How to Apply a Drywall Compound to a Plaster Wall for a Textured Look

If your old plaster wall has ridges, dips and other problems, but you don't want to rip it out and start from scratch, you can texture the surface. By spreading drywall compound finely over the surface, and then forming it into peaks and bumps with a trowel, you will add some character to the wall while obscuring some of the problems with it. See your local home improvement store for the best kind of compound to use for this project.

Tarps
Paint roller
Primer
Flat rubber trowel
Drywall compound

Instructions

- 1
  Take the the furniture out of the room. Spread out tarps on the floor at the base of the wall.
- 2
  Spread primer over the whole wall with your paint roller, covering it completely. Let it dry for 12 hours.
- 3
  Use your rubber trowel to spread drywall compound over about 4 square feet of the wall, starting at one end. Make it about ¼ inch thick.
- 4
  Set the rubber trowel into the compound, flat, then pull straight out, to create texture peaks and in the compound.
- 5
  Move the float over, next to the textured area, and repeat. Continue until you have pressed and pulled over the whole compound surface.
- 6
  Spread on additional compound, next to the first section you did. Repeat, texturing the whole wall section by section. Let the compound set 24 hours. Move the furniture back in.

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