Texture Finish vs. Popcorn Finish

Texture Pros: Unique and Subtle Look

• Texture finishes are often applied by hand, and every artisan's work has a different look. Even when sprayed on, these finishes are more subtle and have less texture than a popcorn ceiling. Often the sprayed-on textures still require some troweling to smooth the plaster. These textures are often referred to as knockdown, Spanish lace or skip trowel techniques. A drywall trowel is used to spread the plaster onto the ceiling and knock down the high areas and peaks. Unlike the cottage cheese look, these textures have many smooth areas.

Texture Cons: Expense

• Having a hand-applied texture increases the price of a drywall project. If you are not applying the texture yourself, you may find that these textures are more expensive than the general acoustical popcorn finishes. These finishes also may have additional layers of paint and glaze applied, which add additional costs to the projects.

Popcorn Texture Pros: Inexpensive

• The popcorn ceiling finish is one of the most common textures sprayed onto ceilings. This acoustical technique decreases noise in loud rooms without carpet and also quickly disguises any ceiling drywall flaws. It is a less-expensive finish than hand-applied textures and does not require as much skill when applying. Though it can be painted, it is often left white without paint, which also reduces construction costs. Paint is added to popcorn ceilings most often to coordinate with the nearby wall colors. Paint does not interfere with acoustical properties.

Popcorn Ceiling Cons: Difficult to Clean

• Popcorn ceiling finishes often are left unpainted. As a result, dust, grime and cobwebs can stick to the texture. Because the texture has many peaks and hard points, when cleaning the ceiling you often break off some of the texture. The dirt might even smear and create a larger section of discoloration when you attempt to clean it.