How to Do Textured Walls With a Spray Gun

Use large clean buckets for mixing the compound.

Many new homes on the market today have textured ceilings, and some also have textured walls. The reason for this is twofold. First, drywall texture adds a design element that you can manipulate to look like other materials such as stucco or hand-troweled plaster. The biggest reason for applying texture is to cover discrepancies in wall smoothness. Taping drywall panels perfectly smooth is a craft and requires application experience. Sprayed-on texture camouflages taping problems to give the wall a uniform look.

Things You'll Need

• Drywall taping compound (premixed)
• 5-gallon plastic buckets (2)
• Heavy-duty drill with paddle attachment
• Drywall spray rig
• Large paint straining screen
• Scrap piece of drywall
• Protective eyewear
• Old clothing

Instructions

1. Fill the bottom third of a clean bucket with powdered or premixed drywall taping compound. Premixed is better for texturing.

2. Add water to the compound 1 cup at a time and use a heavy-duty drill fitted with a paddle attachment to blend the mixture until it's the consistency of thick cream.

3. Place a large paint strainer screen over the top of another clean bucket and strain the thinned compound from the mixing bucket into the clean bucket. Even small lumps can clog the spray gun so straining is essential.

4. Fill the reservoir of the spray rig with the strained mixture. If you’re using a hopper spray gun, the gun will have a large funnel sitting on top of the gun. Don’t fill the hopper more than a third full because the compound makes the gun heavy, and your arm will quickly tire.

5. Turn on the spray rig and test the spray on a scrap piece of drywall or plaster, adjusting the nozzle tip of the gun until you like the splatter pattern.

6. Start spraying the wall in an upper corner, moving your arm in wide, slow strokes to deliver a consistent texture pattern. Work back and forth in a 5-foot section, from the top of the wall down, then start on the next section immediately.

7. Continue until you’ve covered the entire wall with an even texture coat.

Tips & Warnings

• Work quickly and don’t take breaks. If a partially completed wall dries before you resume texturing, you could wind up with lap marks.

• Roll a coat of paint over the wall when the texture dries, if desired.

• You can rent a drywall spray rig from a local construction rental store, hardware store or lumberyard. You can purchase a sprayer, but good ones are expensive, and the cheap ones can clog.

• Wear protective eyewear and clothing. Drywall compound stings the eyes and quickly dries out skin.

References

• Inside Woodworking: Drywall Texturing With a Difference

Resources

• Graco: Texture Sprayers