Common textures
- Orange peel — fine, bumpy spray texture common on walls.
- Knockdown — splatter texture flattened with a knife, often on ceilings and walls.
- Skip trowel and hand textures — applied by hand, often the hardest to reproduce.
- Smooth — no texture, which shows imperfections most clearly.
Why matches vary
The original texture's thickness, the tools used and how many coats of paint are on top all change its look. Fresh texture also absorbs paint differently than old texture. Priming and painting the full wall usually helps the repaired area disappear.
How to photograph texture
Take a close-up with a light source shining across the wall from the side — a flashlight held flat against the wall works. That shows the pattern far better than a straight-on photo.
Related work
Texture matching is the finishing step after drywall patching and ceiling repair, and before interior painting.
Common questions
How close will the match be?
It depends on the original texture and how it was applied. Some textures match very closely; others are hard to reproduce exactly. Expect an honest conversation rather than a guarantee.
Should I smooth the whole wall instead?
Some homeowners choose to skim-coat a wall smooth rather than match an old texture. That is a larger job and worth discussing if many patches are needed.
Where TLC Repairs offers drywall texture matching
Based in LaGrange and serving communities within about 30 miles, including: