Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Texture Makes Perfect

Working in the basement, trying to finish the kids' room, I realized something beyond why I keep my day job and do not try drywall professionally.

A painter once convinced me that smooth walls were the best way to finish any room. That in order to look good, texture needs to be avoided at all costs. Now he knew the procedure, had done it all his life, so it wasn't a big deal to him.

Two coats of mud over the tape, both sanded smooth; followed by at least two coats of topping, sanded down smooth. A lot of sanding and a lot of frustration as I never could get it smooth enough.

In the other camp were people who spoke of texture. "Rent a sprayer" they would say, "and just spray it on". Some would say spray it on and then flatten it out with a scraper.

After trying over and over trying to get it perfectly smooth, I tried my hand at texture. Not with a sprayer, but by hand. Mud, water, and a touch of sand. My wife and I spent a Sunday afternoon, texturing the walls and ceilings.

A couple of days afterwards, we painted those walls. They looked fantastic when we were done! I do not believe I could have been any happier with the results!

I do not doubt that smooth walls look more regal. And I do not doubt that there are some out there who can do a wonderful job at smooth wall finishing. I don't even doubt that I could achieve perfection with enough tries and practice. But I did notice that although my goal was perfection, it was when I embraced the imperfection, what texture is, that the beauty came shining through.

Why then, I must ask, do I beat myself up so much over my imperfections?

2 comments:

cladbe said...

Sounds like you're settling for second best and kidding yourself that is what you can be happy with.

Fill you boots.

MMJ said...

I think thereis a difference between the absolute best and ones own best except in a few exceptions. I think the point to to understand that failure is not in obtaining the absolute best, it is in not accepting your own limitations and taking pride in your best.

And sometimes worrying over small imperfections is not warranted. In the example I gave of the texture- In the long run, I am not a professional carpenter and the time and practice to reach perfection is not really available to me nor is it that important. A job well done is and that is what I achieved.

So yes, I will "settle" for that, but I don't think I'm kidding myself.