Your home improvement plans include installing new drywall in different areas of the house. What you may not know is that you have quite a few options when it comes to settling on the best drywall texture for each of those rooms. Depending on the look and finish that you want, one approach will work better than all the others. Here are a few examples of what can be done and when they are worth considering.
The Orange Peel
The name for this particular texture solution comes from the fact that the finish looks a bit like the outer peel of an orange. It’s a subtle way to add texture without being too obvious. While there’s more than one way to achieve this look, a common approach is to water down the mud until it’s roughly the consistency of a milk shake. It’s then applied with a roller sporting a thicker nap. The contractor may also create the look using a sprayer. This approach usually requires applying one coat, allowing it to dry, and then applying a second coat.
The Skip Trowel
This technique involves using a curved knife or trowel to apply two or more thin layers of mud. The skips are formed by holding the knife or trowel in a way that helps to create a pattern of grooves along the wall. The resulting pattern creates a texture that is visually appealing and can help call attention to any artwork you hang along the wall.
The Sand Swirl
To create this type of drywall texture, you’ll need two people working in tandem. The first applies a primer that’s mixed with sand. That application will be more or less even across the wall expanse. The second person will follow and used as drywall comb to create swirls in the primer layers. You can also use this approach to create a series of arcs along the wall rather than swirling patterns of different sizes.
The Slap Brush
The fun with this approach is that you use brushes of different sizes to create patterns on the wall. They’re literally made by slapping the bristles against the mud after it’s applied but before it has a chance to dry. You can use a single brush to repeat a pattern or go with three or four different brush sizes to create something with more variety.
The Popcorn
This particular approach was popular decades ago but has lost a lot of steam in recent years. Even so, it’s a great choice if you’re going for a retro look to the room. The mud is mixed with elements that help to create the look of layer of popcorn along the surface. Typically, the process calls for beginning with a thicker layer of mud that’s allowed to dry completely. The contractor comes back with the mud mix and applies it with a sprayer. Once that dries, it’s possible to use a paint sprayer to apply any color you like to the surface.
These are only a few of the texture options that you can create for drywall. Talk with a Sydney plasterer about what sort of look you want to achieve. Remember to ask questions about how to clean the surfaces without marring the texture. Remember that you can always compare texture options by looking at samples. Once you know what works best, it will be easy for the contractor to turn your vision into a reality.
