There are various techniques that can be used to texturize a plasterboard wall. Most require the use of hopper guns, large paint brushes, special brushes or rollers. It is also possible to use special compounds, such as sealant putty. This article will list some different methods for texturing plasterboard, each of which will require the use of slightly different tools.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Orange Peel Texture
Step 1. Sand the drywall
Using a sander, remove any nooks, crannies and lines in the drywall.
- One of the benefits of the orange peel texture is that it can be used to hide any small defects in the wall. Sandblasting most of the defects in drywall beforehand will help you achieve a smoother, more even surface.
- You can use a round or square sander. Many find that round sanders help remove defects faster and make the wall smoother, but either option will do just fine.
- Use a medium abrasive sponge for corners and other narrow, hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
Step 2. Stir the mixture
Mix the sealing compound with water, until it reaches the consistency of a diluted paint.
- Do not use a premixed compound.
- Turn the mixture into a larger bucket. Add 250 to 500ml of water and mix until you get a smooth, lump-free consistency.
- Use a kneader, or an electric drill with a racket, to mix the mixture. A package or a bucket of compost will generally be sufficient to line an entire room with plasterboard.
- Keep in mind that you may need to remove a ladle or two of compost from the bucket, in case there is not enough space to add water as well. Transfer it momentarily to another container and pour it back into the bucket after mixing the water and reducing the volume of the mixture.
Step 3. Pour the mixture into a hopper
Fill a hopper gun half or three-quarters full with the mixture you made.
- Do not fill the hopper completely. It may become too heavy to maneuver.
- Use a hopper gun with a valve to regulate the air.
- The hopper gun should be equipped with an adjustable wheel with holes of different sizes. Set it on a medium-sized hole and adjust the air valve to ensure a more powerful flow.
- If your hopper gun does not have an air valve, adjust the nozzle with a smaller tip: in this way you will create a more minute texture. The true orange peel texture is created with small droplets of compound, not with large patches. The larger drops are typically used to create a splash texture.
Step 4. Spray the compound onto the drywall
Quickly and evenly spray the mixture on the plasterboard, proceeding from top to bottom and vice versa, from side to side.
- Before you spray the mixture on drywall, try applying it to a piece of cardboard. Adjust the air valve and the nozzle until you get a texture fine enough to satisfy you.
- Once you have drops of the desired size, spray the mixture on the drywall. Keep the hopper gun constantly in motion. If you dwell too much in a single spot, the texture may become too thick.
- When the level of compost in the hopper begins to run low, shake it with some force. This way the remaining mixture should pass through the filler neck. When it is completely finished, fill it with more putty and pick up where you left off.
- Remember that you will not have to cover the entire wall. The drops should be evenly distributed over the entire surface, but by the end you should still be able to see the drywall below.
- Let it dry completely. This may take up to 24 hours.
Step 5. Paint the wall
Prepare and paint the drywall as you normally would.
- Painting drywall is very important. Otherwise your walls will look stained and untidy.
- When you need to clean your orange peel plasterboard, just wipe it with a damp cloth. You can use an all-purpose cleaner for stubborn stains, as long as the paint used allows it.
Method 2 of 3: Sand Grain Texture
Step 1. Prepare the drywall before starting
To create an even texture on the wall, apply a layer of white, non-textured primer to the drywall with a paint roller.
Step 2. Prepare the perlite
Get a 20 liter bucket of perlite, it will be enough to cover a fairly large room.
- Perlite is a type of white primer to which sand has been added. If you can't find a product that is expressly called "perlite", you can also try asking the shopkeeper for a "sand primer".
- Shake or stir the perlite before starting. The sand, over time, will tend to settle on the bottom, so it is advisable to mix the product directly in the store where you buy it. If not, you can always mix it up at home using a long, sturdy wooden pole or a power drill with a racket.
Step 3. Load the brush
Apply a thin layer of perlite on a flat, wide brush.
- To create a "swirl" texture you need to use a large brush. Do not use a paint roller.
- Remember to hold the brush by holding it by the head and not by the handle. Otherwise it will be difficult to create the swirl design. Holding the brush head will allow you to exert more control over the tool.
- Dip the brush in about 5-10 cm of perlite.
- When pulling out the brush, remember to quickly swipe both sides against the edge of the bucket to remove excess paint.
Step 4. Create the first row on top of the drywall
Start in the upper right corner of the wall and create large arched shapes that extend over the entire width of the wall, until reaching the opposite corner.
- The exact shape and size of the stroke will depend on your personal preferences. For a standard and uniform result you can try to make semicircular high and wide brush strokes about 20x20 cm. Connect the left “leg” of each reel with the right “leg” of the following brushstroke.
- You can also try experimenting with brush strokes, creating more abstract and irregular swirls.
- Remember to load the brush with paint after each stroke.
Step 5. Make a second line of brush strokes immediately below the first
Use the same method to apply perlite on the next row.
- The tip of each stroke should cover the gaps left by the eddies in the top row.
- The size of the eddies in the second row should be the same as in the previous row.
- Try to work quickly so you can apply the second line before the previous one dries completely.
Step 6. Continue brushing until you reach the bottom
Create all the lines necessary to cover the entire wall with the perlite eddies.
- The tip of each swirl of a lower row should cover the gaps left by the swirls in the upper row.
- All lines should be as equal in shape and size as possible.
Method 3 of 3: Crow's Foot Texture
Step 1. Sand the drywall
Eliminate any irregularities, lines and corners on the drywall using a sander.
- For most plasterboards, you can use a square or round sanding machine.
- To sand narrower corners and gaps, use a medium-sized abrasive sponge.
Step 2. Mix some of the mixture
Mix the sealant mastic with a little water, until it reaches a soft consistency, similar to batter.
- You can also use a thicker compound, but it will create a heavier texture - which is considered by many to be a bit old-fashioned.
- A pack or a bucket will generally be sufficient to line an entire room.
- Pour the container of putty into a larger bucket. Add 250 to 500ml of water and mix until smooth.
- Use a kneader or an electric drill with a racket to mix the mixture.
- If necessary, remove a ladle or two of the mixture from the bucket in case there is not enough space to add water. Temporarily transfer the excess mixture into another container and pour it back into the bucket after using a little.
Step 3. Apply the compound to a paint roller
Load a paint roller with the compound you made, dipping it into the bucket and wiping off the excess compound.
- For best results, work with a 1, 25 to 2 cm roller.
- Fully dip the roller sponge into the mixture.
- When you take the roller out, shake it lightly to remove most of the excess compound.
- Run the roller along the edges of the bucket to remove excess mixture. You will have to try to fill the sponge of the roller as much as possible, without letting the mixture drip around the room.
Step 4. Cover the outer edges
Start at one corner and run the roller along the vertical edges of the drywall until you reach the opposite side, or run out of compound.
- If the mixture runs out before reaching the opposite corner, reload the roller and pick up where you left off.
- Run the roller along the top and bottom edges of the drywall, starting with the corners that connect to the edges you made earlier. Finish the section of plasterboard by joining the lower and upper edges along the other outer edge, proceeding from the lower corner to the upper one.
Step 5. Cover the remaining drywall with the compound
Apply the compound to the remaining plasterboard surface, proceeding with forward and backward lines.
- Proceed in straight, overlapping lines, from right to left. Continue until you have completely covered the drywall.
- Roll over the layers of compound, proceeding perpendicular to the previous lines. You won't need to apply any more compound, you just have to go over the existing layers to make the coating more even.
Step 6. Cover a goose-foot brush with the mixture
Apply a generous amount of compound to the surface of a goose-foot brush positioned on a rather long shaft.
- To apply the compound, remember to use the roller. Do not immerse the brush directly in the bucket.
- This operation must be performed when the brush is still dry. The initial layer of putty will be applied to allow the brush to touch the compound spread on the plasterboard without sticking.
Step 7. Run the brush over the drywall
Pass the brush on the compound present on the plasterboard, applying it with quick and powerful movements, as if you were pulling a "slap" on the wall.
- The brush should be placed flat on the plasterboard, not sideways. The crow's feet texture can only be achieved if the bristles of the brush will touch the compound with the tips, not the sides.
- One of the advantages of this technique is that it is very customizable and will allow you to freely choose the final effect. However, remember that creating smooth, pleasing “sketches” can be difficult if you are inexperienced.
- Try to rotate the brush with each movement. Keep rotating the brush as you go left, right, up and down. Otherwise you may end up creating a design that is too obvious, which is not the best effect for this type of technique. However, remember to rotate the brush in mid-air, not when it is in contact with the plasterboard.
- Make sure you hit each shot with some power. Otherwise the compound would tend to accumulate on the brush, forming lumps.
- Go over the edges with the brush. The edges of mud created by the roller must be covered by the application of the brush.
Step 8. Clean the corners
Run a putty knife along the edges of the drywall to flatten the corners.
- Dip the putty knife in a small amount of compound before smoothing out the corners of the drywall.
- Run the putty knife along the smooth edge near the drywall. Do not pass it on the machined surface.
- Let it dry completely.
Advice
- Before you begin, place a protective sheet over the floor and move any furniture away. This will protect the room and your furniture from any primer or compound splashes. Also remember to wear clothes that you can afford to get dirty, as well as a pair of goggles to protect your eyes.
- Before you begin, cover any areas of the part or ceiling that you don't want to finish with several overlapping layers of painter's tape.
