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How to Texture A Wall?
A Whole Guide

If you want to add some personality to your home’s interior design, texturing your walls is a great way to do so! It is waaaayyyyyy better than going through the dozen steps involved in normal wall painting. Wall Texturing is not only a super popular idea but it also bears a lot of advantages making it an ideal choice! Some of its pros include -

It is an inexpensive option when it comes to designing your abode.
You can create the most unique designs to spruce up any room
Textured walls are super easy to implement
They do not take enough time to create. It is a very quick activity like any other DIY.
To experiment with a wall texture, only a few materials and items are necessary. They are easily available in the market.
Wall Texturing is visually appealing and adds another level of aesthetic dimension in your decor.

Styles or Types of wall texture

Texture grades have a wide variety, each unique in their own way. They range from fine to coarse. A physical textured wall absorbs sound and is much denser. It also adds a layer of protection. For attempting a physical texture, you will need Paint additives OR pre-textured paint.

Enough explaining, now let’s get into the main types of texture styles you can replicate in your home with ease -

Smooth Textured Paint - Despite the name, a Smooth Textured Paint is actually a lightweight and the most subtle kind of all. It is deprived of any additional sand or other coarse material used to get a grainy effect / Appearance. This kind of paint mimics the looks of stucco or plaster. Smooth Textured Paint needs to be applied with a trowel or Putty Knife.

Sand texture - For a heavy-bodied finish, opt for a Sand Textured Paint to add that gritty texture. This type of textured paint can be utilized for both ceilings and walls.

Knockdown texture -

Those who know how to texture drywall, they must be familiar with this. One can create a knockdown texture by pasting a Joint compound (popularly known as drywall compound) on the surface and smoothening those stalactite-like peaks down with a knife. This results in a marbled textured finish which can be then painted with your preferred color. Knockdown texture is popularly used to design a textured ceiling.

Popcorn texture - This type of ceiling texture is also a heavy-bodied element that kills sound - similar to the smooth textured one. Once used, such texture is difficult to remove or get rid of.

Orange peel texture - Such kind of texture is achieved with a spraying plaster that resembles the surface of an orange peel. The subtle spritz helps a thin layer of plaster get settled on drywall. This technique prevents the walls from cracks and dents which is also durable for the long run.

Materials / Tools that can be used for texturing

Contrary to popular belief, no fancy tools are required for texturing wall surfaces. Anything and everything can be used creatively to achieve the desired effect. Objects like Sponges, brooms, combs, carved cardboards, etc can be used to refinish walls.

Read along to know how to texture a wall with different items-

How to texture a wall through the sponging technique?

If you are a fresher at paint jobs and want to try your hands on the creative aspects, this is the easiest way to do so. This faux finish takes lesser time to execute.

Step 1 - First and foremost, make sure to clean your wall surface and allow it to dry completely.

Step 2 - Paint the base color as per your wish and let it dry fully before the next step.

Step 3 - Choose a contrast paint color or the same underlying color (could be a textured or regular paint) and soak your clean sponge in it.

Step 4 - Now, go crazy and dab the soaked sponge repeatedly onto the surface to create a unique and random pattern.

Note - We advise you to use sea sponges in place of normal synthetic sponges. The organic sponges create a more irregular pattern as compared to the synthetic ones.

How to texture a wall through a roller?

Follow the same Step 1 mentioned above.

Step 2 - Take the mixture of your Joint Compound into a paint tray, drench your roller with it and apply it on the surface.

Step 3 - Allow the Joint Compound to dry halfway / partially and roll once again. This will create a 3D effect.

Step 4 - Texturize the corners with the help of a brush.

Step 5 -After 24 hours of drying, paint the wall with a thick-nap roller cover.

Texturing wall using Joint Compound -

The longer drying time of a Joint Compound makes it easier to redo any mistakes that occur in the process.

Step 1 - Same as above

Step 2 - Apply the thick mixture on the wall with a wide putty knife or trowel based on the effect you are looking for.

Step 3 - Allow the compound to dry for at least 24 hours before painting.

Note - You can use different objects such as a comb, sponge, scrapper, etc. to create a unique texture of your own.

Tips and Tricks

Lay painter’s plastic all over the room and on the edges of your windows.

Make sure you wait 24 hours after texturing.
Use table fans to accelerate the drying process.
Before playing with joint compounds, make sure to use a drywall primer.
Do not forget to strip the existing texture before a new application.
Use Touchup sprays for repairing acoustic or popcorn ceilings.
For Heavy-duty texturing jobs, Powdered texture compounds are the best.
A paint texture additive or joint compound helps you to add texture to the paint of your choice.

This was our wholesome guide prepared for you and your textured wall chronicles. Go ahead, and have fun and check out the amazing blog at The Arch Digest.