Texturing Techniques

Popcorn Texture/Acoustic

• Popcorn texture was used for ceilings. It is a mixture of drywall compound and small styrofoam balls much like you would find in a bean bag chair. It is still found in many older homes. This texture can be bought ready to use by just adding water, or for small repairs, already mixed. The add-water popcorn texture is applied by using a hopper and a compressor. The mixture is poured into the hopper and then blown onto the ceiling. Ready-mix popcorn texture is for small repairs and is applied with with a drywall knife.

Orange Peel

• Orange peel texture actually resembles the skin of an orange. It is applied using a hopper and a compressor. Drywall compound is mixed with water to the consistency of a cake mix. It is poured into the hopper and blown onto walls. You can choose the size of splatters that the hopper creates by changing the size of the tip on the hopper.

Knock Down

• Knock down texture is still used today. It is most often used on new homes for its ease of application. Knock down texture is applied exactly like orange peel. The difference is after the texture is blown onto the wall, it is "knocked down" with a drywall knife. The drywall knife is held as flat as possible to the wall. With very little pressure the knife is pulled down or across the wall. This technique flattens the splatters created by the hopper, but does not completely smooth out the compound. The key is to not allow the drywall knife to become caked with drywall compound. It is important to scrape the knife off after every pass across the wall.

Trowel

• Trowel texturing is accomplished by randomly spreading drywall compound across the wall. This type of texture also is applied to ceilings. Drywall compound is mixed with enough water to make the application easier, but not so much water that the compound will not stay on the trowel. There is no exact pattern for this texture. The technique is to apply the compound by smearing it across the wall with the trowel in random directions overlapping each time. By overlapping the applications you avoid having large bare spots in the texture.

Sand

• Sand texture will give the wall a rough sandy look somewhat like sandpaper. This texture is applied by a roller or can be blown on with a hopper. Typically a white quartz sand is mixed into the paint. It should not be too thick in consistency for rolling onto walls. The sand is slowly mixed into the paint until the desired consistency is achieved.

Stamp

• This texture is applied with a stamper. The stamper is attached to a paint pole. Drywall compound thinned down with water is applied to walls or ceilings with the stamper. The technique is as the name applies. The compound is applied by dipping the stamper into the compound and then stamping or pushing the stamper to the wall and then pulling it straight back. The effect is a stipple texture. By pulling the stamper back, it also pulls some of the compound with it, leaving points or stipples. The stipples also can be knocked down with a drywall knife, achieving a completely different effect.