Common textures we scrape and refinish
Knockdown texture: raised drywall mud flattened with a knife while wet. Requires a heavier skim coat because the peaks leave shallow craters when scraped.
Orange peel: a fine spray texture that reads like citrus skin. Usually the fastest to smooth because the profile is shallow.
Splatter and stipple: older sprayed or roller applied textures common in mid century Waco area homes.
Swirl and hawk and trowel: hand applied artistic textures that need full skimming rather than scraping.
Why homeowners request smooth ceilings
A flat ceiling reflects more light, which brightens hallways, stairwells and rooms with limited windows. Smooth ceilings also date more slowly than textured finishes and hold their look through repaints.
For remodels that add recessed lighting, ceiling fans or new HVAC registers, smoothing the entire ceiling gives the new fixtures a clean surface to sit against.
Prep, skim, sand, finish
Every texture removal follows the same general sequence. Containment first, then texture removal, then patch and skim, then sand, prime and paint. The difference between textures is how many skim passes the ceiling needs before it reads flat under a light.
What is included
- Handles knockdown, orange peel, splatter, stipple, swirl
- Full mask off of walls, floors, cabinets and fixtures
- Multi pass skim coat where texture depth requires it
- Sanded to a level 5 smooth finish before primer
- Optional crown molding removal and reinstallation
Common questions
Is knockdown texture harder to remove than popcorn?+
Knockdown is bonded harder to the drywall so it cannot be wet scraped the same way. The crew skims over the texture rather than scraping it, which adds a coat of joint compound but still delivers a smooth finish.
Will removing texture damage my drywall?+
Removal exposes any old tape, seam or nail issues underneath. Those are patched as part of the job so the finished ceiling reads as one clean surface.
Can textured ceilings be smoothed one room at a time?+
Yes. Many homeowners phase the work by room to fit budget and household routines.
Related services
Full scrape, skim and prep of dated acoustic ceilings across Hewitt homes.
Level 5 finish for a clean, gallery style ceiling surface.
Patch cracks, water stains, sagging seams and old fixture cutouts.
Every ceiling in the house scraped, smoothed, primed and painted.