So, what are the benefits of hand finished drywall textures? There are many reasons why someone might want to choose hand textured drywall over a machine-applied texture. One reason is that most people find a hand-textured finish to be more attractive. Another reason is that it can make all the difference in how something like paint or wallpaper looks when applied, as the texture provides an even surface for these adhesives to adhere to. Finally, for some people it just feels really good and can make your own home look like a project you completed with your own two hands!
A lot of people simply don’t have the funds to allow them to hire Drywall Repair Modesto to professionally finish their walls. For these folks, hand-textured drywall is just not an option. Fortunately, there are other options! In this article we will be evaluating several different ways that you can achieve very nice looking, “hand style” textures with ordinary sandpaper and some elbow grease. The possibilities might surprise you!
It’s important to note that the amount of work required for each project depends heavily on what kind of texture you want to create. Some textures take hundreds and hundreds of hours to complete while others only take tens of minutes if done by someone who knows exactly what they’re doing. We’ll talk about the things that make a job more or less time consuming.
Since you’re reading this article on the internet, we can assume that some of the tools and materials discussed here might not be available to you locally. As such, please feel free to check with your local hardware store if a certain tool or material is too difficult to obtain. You don’t have to purchase everything at once! If one particular method is just too hard on your hands then consider trying another one instead.
As it says above, there are many different reasons why someone might choose hand textured drywall over a machine-applied texture and ultimately it comes down to personal preference in most cases. For example, lots of people just like how a smooth wall looks while others prefer the look of a textured wall. These kinds of preferences have been going on for as long as there has been drywall itself! Of course, there are many other reasons why someone might choose hand-textured drywall. For example:
1) You can match the texture to your surroundings. If you live in an old home or maybe you just really like brick walls then you might want to texture your drywall with a brick pattern or even wood grain! Even if some day wallpaper and paint isn’t really your thing, having a unique and custom textured wall will always make your own personal place look nice!
2) It’s very difficult to get too much texture onto the surface when using sandpaper (not that it’s recommended or anything). If you’re a beginner then you might want to consider using sandpaper for this reason. There is always more room for improvement if going slowly and carefully. It may take lots of practice before you can get the kind of textures that look like they were professionally done but hey, it’s your wall so no one else will know how much time you put into it!
3) Your hands will thank you for not having to use a power sander on drywall!
There are many different tools available from expensive to free. The most important thing here is that whatever tool you choose must be able to stand up to some heavy work because hand-applied texture definitely isn’t light! Now, I’ll go over some of the most common tools that people use to create this kind of drywall.
3) Drywall sanders: These are very quick and they do a good job, though not as good as a texture sprayer or something like that. They aren’t the best way to get an even application but if you’re just doing one room or maybe half a wall then it’s a great option! If you can buy them used I would say go for it because they are definitely expensive when purchased new. Just make sure that any used drywall sander is in reasonably good condition before buying!
2) Handheld power sanders: These also depend heavily on how much money you want to spend on them. Some have soft sandpaper discs (made of fabric or some kind of hard plastic) while others have sandpaper sheets that you can get wet. Personally, I think the sandpaper pads are easier to work with and they don’t eat up the paper as fast either. Regardless of your selection though, just remember to wear safety goggles at all times! They’re a bit more difficult to use than drywall sanders because you need to be standing right in front of the wall in order for it to apply an even coat.
1) Sanding sponges: These are by far my favorite tools for applying texture because they are so simple and versatile! You simply fill them up with whatever material you want (sand works best but there is also course grit, masonry sand and more) then apply it to the wall! It’s important to note that you should find the right sponge for your material. For example, if you’re using course grit (a more rough texture) then I definitely wouldn’t use a soft scouring pad because they just don’t have enough “grit” (obviously). Even when using something like coarse sandpaper though (or any other medium gritty material) it’s very possible to go from too much texture one moment to too little in the next. This is why I only recommend sponges for beginners who are trying their hand at texturing for the first time.
Once you’ve decided on your tool of choice then all that’s left is applying the texture, right? Not exactly! If you want an even application then it’s very important to get the coat evenly spread. The best way to do this is using a 3/4″ roller with some water and maybe some dish soap in it. Add more or less soap depending on how thick of a layer you’re trying to apply as too much can actually make the paper tear (from what I’ve read). Just work from one end of the wall to another and always roll away from yourself (this will help prevent streaks). Once that side has set for a while then go over it again adding any missing areas until they are all filled out nicely.
The next step involves waiting for your texture material to dry thoroughly before sanding it. You don’t need to do this step if you’re using a drywall sander (it’s actually better not to because of the heat from the tool). With sanding sponges, you should wait just a few minutes at first then go over it again. Once it has dried after about 20-30 minutes (an hour is best) then it’s time for your next coat!
Repeat this process until you have achieved the desired result and enjoy creating an awesome texture that shows off both your ability and patience!
If you didn’t notice already, there are actually lots of tools available for texturing walls. From simple things like sanding sponges to those more complex sanders with all sorts of different disc options. Personally, I’ve always been a fan of the hand drywall textures like those seen at [ http://www.drywalltextureart.com ] because you can do many different styles and there is so much that goes into them. For example, you can use a trowel, spatula or even a paint roller for applying the texture material (in my case plaster). Once it’s on the wall though, you just simply go over it with some sort of drywall sander until you get your preferred finish! You could also choose an electric sander but I wouldn’t recommend using something likerayzer or something like that. They aren’t the best way to get an even application but if you’re just doing one room then it’s not a problem. I also wouldn’t recommend using a hand sander because it would take forever and you probably won’t be able to get an even coat that way either. The best advice ever is to invest in an electric router for the job if you’re seriously planning on doing a lot of texturing (I’ll talk about that more later). Not only do they create fantastic results but you will save time as well. In reality though, they aren’t necessary until the point where you’re really looking for that professional look to your design.
Plaster: Probably the most common texture material out there is plaster. There are lots of different ways to use it but one way that I’ve discovered saves both time and effort is simply using a trowel or spatula to spread it on. Remember though that the more you use then the thicker your finish will be because of how well it stands up on its own after drying (you can add some water if you want an even thinner coat). Just apply one thin layer at first, wait a few minutes for it to dry, then sand it down until you are happy with the result and repeat!
Gravel: This is another really cool looking wall texture that seems pretty easy as well. You’ll need about 6 cups of fine crushed stone so that each cup has around 3/4″ sand sized pieces in them. Pour this into the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket and leave enough room for 1/2 gal of warm water. Mix it together with a drill and then apply the mixture to your wall using just about any tool at hand, I like to use an old brush for that job (make sure you leave plenty of time after adding the water because it can be hard to spread). After getting an even coat on all areas simply let it dry and then give it a light sanding so that no texture is exposed. The grit size of the stone will determine how smooth your texture is so be sure to pick one that has a medium sand sized texture.
Papier mache: Papier mache gives off an extremely unique look because it’s very fiberous and curvy but not as much as stucco (it’s also heavier). The steps involved are pretty simple because you don’t even need glue to get started. You’ll simply need two cups of fine white sugar, some water, liquid dish soap and flour for this method. Mix all these ingredients together until they form a nice thick mixture and then cover them in some old newspapers to make a mold (make sure there are at least 4 layers with lots of overlap) using twine or duct tape to secure it. You can even use a paper cup to help mold the texture if you are comfortable with that. Now you’ll need some sort of plastic body bag for this next step because you want to mix up your papier mache mixture and then spread it over the entire mold in 1-2 layers (you should let each layer dry before proceeding). Once those steps are complete, simply remove the outer layer of newspaper and peel off the rest of your mask; after that just break all extra material off from around the edges!
Chalkboard: This is another very simple job which uses only about 5 cups of white joint compound, 4 tablespoons of black acrylic paintable chalkboard powder, 1/2 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap. Mix all the ingredients together to make a paste and then use your hands or a spatula to apply it evenly on all areas of the wall (you shouldn’t have any streaks in your texture once you’re done). Once that’s been done just let it dry for about 2 hours and then sand off the top layer until it is smooth; be sure not to get too heavy handed if you don’t want problems later on.
Lava rock: Lava rock is another really interesting finish because it looks like natural stone but isn’t nearly as hard to install! It also has a weird level of depth because of its unique mineral makeup which makes this one pretty fun to work with. To start, mix together about 5 cups of white joint compound, 2 tablespoons of black acrylic paintable lava rock powder and 1/2 cup of water; you’ll also want to use a drill for this step so that it mixes evenly. Then apply a thin coat onto the wall with your spatula or trowel to begin (I recommend one layer at first). Wait 5 minutes for this to dry before sanding it down all over then repeat until you are happy with how thick the texture is.
Chocolate syrup: Chocolate syrup sounds like an attractive finish but I’ve seen lots of walls that have been ruined because people did not take the proper steps during installation! You’ll need quite a lot for this particular job so be prepared if you plan on trying this one out. You’ll need about 10 cups of white joint compound, 1 cup of liquid latex paint and 1 cup of thinned down chocolate syrup. Mix all these ingredients together to make a consistency that is just slightly thinner than that of actual milk; the mixture should still be quite gooey but not overtly sticky. Start by applying this texture over your entire wall with your sponge in random patterns then let it dry for about 2 hours before lightly sanding it off with your sander (you want to avoid scratching the surface where possible).
If you actually think some of these are legitimate methods for finishing your walls, such as the (chocolate syrup technique) we highly recommend you hire professionals for your job. Chocolate syrup belongs on ice cream, not your walls!