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Orange Peel on the Walls? Really?

By
Real Estate Agent with eXp Realty of California, Inc. CA DRE #01490977

Orange Peel on the Walls? Really?

 

It’s a strange thing, particularly for someone coming from New England, but orange peel on the walls is pretty odd.

 

I’ve gotten used to it, but I still find it rather “unappeeling” (pun intended), but it sure is common in these parts. Indeed, it seems more common than smooth-surface walls which I am used to from back East. I don’t know why it’s so popular or if there are particular reasons for its use, except that it might be easier to deal with than seams and such from the drywall and applying a skim coating of plaster.

 

Orange peel wall textureOrange peel is a type of dry-wall texturing that you see in many homes, including new ones, even some expensive homes.

 

The name comes from…you guessed it!

 

You spray it on (you can do it yourself if you are so inclined – check out Home Depot) and then paint as you would any wall surface.

 

And from what I have seen, having it or not is not an option in the new homes I have seen built. There is a new community where they proudly state the homes all have smooth walls. Thank goodness!

 

It probably hides lots of flaws, but dang, if you don’t like it and want to change it I would think it would be a major project…that’s means $$$.

 

I think it lasts forever! That can be good OR bad.

 

I’ll rely on my California colleagues to comment further and share their knowledge.

 

Don’t get me started on the cottage cheese ceilings.

Another topic for a later post.

Posted by

Jeff Dowler, CRS
Certified Residential Specialist / Realtor®


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Comments (53)

Eileen Hsu
Douglas Elliman Real Estate - Manhattan, NY
LICENSED REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON

In Manhattan we rarely run into orange peel walls, we do run into ceilings with the texturing from time to time. 

Apr 27, 2012 02:11 AM
Lee & Pamela St. Peter
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Realty: (919) 645-2522 - Raleigh, NC
Making Connections to Success in Real Estate

funny things we see in housesJeff, things could always be worse...  This is for Mike McCann! 

Fun post Jeff - Congrats on the 326 Featured Posts!!
P
amela

Apr 27, 2012 02:14 AM
Michelle Gibson
Hansen Real Estate Group Inc. - Wellington, FL
REALTOR

Jeff - Many years ago one of our local builders was charging MORE for this.

Apr 27, 2012 02:51 AM
Steven Cook
No Longer Processing Mortgages. - Tacoma, WA

Jeff -- something a bit different was common in the Seattle area in the mid-50s -- it was basically smooth, but then it looked like they added sand to the paint, so you had all these little things sticking out from the wall.

Apr 27, 2012 03:54 AM
Jo Olson
HOMEFRONT Realty - Kettle Falls, WA
Retired - HOMEFRONT Realty @ LAKE Roosevelt

A light spray texture here is the norm.  I like it.  I have a 1941 home so the walls are all hand plaster - I love it! The only rooms with "smooth" are the kitchen and the bathroom.  Back then those guys could do some work!  Not very "level" but amazing!

Apr 27, 2012 04:05 AM
William Johnson
Retired - La Jolla, CA
Retired
Hi Jeff, Congrats on the feature. I wondered have you ever heard of horse-hair plaster? Our home back east was well over a hundred years old when my Dad bought it and it had the horse hair plaster throughout. It was used to strengthen the paster that was hand applied over lath. Because of the tensile strength of the horse hair, the plaster could expand and contract without cracking. It was true craftsmanship back then.
Apr 27, 2012 07:54 AM
Mel Ahrens, MBA, Kelly Right Real Estate
Kelly Right Real Estate - Hood River, OR
Customized Choices for your Real Estate Needs

Okay, I admit it, I actually had to stop reading your blog to look at my walls to see what I have. I knew they were textured but I guess not as much as your example so I don't know if they qualify as actual "orange peel". I like it, but probably not enough to add it if it weren't already there.

Apr 27, 2012 09:08 AM
Christine Donovan
Donovan Blatt Realty - Costa Mesa, CA
Broker/Attorney 714-319-9751 DRE01267479 - Costa M

Jeff - I hadn't thought much about it though I'm a California native and think of it as pretty normal.

Apr 27, 2012 12:09 PM
1~Judi Barrett
Integrity Real Estate Services 116 SE AVE N, Idabel, OK 74745 - Idabel, OK
BS Ed, Integrity Real Estate Services -IDABEL OK

A dragged texture or orange peel is very popular here.. 

Apr 27, 2012 12:58 PM
Joan Whitebook
BHG The Masiello Group - Nashua, NH
Consumer Focused Real Estate Services

Oh my something else to keep the buyer from proceeding!

Apr 27, 2012 01:02 PM
Joy Daniels
Joy Daniels Real Estate Group, Ltd. - Harrisburg, PA

When I see this type of paint, I wonder . . . what are they covering up.  I think it's great that different areas apprecaite different things, it is what makes the world so interesting.  But I prefer a smooth wall.  :)  I'll use plain paint to make changes if I want a change.  :)

Apr 27, 2012 01:22 PM
Tammie White, Broker
Franklin Homes Realty LLC - Franklin, TN
Franklin TN Homes for Sale

Smooth walls here. It is absolutely to save money on taping and mudding drywall. You only see this finish on the ceilings of less expensive homes here. Thank goodness.

Apr 27, 2012 01:57 PM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Jeff, you sparay it on?  That sounds a little bit like that product with hair in the can! 

Apr 27, 2012 01:58 PM
Stacey Smith
Keller Williams Realty - Aliso Viejo, CA
Your Orange County Beach Cities Realtor

After reading this post I felt the need to look at my walls to see if it's the Orange Peep texture.. Sure enough it is... Go figure! :)

Apr 27, 2012 03:03 PM
Russell Lewis
Realty Austin, Austin Texas Real Estate - Austin, TX
Broker,CLHMS,GRI

Well...as mentioned before it's way better than Popcorn on the ceiling!

Apr 27, 2012 10:37 PM
Joni Bailey
101 Main St. Realty - Huntsville, TX
Your Huntsville / Lake Livingston Area REALTOR®

Yikes! Smooth walls would be like the contractor left before he finished the job. Not in Texas. We like oranges here! :)

Apr 27, 2012 11:31 PM
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

Well good news! If you really hate it you can apply this application (Home Depot) and it just peels right off the wall & falls on the floor! Very dirty, messy but it's a great feeling to see all the stuff falling off in clumps. Also gets rid of popcorn ceilings which is even WORSE IMHO. What moron decided that a meringue effect was great for a ceiling?

Apr 28, 2012 04:23 AM
Suzanne McLaughlin
Sabinske & Associates, Inc. (Albertville, St. Michael) - Saint Michael, MN
Sabinske & Associates, Realtor

I absolutely hate that on the walls, and I am not thrilled with it on ceilings either.  Although I am not from California, I thought I'd throw my two cents in anyway.

Apr 28, 2012 06:05 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Debbie - I like plaster walls myself.

Lenn - like so many other trends - shag carpets, avocado green appliances, paneling, etc.

Michael - I've painted a few rough walls over the years, too

Gary - hmm, makeup for a possibly flawed wall. Well there's a slant to use. LOL

Mike - yeah we had that in PA where I grew up

Fernando - Ha ha. I sure remember those days. We still see some paneling, and it even gets painted. But it still is what it is. Saw a house with fake bricks on the wall recently that were painted white.

Jeff

Apr 28, 2012 09:20 AM
James Lowenstern
Castles Unlimited® - Newton, MA
Castles Unlimited. Newton MA Real Estate

Is that what Craft-Tex is?

Apr 28, 2012 10:46 PM