Hello Christine, >> Pretty easy fix for the tape: * Get a small tub of vinyl spackling compound or "joint cement". * Gently lift the tape, and put just a tiny bit of "mud" onto the wall with a narrow putty knife. A thin "see-thru" layer is fine. * Next, use a wider (4"-6") knife and spread an even layer on top of the tape to "set" the tape into the wall mud. Use LIGHT pressure at the wall-corner! Ya don't wanna tear into the corner tape. * Object here is to have a seamless application of mud over this tape area. After it's dry, LIGHTLY "feather-sand" your patch with a 220-grit sanding sponge. * Vacuum off the dust from area, prime (1 coat) and paint (2 coats!!). The most common is FLAT on ceilings...usually because people don't want sheen from lamps, etc. on a ceiling. However, Eggshell is a nice choice too. Very subtle sheen (depending on brand!!). TOOLS: Use the best brushes/roller-covers you can buy. * Get a nice stiff roller-frame...$5-$10 for a good one. * Buy/borrow a STIFF pole!! Painting overhead with a "bendy" pole/roller-frame is a PITA! * Use a 3/4" or maybe 1" nap for popcorn ceilings...3/8" or 1/2" for smooth surfaces. Enjoy! Faron

The most common problem is that you are not staying the same distance from the thing you are painting. If it's a flat thing, put a straight stick the right distance away and rest your wrist on the stick. Slide it back and forth to paint. If it's a round thing, put it on a turntable, rest your hand on something and rotate the object past your hand. Second common problem: not putting enough paint on in a single coat, so the orange peel surface can't create itself. It's a tricky surface, because you have to put on so much paint at once it's right at the edge of dripping.

Granted, smooth walls are very hard to do well, and every little nick or wave in the drywall shows. But when done well, and painted well, it's pretty amazing. And it makes the room look bigger because you lose a visual sense of where the wall actually is, especially if you use a flat finish. I just got so tired of 11 years of that knock-down collecting so much dust and dirt. Another alternative is that with each successive painting of your textured walls, the pattern disappears as the paint builds up. When we bought our house, I immediately painted the bedrooms and noticed a huge difference, especially since I used 2 coats. I didn't do the common areas, and you could see the ridges and plateaus much more easily. To each his/her own.

Covering over the drywall may be your best option. To do this, locate and mark all underlying studs with a stud finder before starting and use longer drywall screws to go through the extra thickness. You could then hire a taper to tape and finish the drywall. They probably would not charge much for just the wall. Or you could try the taping yourself - if you do, go to the site below - it is written for beginners. Keep in mind that you will have to tape the joints and also the corners where the wall meets the other walls and ceiling. Here is a link that might be useful: Drywall Taping