Wall Finish for Shop(Smooth vs. Textured)

[zmotorsports]

Hey fellow garagejournalers, I have a question regarding finishing of my new shop. About 6 months ago when I was getting quotes for my new shop/RV garage a couple of the contractors were trying to talk me into doing a slight texture on the walls in the shop section that I am having finished off. They all said the same thing that they recommend a slight texture in a shop because if you bump or knick a wall it won't be quite as noticeable. At first I told them "hell no" because the term "textured" to me meant like a ceiling texture, but I had a couple of them tell me that it is nothing like that and much more subdued than that. I still couldn't wrap my head around it.

Fast forward a couple of months and during our house hunting phase we ran across a new house and the ad mentioned that it had textured walls. My realtor told me that it was an old style of wall finishing that is making a comeback and gaining more and more popularity in our area and has several various levels or degrees of texturing. I still couldn't wrap my head around it but when we saw the house first hand I kind of liked it. It was different and hardly noticeable compared to the ceiling that had the traditional more deeply textured finish.

My question is would you guys recommend going with this smoother texturing on shop walls or insist on smooth traditional finishing? My contractor calls it "holy smooth texture" but I am sure it would go by other names as well.

At first I was wondering if there was a cost savings to the texture vs. smooth wall and that is why all of these contractors were pushing it but I am not certain whether that is the case or not, I'm a mechanic and not a carpenter so this is kind of out of my area of expertise.

I would appreciate any feedback or opinions on the matter.

Thank you.

Mike.

 

[slow]

Orange peel is very common around here, almost every house has it and it does hide imperfections over a flat walls.

 

[Radix2]

There are all sorts of knock down or troweled finishes that can be done.

I don't think without knowing the specifics that you can guess if it is less or more than a std smooth finish in cost.

I know around here, the one they use to match the old 1930s wet plaster is pretty pricey. It is like you say, a subtle troweled texture and looks nice.

 

[strutaeng]

Smooth!

I can't stand textured walls...orange peel, knock down, popcorn, etc.

Get a good drywall hanger and tape and bed guy and you don't worry about "wall imperfections."

Smooth is always the norm for commercial projects. A shop with textured wall will look "residential."

 

[Angelfire]

Although I haven't solicited quotes for the drywall as of yet, I intend to go with smooth. I'm expecting a bit of push back from the bidders as it requires them to make sure the walls are good and straight/flat or it looks bad. My main motivation for a smooth texture isn't so much aesthetics but that a textured wall captures every bit of dust/cobwebs/etc... Our attached garage has textured walls and they require constant cleaning if you want it to look good (I don't so it just looks dirty at the moment!).
Cheers.

 

[Falcon67]

I prefer minimal texture on a wall in the house, nothing worse to me than a flat surface with any kind of sheen. Mild texture, not much more than what you get with a paint roller. Typical house here has texture, I can't recall in recent memory seeing any house - even new - with smooth walls. Same on the ceiling - no "popcorn" ever. That went away in the 80s. Lots of it still in place, but never on new.

As for a shop, that depends on what you're doing. Texture IMHO will catch some dust/dirt and start layering unless it's a nice climate controlled deal. In mine, I don't care. I used OSB and didn't paint because I bang into stuff. A lot. Even to the point of breaking the OSB. If I had used drywall, I can think of more than a few incidents where instead of ka-bang, bounce off the wall I'd have had extra ventilation to the outside.

 

[NitroGarage]

Nope, the smoother the better, gloss white if that's your thing.

 

[66Caprice]

A smooth wall will hold less dirt and dust! I vote smooth_____________

 

[maxpower_hd]

Another vote for smooth and at least semi gloss for a shop. I would go white too. The brighter the better for a shop and smooth stays cleaner and is easier to clean when necessary. I will deal with nicks as they come. It is a shop after all.

 

[zmotorsports]

Thanks all. I did smooth walls with a texture on the ceiling along with semi-gloss white in my last shop and it was great to work in. This particular texture isn't really enough to catch dirt, at least based on what I saw in housing as it was a very, very mild texture. But I did kind of like the looks of it at the house we looked at, just don't know if I would tire of it in my shop after a while.

Thanks for all of the comments, I appreciate it.

Mike.

 

[matt_i]

I intend to do the knockdown finish in my new addition, the previous shop has the knockdown already inside of it and I am very happy with it. Bump the drywall with a sharp corner and its unnoticeable unless you go full sledge and break out both pieces of paper.

Main advantage is it saves time having to perfectly finish the drywall. Just mud it and tape it and knock off the big burrs. Then spray & "wipe" the knockdown texture.

The end-joints where there's no taper in the drywall are toughest to get flat, any kind of bright light or glossy finish will magnify the imperfections that drive customers and finishers bananas. Drywall is a necessary evil to me, I am requiring it for fire resistance, but I don't like the idea of working on it ever, so, I plan to get thru with the least resistance.

 

[Dirtydan69]

I prefer smooth wall but that's what I know and what I grew up with in the Midwest. Patching and blending texture can be easier but I still like smooth. I'm pretty good with a taping blade.

 

[Jhoff310]

SMOOTH walls all the way.
I just finished up a garage remodel for a woman in town who wanted a "Santa Fe knockdown..or a skip trowel..or other names that escape me". I applied it per her request, and hated doing it the entire time. The amount of dust that will be held in the texture will have her regretting her decision.

 

[Jazz1]

Smooth walls in a working garage. Textured walls, epoxy floor and crystal chandeliers in a showroom garage.

 

[Colin Len]

Personally I'd choose smooth. Partly due to look and partly due to ease of cleaning, oh, and partly due to ease of patching (no need to try and match the old texture). I may be a bit bias though, I hate textured walls and would prefer smooth in just about any situation.

 

[kbuhagiar]

My main motivation for a smooth texture isn't so much aesthetics but that a textured wall captures every bit of dust/cobwebs/etc... Our attached garage has textured walls and they require constant cleaning if you want it to look good (I don't so it just looks dirty at the moment!).
Cheers.

My sentiments exactly. Smooth is best.

 

[LXCam]

Another smooth vote here.

 

[Git]

two thoughts

1 - Texture can cover up a lot of imperfections in the drywall. Orange Peel is also very common in our area. I can't remember the last time I have seen 'smooth' walls. I don't get the problem with dust, because I routinely blow out my garage with my leaf blower every week when I cut the grass

2 - Smooth is a heck of lot easier to repair

 

[sanddan]

I'd go smooth and not worry too much about a perfect mud job. It's a shop space.

Smooth is easier to clean, think wiping the oil sling behind the lathe.

 

[zmotorsports]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the feedback.

Mike.

 

[Trey T]

I prefer smooth walls and ceiling, regardless in garage or home. I don't mind the orange peel but I like perfectly smooth wall.

However, smooth wall requires the installation to be perfect. Perfect installation means that a guy can float joint compound w/o sanding or minimal sanding.

On a cheaply built homes, particularly here in Houston, you'll see textured walls. When I look at the joints closely, there are ton of imperfections. Textures hides imperfection and minimal skill laborers get away w/ it - this is a slippery slope contracting. For that very reason I never recommend textured wall to people I know, at least down in Texas.

 

[M-technik-3]

Smooth, easier to run a dust brush over to clean the walls. Hate my textured ceilings because dust gets caught up on it with ceiling fans going. ARG drives me nuts.