How to Paint Knock Down

Tape off the edges of baseboards, door frames and window frames. Run tape along the edges of the ceiling corners and cover the floor in front of the knock down wall with drop cloths. Taping off molding and corners protects the surface underneath and allows faster application of paint without slowly cutting-in.

Pour latex paint into a clean empty 1-gallon paint can. Fill the paint can less than half way full. Grab a wooden stir stick and stir the paint in the bottom of the can.

Dab a 3-inch nylon paint brush into the paint can, saturating only the tips of the brush. Do not dunk the entire paint brush into the paint.

Brush the latex paint around the taped edges of the molding and ceiling corners. Apply pressure with the end of the brush to push the paint in between knock down texture. Refrain from pushing aggressively on taped edges, otherwise paint may bleed underneath the tape.

Pour latex paint into a clean 5-gallon bucket and mix the paint with a stir stick. Hook a metal paint screen onto the inside of the paint bucket.

Slide a 1-inch nap paint roller onto a 9-inch roller handle. Loosely wrap painter's tape around the roller and proceed to unravel the tape. Tape removes stray fibers and hairs from new rollers.

Reach into the bucket and skim the edges of the paint roller on the surface of the paint until the roller appears evenly saturated. Spin the roller on the paint screen a couple times to remove heavy paint.

Roll the saturated paint roller over the knock down texture. Push the roller while rolling, to fill pockets and grooves in the textured surface. Paint on the left side of the wall, working to the right in one direction.

Inspect the wall up close for areas needing touch-ups, after completing the first coat. Bare spots are more detectable after the first coat of paint has dried. Fill bare spots using the paint brush. Apply a second coat of latex paint if the wall appears blotchy or transparent.