drywall mud onto the wall (figure C). This is called skim coating. Don't worry about being neat, but be sure to press firmly to make good contact.

5. If you want a smooth wall, just let the mud dry. However, if you need to match the texture of surrounding areas, dip a paint roller into the mud bucket and roll it over the wall, blending in textured areas with the freshly applied mud.

6. Give the mud a day to dry, then apply primer. A good technique for even coverage is to paint a large "W" with vertical strokes, then come back and fill it in with horizontal strokes (figure D). This works great for applying an even topcoat as well.