What Is a Spanish Lace Drywall Texture?

Application

• Spanish lace is often sprayed on with thinned-down drywall compound. Once applied to the wall, a trowel is used to smooth the plaster. A second method to create Spanish lace is to spray the joint compound over the wall and stamp into the plaster using a drywall tool.

Benefits

• Besides being visually appealing, Spanish lace drywall texture is used to disguise drywall flaws. Creating a completely smooth wall is often difficult. Drywall seams and joints occasionally are visible, and drywall screws sometimes pop out of place. The Spanish lace texture creates relief so these flaws are no longer visible.

Finished Look

• When applied to the ceiling, Spanish lace should be painted with flat sheen paint. Ceilings may show more flaws when painted with paint that has a sheen. Spanish lace textured walls can be painted any sheen of paint, though a high gloss paint can deter from the textured look. The finish is generally washed with a a dark brown glaze to create a faux finish effect. The decorative glaze treatment falls into the crevices of the Spanish lace and highlights the plaster's low and high areas.

Additional Tips

• Spanish lace is usually added during the construction process of a home. However, you can still add the texture finish to your walls. The project requires the entire room to be cleared of all furniture because the plaster tends to spray in different directions. If you are hiring a drywall artist, ask to see samples of her Spanish lace texture. Drywall artists should show you exactly what the texture looks like. Each person's Spanish lace look is different.