How to Apply a Crow's Foot Pattern to a Ceiling

A crow's foot pattern is a special textured finish applied to a ceiling purely as a decorative element. It is called crow's foot because the raised texture resembles that of bird claws with a series of short lines emanating from a center point. This texture also goes by the name panda paw and slap brush. Although the texture may seem complicated to apply, it requires only basic supplies.

Tarps
Ladder
Painter's tape
Paint tray
Primer
Paint roller with extension handle
Bucket
Water
Paintbrush
Pre-mixed plaster
Paint stirrer
Safety glasses
Dust mask
Ceiling sprayer

Instructions

- 1
  Spread tarps over the floor to protect it from splatters. Use a ladder to hang additional tarps along the top edge of each wall in the room to protect them from splatters as well.
- 2
  Open a can of primer and pour it into paint tray. Insert a roller with an extension handle into the primer and roll it onto the entire ceiling. Wait until the primer dries completely.
- 3
  Fill a small bucket with water and place a clean paintbrush into it to soak for at least 30 minutes.
- 4
  Open a pre-mixed tub of plaster and add water until the plaster slides easily off a paint stirrer. Pour the watered-down plaster mixture into the hopper of a ceiling sprayer using the amount specified by the manufacturer's instructions.
- 5
  Turn on the sprayer and aim the nozzle at the ceiling. Spray the ceiling with the thin plaster mixture using side-to-side motions and working in 4-foot-wide strips. Stop when you cover the entire ceiling.
- 6
  Place a ladder at one side of the room and remove the paintbrush from the bucket of water. Climb the ladder and turn the brush so the wide portion faces the ceiling. Slap the brush against the ceiling quickly and then pull it down to create the crow's foot pattern. Repeat the process across the entire ceiling until no portion of it is smooth.

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