How to Make a Cinder Wall Look Like Sheetrock

Cover a cinder-block wall with drywall mud to give it the appearance of finished Sheetrock.

Sheetrock, a type of drywall, gains a distinctive appearance from a thin layer of drywall mud, also known as joint compound, spread over it. When dealing with a cinder-block wall, you can reproduce the same look using the same drywall process. Spreading the drywall mud over the cinder blocks, you can texture the mud as you would after any other Sheetrock installation, giving the cinder blocks the look and feel of Sheetrock without having to install it over the blocks to do so.

Things You'll Need

• Joint compound
• Large bucket
• Electric drill with paddle bit
• Test Sheetrock board
• Trowel
• Sheetrock texture tools
• Paint
• Paintbrush
• Textured paint roller with extension pole

Instructions

1. Mix a batch of joint compound in a large bucket with an electric drill and a paddle bit. Add the amount of water suggested by the manufacturer to the dry mix until you've created a smooth, spreadable material.

2. Test the drywall application on a piece of Sheetrock before applying it to your cinder-block wall. Spread the mud onto the Sheetrock in a layer about 1/4-inch thick using a steel trowel. Use Sheetrock texture tools to create a texture on the mud that you feel matches the surrounding room. Any texture is possible, from light scratches to a sponged application. Once you have the look you desire you can move on to the cinder-block wall.

3. Spread the drywall mud across the wall's surface. Make sure you use firm pressure along the mortar lines between the cinder blocks to ensure complete coverage. As with the test board, a thickness of 1/4 inch will provide a layer that will take any texture you wish to apply. Cover the wall in small sections of about 5 square feet, and texture each section using the same technique you decided on with the test board before starting on the next section.

4. Continue applying the mud in small sections until you've covered the entire cinder-block surface. Wait 24 hours for the drywall mud to dry before touching the wall's surface.

5. For best results, you need to prime and paint the textured surface. Drywall mud dries to a rather chalky finish, and it will absorb moisture; paint will help seal it, and a coat of primer will keep the drywall mud from absorbing huge amounts of paint. Application of both starts with cutting in the edges of the wall with a paintbrush -- creating a stripe around the edge of the wall where a paint roller may have difficulty reaching. Paint the rest of the wall with a roller, using an extension pole where you can't comfortably reach. Work the paint from the roller onto the wall from the wet stripe around the edge, into the center to avoid lap lines. Make sure that you use textured paint rollers to spread the paint evenly over the textured drywall mud surface. Wait 24 hours for each coat, primer and paint, to dry.

References

• Home Time How To: Finish Coat and Texture
• Vertri: Drywall Texture Styles and Patterns