How to texture your walls

Joyce
by Joyce
  7 answers
  • Kerry Trout Kerry Trout on Jun 16, 2017

    There are several ways to do this, depending on your resources at hand. I have used tissu paper, drywall mud, or even sand. What type of loo do you want?

  • Lora Lora on Jun 16, 2017

    There is a spray sold at Home Depot for small areas that have been repaired. For large areas contractors have a machine/tool they use. You may need to rent this or hire someone.

  • Carole Triplett Brooks Carole Triplett Brooks on Jun 16, 2017

    These basic drywall texturing techniques get you started in developing your own creative style.


    Method One: The Roller Sheetrock Texturing Method


    You’ll need:

    Paint roller handle with cover and extension pole

    Paint roller pan

    Electric drill; use a heavy-duty tool rather than a budget model

    Ribbon mixer (found in drywall taping tool area of the home improvement store)

    Drop cloths - or a couple rolls of paper

    5 gallon bucket(s) of pre-mixed sheetrock mud (drywall compound)or powder


    Tape the drop cloths to the baseboards and doorways with painters tape. Cover anything you have closer by.



    In a garage or outside, begin by thinning out the mud with water. Transfer half the mud to a sturdy plastic bucket. Add a cup of water to the remaining mud and mix it in well using the ribbon mixer with your electric drill. You might have to add some more water or mud. Ideally, it should have a consistency of a milk shake.


    Apply the Texture


    Pour some thinned mud in the roller pan. There are two factors that determine how pronounced the finished texture will be — the nap of the roller used and the speed with which you roll the wall.


    Play around with this with the first area before it dries until you get it where you like it.


    As you roll the nap will lift the mud off the wall in peaks. The slower you go, the higher the peaks will be.


    Start rolling up and down in one corner and work your way around the room. For a more erratic pattern, roll back over it at random angles. Set your internal artist free!


    The Knockdown Sheetrock Texture Method


    For this Method you’ll need:

    Everything from the previous list except for the painting tools

    Crow’s foot stomp brush or a homemade knockdown texture tool

    Wide (about 10”) taping knife

    Narrow taping knife and perhaps a putty knife for those tight spots

    Mud pan


    Thin out the mud as before but leave it a bit thicker. You’ll get a feel for your personal preference by trial and error.


    Apply the Texture


    For the knockdown texturing method, you still want to raise peaks in the mud on your drywall. The difference here is that rather than rolling the mud, the crow’s foot brush or the homemade knockdown texture tool is dipped in the mud (not submerged), pushed onto the sheetrock, and pulled off.

    Overlap a bit. Do a section that you can conveniently reach and then knock it down and do another section.


    Knock Down the Texture


    This is the step that gives this texture its character. What you want to do here is lightly drag the knife at about a 45 degree angle across the peaks in the mud to flatten them off (think plateau). As mud accumulates on the knife scrape the excess into the mud pan.


    The knockdown takes a little practice but you can re-stomp anywhere as long as the mud is still wet.


    You can also search YouTube for How to Apply Drywall texture.


    And in Summary...


    As you can see, neither of these techniques is set in stone; they are jumping off points for your personal decorating style. For example, with the roller texturing method, a heavy, slow nap can be used and knocked down for a semi-corduroy effect.

    With the crow’s foot or the homemade tool, you might try a slight swirling movement while pulling off. The point is, experiment and have fun!

  • Angela Cosner Angela Cosner on Jun 16, 2017

    A friend had glue on the wall and threw straw at it. They then painted over it, it looked sweet.

  • Just Retired Just Retired on Jun 16, 2017

    Depends on how much texture you want but at a paint store you can buy sand that is formulated to add to paint. Then mix with paint and roll on as you would with any other paint.

  • Adam Eng Adam Eng on Jun 20, 2017

    you might want to install shiplap