Different Ways to Use Sheetrock Mud For Textured Ceilings

Brush

• A tool called a stomping brush is used to apply sheetrock mud to the ceiling. The mud is thinned down by adding 2 quarts of water to a 5-gallon bucket of mud. You need a mixing paddle and a drill to thoroughly incorporate the water into the sheetrock mud. The result will be a mixture that is the consistency of thick paint. Dip the stomping brush into the mud and touch it to the ceiling. The brush leaves a circular mud-ring pattern when removed. You can apply the mud in a particular design over the entire ceiling or overlap the mud rings to eliminate any patterns.

Roller

• A paint roller works well to apply sheetrock mud to the ceiling. The results vary according to the nap length on the roller. The longer the nap, the more the mud hangs down from the ceiling. Although the long strands of mud hanging from the ceiling may look fascinating, it is difficult to clean the ceiling without knocking dried pieces of mud onto the floor. You can add texture to the ceiling by incorporating foam balls into the thinned sheetrock. The effect is known as a popcorn ceiling and is accomplished by dipping a long-nap paint roller into the mud and rolling it onto the ceiling.

Knife

• For a smooth texture on the ceiling, apply the thinned sheetrock with a drywall knife. The knife looks like an extremely wide spatula made of metal or plastic. The blade is thin, but one side of the blade is usually slightly thicker than the other. The drywall knife lets you make fan shapes in the sheetrock mud so you can create rosette designs on the ceiling or around the central focal point. The knife also works well if you want to smooth over some of the sheetrock mud after you apply it with a brush or roller. This is known as the knock-down application because you knock down the drips or long-hanging parts of the mud. The ceiling surface is smoother but still remains textured.

Hopper

• A drywall hopper and air compressor create an effect commonly known as splatter or orange peel texture. You must fill the hopper with thinned sheetrock mud and then spray the mud onto the ceiling through a nozzle. There are a variety of nozzles for the drywall hopper that result in different textures. You can use the hopper in conjunction with a knife to create a smoother surface than spraying alone. The portable hoppers generally are 1- or 2-gallon containers with a variety of spray nozzles. You must clean the hopper and the nozzles well after each use or the dried mud can clog the feed or nozzle and render the hopper useless.