Textured Ceiling Types

Painted

• The simplest way to achieve a textured ceiling is through the use of paint. There are several techniques, including slap brush and Spanish knife texture, that are created by the motion of the brush. The slap brush technique involves simply pressing the bristles of the brush against the surface to create a randomized, natural-looking surface. The Spanish knife method requires using a knife, after a thick coat of paint is applied to the ceiling, to scrape the paint into small ridges throughout the ceiling surface. Other similar styles are achieved just as easily and are ideal for amateur home painters.

Spackled

• Spackling paste, or simply "Spackle," as it's often called, creates even thicker and deeper textures than paint on a ceiling surface. One of the common uses of Spackle on a ceiling is also one the most popular types of surface textures, known as popcorn texture. The name describes essentially what it is supposed to look like, a thick a layer of bumps spread across the ceiling. Because Spackle is much denser than paint, it is much more effective at achieving this look. This particular texture is useful in rooms that need to absorb noise, which these bumps do by effectively diffusing sound.

Metal

• The use of metal in ceiling textures is altogether different from that of paint or spackling paste. Most commonly, it is used in the form of prefabricated ceiling tiles, usually made of tin or steel. One example is embossed tin ceiling tiles, which were originally popular in the early 20th century. Specific designs were pressed into the metal tiles, which were arranged across the ceiling. This became a way to achieve an ornate and intricate-looking ceiling with relatively little work other than applying the tiles to the surface. Another type of metal texture is stainless steel tread texture, which is typically used on the surfaces of industrial buildings, as opposed to residential properties.