Patching and Plastering - Matching original texture....

The interior walls in my 1950's house are covered with 1/2" sheetrock with 3/4" holes in it every 6" or so and then another 1/2" of plaster added by hand. The hand plaster ozzes through the holes and locks the hand plaster tot he sheetrock. I guess you would call this a transition wall treatment between lath/plaster and today's sheetrock. The final plaster coat contained a course sand that gives the wall a nice texture.

My situation is that I removed an interior door and jamb and sheetrocked the opening and mudded the edges where they tranistion into the original surface. Now I need to match the texture. I did this once before by adding course sand to joint compound and applying it as a skim coat. When it was almost dry I took a damp sponge to it to expose the sand. Sort of worked but mostly just smeared stuff around and it was not a great match.

Can someone give my guidance as to the proper technique I need to use?

Thanks in advance,

DavidJ

I don't know if this is what you have but all the sand textures I've applied were a sand like additive you mixed in paint. If I remember correctly there were 3 grades - fine,medium and coarse. I always bought it at the paint store but haven't used any in quite a few years.

Mix some joint compound : latex paint : mason sand by volume 4:1:2.

Thin this so you can roll it with a paint roller. If you are really lucky this might match well enough but probably not so when it has dried overnight then spread on a tight coat of the same mixture with a trowel and float it with a wet red sponge float.

Timing is crucial. If it's too wet it will smear. If it is too dry you won't raise any sand.
You will know when it is right.

Many thanks Tightcoat, that formula is just what I was looking for.

DavidJ