I am doing some minor remodeling on a house. I wanted texture on the walls but didn't want to deal with the mess (and expertise required) of spray texture, so I'm creating a custom texture on the walls by hand using lite joint compound and a 12" taping knife. My question is: what do I do on the ceilings? Can I do the same thing on the walls, or will I kill my back (especially if it needs sanding). I've heard of people wrapping a small piece of plywood in plastic and using it to apply joint compound to the ceiling such that it creates little stalactites that you knock down after they have hardened slightly. That sounds difficult to get uniform across the entire ceiling.What should I do?
First of all, I'm not a fan of TEXURE anything, especially ceilings. This is just my two cents, but I'm also not a fan of using Lite Mud for the purpose. Obviously Texturing is fad/ trendy, and all over the planet. If you have to go texture, especially on a ceiling, learn how to do the Knock Down technique, or have it done. Easy texturing would be sand paint, or even Fiberglass based stucco. Part of a thought in the design of Texturing is NOT UNIFORM albeit Knock Down gives that illusion. BTW,,, it can all be Messy. So much like any other FAUX finishes, texturing is not only a challenge, but an exploration into originality and design. If you're going for Unique, practice first, and judge results of as many methods as you research. I ask only one thing...DO NOT do PopCorn Steven Wolf
i would say look it up on a website maybe HGTV
Texture done easy. Mix (I used sand texture) texture with water until it is 'paintable' then apply with a knobby roller. Done.
Wow, that's really out of style now, and a big project that is very hard or impossible to change down the road. But hey, you have your own style, thats just my opinion. If you really want to go through with this, DO NOT use joint compound!! It's not designed for this and will crack over time, especially from the lightest bumps that walls sustain, plus houses do move a tiny bit from expansion, contraction, humidity, and settling. This will surely crack the joint compound. I would use a texture thats designed for this, and its more like a plaster, much harder. They sell these special texture mixes at most paint stores and design stores, and also sell different applicators, from sponge applicators that you dab, to grooved spreaders that you swirl. You could always try using regular paint with different texture-like results, that aren't permanent if you change your mind years from now. You can sponge a colored paint to look cool, and they sell special rollers that give a texture pattern.
I just finished painting my family room. Same thing - heavy texture on ceiling and walls. The tape does not work. I like a sash brush - 1 1/2 tapered. My favorite is the oval shape sash brush which I can't seem to find new anymore - but I have some old ones. Don't put too much paint on the brush - start a little away from the ceiling and work your way up. I usually go over the same area 3 to 4 times to get an even line. Good luck!
