Adding texture to a wall before painting

[Fatman]

I'm painting a small room and want to add texture to the wall (the small sand-paper effect). From what I understand, professionals do this with a spray applicator that blows the texture on and is easy to make the swirled appearance that is very common. Any tips for doing this with a roller/brush?

[nuke'em ttg]

I'm painting a small room and want to add texture to the wall (the small sand-paper effect). From what I understand, professionals do this with a spray applicator that blows the texture on and is easy to make the swirled appearance that is very common. Any tips for doing this with a roller/brush?

 

Blowin with a texture gun would be the ticket but even that takes some technique ta keep it even for a novice....in your case I've mixed joint compound with paint primer so it's like pancake batter or less and rolled it for a nice even look like you're talkin.....someone told me to use the primer instead of water to save a painting step but i always want chit totally perfect so when it dried i primed the whole wall again before paintin...practice your rollin on a chunk of cardboard or in a closet

[Hat Trick]

I'm painting a small room and want to add texture to the wall (the small sand-paper effect). From what I understand, professionals do this with a spray applicator that blows the texture on and is easy to make the swirled appearance that is very common. Any tips for doing this with a roller/brush?

 

Other than getting it mixed really well, nothing really. Just follow the instructions and roll it on. I personally don't like the look, but you're not out to please me. Good luck.

 

I would definitely want it sprayed on with the gun.

Edited December 31, 2008 by Hat Trick

[rajncajn]

The gun is definitely the way to go. Beware though, the texture will shrink when it dries. Test it in a closet first & let it fully dry before doing an entire room.

[whoopazz]

I bought paint with the sand mixed in it and rolled it on. Didn't come out very well, it was impossible to not get lines.

[DemonKnight]

It's called "Knockdown". It's rather easy to put up.

 

Go to your local Rental Depot and rent a Knockdown Gun. If you dont own a compressor, you'll need that also. They sometimes sell the mix you need as well. You'll also want a paddle for your drill to mix it with, they're cheap. You will need a big mud knife as well, like 12''. Mix up the knockdown in a 5 gallon bucket, it comes as a powder so mix it to just a little to just under spackle consistency, this is the hard part. Start with small batches till you get the knack. Test it out on a big piece of cardboard. Theres a hopper you pour the knockdown mix in on top of the gun and a little knob on the side of the sprayer that regulates the amount of material that gets sprayed. You will also want to play with this to get the desired application. Again, test it out on the cardboard or spare piece of drywall. What you're looking for is little bubbles on the wall no deeper than 1/8''. Spray on the whole wall in 4-6' sections then come back and knock it down with your mud knife in random circles. You want to give the mix time to just set up a little. Then come back with your mud knife and knock it down, spreading it flat. Thus the name. If you dont give it enough set up time it will just smear, too much time and youll just have a bunch of little bubbles on the wall. If you mess up, just let it dry and pole sand it down. You cant really screw up, just cause yourself more work. It's a messy process so use plastic dropcloths on everything you dont want ruined. When you're done, let it dry and come back and paint over it as normal.

 

You can rent the gun for like $15/day the compressor is a little more expensive. The mix is like $10/bag I believe. I painted and fauxed for years so I did this a bunch. It's actually pretty enjoyable to do, IMO. If you want a nicer, similar finish, I love venitian marble. You will need a course from Home Depot or an experienced faux artist for this though. Let me know if you have any more questions.

[Fatman]

Thanks for the info guys...I'm going to paint a small test patch as well as look into renting a gun.

[darin3]

It's called "Knockdown". It's rather easy to put up.

Are you sure he's talking about knockdown? I've never heard it described as "small sandpaper effect".

 

Thanks for the info guys...I'm going to paint a small test patch as well as look into renting a gun.

Fat, if it's knockdown you want, you most definitely do not have to rent a compressor and gun, especially if it's a small room. If it's a small area, just buy some knockdown in a bottle. We did this in our bathroom and it turned out fine.

 

If you go the gun route, it's going to get messy.

 

You can't really see the texturing, but here are some pics of our bathroom: here

 

For some reason, it's not showing up on Home Depot's site, but this is what I got there to accomplish the job.

[DemonKnight]

Are you sure he's talking about knockdown? I've never heard it described as "small sandpaper effect".

 

Well, he might be thinking about popcorn but that is usually reserved for ceilings. I could imagine the constant mess from having things rub up against the popcorn on the wall and knocking it onto the floor. On top of it looking tacky as hell...

 

ETA: I guess the question is: What are you looking to accomplish Fatman? Cover up blemishes in the wall? Are you totally set on the "sandpaper" look?

Edited December 31, 2008 by DemonKnight

[Hat Trick]

Are you sure he's talking about knockdown? I've never heard it described as "small sandpaper effect".

I think this is because he is talking about adding a sand mixture to the paint or buying it premixed. I personally think it looks really bad.

 

ETA, I would follow DK's recommendation, this is the professional look that you are probably going to want in the long run.

Edited December 31, 2008 by Hat Trick

[Fatman]

The texture looks like paint with sand mixed into...as I generally see it, the pattern has a bit of a swirl to it in the way that it is applied. I have a gallon of a hallman/lindsay product that is called "Paint Roller Texture" or something of the sort, essentially a primer to add the texture as I understand it. The goal here is just to give a bit of texture to some drywall that is up before painting with an interior flat paint.

[SteelBunz]

I thought he was talking about the sueded effect. Where there is sometimes a fine "sand" in the paint.....Sherwin-Williams has a couple types (one is SoftSuede.....the other is what I thought you really wanted.....SandScapes)......Ralph Lauren has one called River Rock at Home Depot.

 

It's sort of labor intensive.....but if you're patient, it can look gorgeous. Be prepared though......these specialty paints have their own palette set......you have to choose one. At least at SW.....you cannot get a custom color because they can't guarantee what the color will look like. But they do have some nice choices.

 

This might be a less messy choice if you were looking for a more subtle textured finish, instead of a gun.

Edited December 31, 2008 by SteelBunz

[DemonKnight]

I thought he was talking about the sueded effect. Where there is sometimes a fine "sand" in the paint.....Sherwin-Williams has a couple types (one is SoftSuede.....the other is what I thought you really wanted.....SandScapes)......Ralph Lauren has one called River Rock at Home Depot.

 

It's sort of labor intensive.....but if you're patient, it can look gorgeous. Be prepared though......these specialty paints have their own palette set......you have to choose one. At least at SW.....you cannot get a custom color because they can't guarantee what the color will look like. But they do have some nice choices.

 

This might be a less messy choice if you were looking for a more subtle textured finish, instead of a gun.

 

That could look nice, thanks for the links.

 

I am always leery of rolling up any texture. Like someone mentioned earlier, the lines you get from the roller edges are are almost unavoidable. Maybe get a big brush and "back brush" it, much like you do with rolling oil paints... Essentially roll it up and come back with the biggest brush you can buy and very lightly brush it to even out the finish.

[Fatman]

Thanks for the links Bunz...it's similar to what you're talking about, except I will be painting white. I'm planning on applying the texture coat as a primer and then putting a white top coat over that. It is a pretty subtle finish, but not as smooth as dry wall.

[Fatman]

That could look nice, thanks for the links.

 

I am always leery of rolling up any texture. Like someone mentioned earlier, the lines you get from the roller edges are are almost unavoidable. Maybe get a big brush and "back brush" it, much like you do with rolling oil paints... Essentially roll it up and come back with the biggest brush you can buy and very lightly brush it to even out the finish.

 

I can see that being an issue...I'm going to start in an hour or so and I'll report back what the sample looks like.

[SteelBunz]

That could look nice, thanks for the links.

 

I am always leery of rolling up any texture. Like someone mentioned earlier, the lines you get from the roller edges are are almost unavoidable. Maybe get a big brush and "back brush" it, much like you do with rolling oil paints... Essentially roll it up and come back with the biggest brush you can buy and very lightly brush it to even out the finish.

Yeah.....the "top coats" are semi-opaque......so the darker you try to go, the smearier they are and require more coats to even out. (A lot of glazing liquid...no white pigment really) But the suede paint is designed for back brushing. All of them recommend special roller covers, not the regular cloth ones. But just pull a brochure.....it'll tell you what they recommend.

 

Now.....my "worn leather" walls I actually did with oil paint.......lol. Will be a pain to paint over......but for now......what a joy to clean. Just soap down with water and a sponge.....easy!

[SteelBunz]

Thanks for the links Bunz...it's similar to what you're talking about, except I will be painting white. I'm planning on applying the texture coat as a primer and then putting a white top coat over that. It is a pretty subtle finish, but not as smooth as dry wall.

Just read the box of texture though. It clearly says to prime after dry and before painting. (Even if you're just going white.) It will still be a two step process for your painting.

[detlef]

We used Ralph Lauren Suede that we got from Home Depot. Came out pretty well, though I've become sort of tired of it and wish we'd simply gone smooth (fortunately it's just one small room). Smooth walls will never go out of style. Hell, I can't imagine what hassle will await us if we decide to do away with the texture.

Edited December 31, 2008 by detlef

[SteelBunz]

We used Ralph Lauren Suede that we got from Home Depot. Came out pretty well, though I've become sort of tired of it and wish we'd simply gone smooth (fortunately it's just one small room). Smooth walls will never go out of style. Hell, I can't imagine what hassle will await us if we decide to do away with the texture.

That texture is subtle enough that a couple coats of a good, thick primer should negate it before you paint another color. The sanded paint.....not so much.

 

I do have one suggestion DK.......if you ever Venetian plaster. My sister used it in her kitchen......turned out beautifully. Except for one thing. She didn't tint the plaster. She did the technique, then painted it. Well.....it has a tendancy to chip off sometimes. If the wall isn't basecoated and the marble dust tinted......it will be obvious (white). Just a nice tip.

[DemonKnight]

That texture is subtle enough that a couple coats of a good, thick primer should negate it before you paint another color. The sanded paint.....not so much.

 

I do have one suggestion DK.......if you ever Venetian plaster. My sister used it in her kitchen......turned out beautifully. Except for one thing. She didn't tint the plaster. She did the technique, then painted it. Well.....it has a tendancy to chip off sometimes. If the wall isn't basecoated and the marble dust tinted......it will be obvious (white). Just a nice tip.

 

Never done it any other way but tinting the plaster. Seems to me like painting it would cause it to lose my favorite property of it: the coolness to the touch and the shine...

 

Sounds like you know yer faux, you do it for money or just for fun?

[SteelBunz]

Never done it any other way but tinting the plaster. Seems to me like painting it would cause it to lose my favorite property of it: the coolness to the touch and the shine...

 

Sounds like you know yer faux, you do it for money or just for fun?

 

Just one part of my many projects over the last 6 or 7 years. I've done a few murals...some stippling, ragging...but mostly I'll prep a room for another painter. Caulk out all the woodwork, patch walls...I'm a heck of a mudder.....not fast......but pretty good. We did the texture gun down at Rajn's.....had to marry the upper 4 feet of original wall to the lower 4 feet of new wall. AC and Rajn ended up doing the actual splatter......turned out nice! Personally.....there are very few textured walls I like. The knockdown is nice.....but not the whole house. I'm a smooth wall girl...LOL.

 

Right now I'm mulling over what to do in my hallway. 55 year old home with nail pops all over the place. Plus that hallway has 6 doorways. So rather than just fixing the pops and ending up with obvious repairs after painting.....I'm thinking of skimcoating the entire thing. There's a very lightweight fabric/paper treatment out there (still looking into it) that you can use with a thinned down mud. Keeps cracks from coming back and let's you get back to smooth homogenous walls. Sort of similar technique to using fiberglass fabric and epoxy......for you car guys. We'll see.

 

There's a nice technique I did for a kitchen once. Instead of a glaze over a warm deep red......I ragged on/off a deep mahogany stain. Then we topcoated it with a watered down poly for durability.....kitchen grease is tough on any paint. Looks like those old worn red leather chairs you see in fabulous paneled dens......LOL. Not much wall space left in a kitchen after backslashes and cabinets, so it ended up giving the room a warm jeweltone splash of color. Looked great.

 

So...sometimes for money.....most times not.......LOL.

[Rovers]

Just one part of my many projects over the last 6 or 7 years. I've done a few murals...some stippling, ragging...but mostly I'll prep a room for another painter. Caulk out all the woodwork, patch walls...I'm a heck of a mudder.....not fast......but pretty good. We did the texture gun down at Rajn's.....had to marry the upper 4 feet of original wall to the lower 4 feet of new wall. AC and Rajn ended up doing the actual splatter......turned out nice! Personally.....there are very few textured walls I like. The knockdown is nice.....but not the whole house. I'm a smooth wall girl...LOL.

 

Right now I'm mulling over what to do in my hallway. 55 year old home with nail pops all over the place. Plus that hallway has 6 doorways. So rather than just fixing the pops and ending up with obvious repairs after painting.....I'm thinking of skimcoating the entire thing. There's a very lightweight fabric/paper treatment out there (still looking into it) that you can use with a thinned down mud. Keeps cracks from coming back and let's you get back to smooth homogenous walls. Sort of similar technique to using fiberglass fabric and epoxy......for you car guys. We'll see.

 

There's a nice technique I did for a kitchen once. Instead of a glaze over a warm deep red......I ragged on/off a deep mahogany stain. Then we topcoated it with a watered down poly for durability.....kitchen grease is tough on any paint. Looks like those old worn red leather chairs you see in fabulous paneled dens......LOL. Not much wall space left in a kitchen after backslashes and cabinets, so it ended up giving the room a warm jeweltone splash of color. Looked great.

 

So...sometimes for money.....most times not.......LOL.

 

A suggestion... any where there are nail pops, remove those nails and use dry wall screws in those areas. Those nail pops will come back even if you skim coat it. Any nail pop is indicative of settling in older houses, and they will continue to shift. Screws won't move or pop, even as the house continues to settle. Install the dry wall screws near the popped nails, remove those nails, then skim coat. I've done this even on sand painted ceilings with good results. The sand painted ceilings are tricky... you have to first sand the area smooth, removing the old sand texture, then skim coat, then refinish with a sand/primer application. Then, add about 6 additional layers of paint over the newly sand textured area.

 

You need to apply a bunch of coats because the original textured ceiling has so many coats of paint on it, those sand "bumps" no longer even look like sand texturing. I've been able to do this in my 53 year old house, in particilar in one area where the upstairs shower drain trap sprung a hugh leak.

[SteelBunz]

A suggestion... any where there are nail pops, remove those nails and use dry wall screws in those areas. Those nail pops will come back even if you skim coat it. Any nail pop is indicative of settling in older houses, and they will continue to shift. Screws won't move or pop, even as the house continues to settle. Install the dry wall screws near the popped nails, remove those nails, then skim coat. I've done this even on sand painted ceilings with good results. The sand painted ceilings are tricky... you have to first sand the area smooth, removing the old sand texture, then skim coat, then refinish with a sand/primer application. Then, add about 6 additional layers of paint over the newly sand textured area.

 

You need to apply a bunch of coats because the original textured ceiling has so many coats of paint on it, those sand "bumps" no longer even look like sand texturing. I've been able to do this in my 53 year old house, in particilar in one area where the upstairs shower drain trap sprung a hugh leak.

 

Thanks Rovers.....I know all this hun. Point is......it's nearly every nail in the hailway drywall. It's also sort of a catch-22.......when you use drywall screws, one on either side of the popped nail......you inevitably get even more popping along that stud. So basically.....at least in this hallway.....I'm rescrewing ALL the drywall (ceiling too). Instead of trying to match wall texture from 55 years of paint......I was going to skimcoat.....AFTER I fixed all the pops.

[Fatman]

So this is the product I ended up using.

 

Rolled on a heavy coat to walls and ceiling as a primer. Applied a latex paint on top and it looks great.

[Randall]

So this is the product I ended up using.

 

Rolled on a heavy coat to walls and ceiling as a primer. Applied a latex paint on top and it looks great.

 

 

They are a good company. I usually just add joint compound to paint until I get the thickness I want.