There are many ways to make the walls in a home more pleasing to the eye. One way is to give texture to the walls. The steps on how to texture drywall are very simple and make the walls look livelier and more beautiful. By applying this knowledge, a home owner can save some amount because there is no need to pay professional fees for wall designers.
The different types of texture drywalls are the following:
Popcorn – heavy texture which is usually applied on ceilings to help in deadening the sound. It is also considered as the world’s best dirt and dust collector. This texture can hide the worst taping piece of work and is hard to paint.
Orange peel or Splatter – kind of texture that varies from a sequence of tiny “blobs” of spatter to an by and large fine spray that looks like an orange peel texture.
Here are the things needed to texture drywall:
Stencils
Old paintbrushes
Taping knife
Soft-bristled brush
Plastic sheeting
Dry wall joint compound
Here are the steps on how to texture drywall:
1) Buy a big bucket of pre-mixed dry wall joint compound from hardware or home improvement stores, or lumber yard. It will cost $15 for a four gallon pail. Also, purchase a wide-blade taping knife or trowel that has a straight edge and at least eight to twelve inches wide. This would be used to spread the thin coat of compound into the wall.
2) Take away everything attached to the walls such as receptacle covers and switch plates. Cover and remove the furniture away from the wall that would be textured. Stretch out drop clothes to the floor.
3) Before starting to apply the texture, do not forget to take out any wall paper. The Drywall Contractor near me excessive moisture content could loosen the attached wallpaper which would come off the wall. This mess is time consuming for cleaning up.
4) Begin by putting on the compound all along the baseboards, top of walls and corners. The thickness should be 1/8″. Make it thicker if a rough texture is desired. There’s no need to be exact during application since a diverged texture is what makes a good appearance.
5) Choose a small area of the wall to do the texturing until one can estimate how much time he needs to finish the job. The drywall compound remains effective for quite a time but avoid getting carried away by attempting to cover too much surface at one. Best results will come out if one focuses on comparatively small areas.
6) Make the texture in a variety of ways such as using wallpaper brushes and old paintbrushes. Use sponges to swirl or stroke texture while the surface is wet. Fingers and hands can be used to create different designs.
7) Interchange the application of the compound and texturing until the walls are all covered.
In case one plans to use his hands in spreading the drywall compound, remember to wear latex gloves. Using the hands would result to rougher texture appearance. Also, if interested to learn more on different texture designs for drywall, check if there are available training programs. There are schools which offer courses on techniques on how to texture drywall.
Handy homeowners who want to install their own drywall to finish basements or attics will benefit from a few basic tips before beginning this project. The first step should always be to check with local building codes to ensure that the drywall used is the appropriate thickness for the area. Measuring is another important step to ensure that the amount of drywall purchased will be the correct amount for the area requiring coverage.
Along with the drywall itself, it is also important to purchase enough supplies. This might include approximately seven pounds of nails, five gallons of joint compound and 500 feet of tape for 1000 square feet of drywall installed. When in doubt about how much to buy, it is always wise to consult with a professional at the store who can offer assistance with measuring and purchasing.
Once the correct amount of drywall is purchased and delivered, it will be time to begin the installation process. Many find that putting the drywall up is the easy part; taping the joints becomes infinitely more complex, however. In fact, some find that hiring a professional to apply the tape after the drywall is installed is a more cost-effective way to get a professional finish on a drywall project.
In this instance, the homeowner puts the drywall in place and fastens it to the frame with nails or screws specifically designed for this material. The professional contractor then comes in to tape the joints and provide any other repairs or installation as needed.