How to Texture Walls With Drywall Mud

Walls textured with drywall mud can add beauty to your home. Buy special texturing tools or use a broom, dry brush or round brush from an old vacuum cleaner. Armed with the right tools and the these steps, you can do it yourself.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Repair obvious flaws in the wall, such as wide cracks or nail heads that have popped out.

2. Buy a dry bag of drywall mud and mix according to the instructions, or buy a premixed container. Drywall mud is also known as joint compound.

3. Paint can be added to drywall mud, but the water used to mix it must be reduced. Don't add paint if you are texturing a ceiling because the paint takes longer to dry and could cause a thick texture to fall off.

4. Buy the large container of drywall mud if you are going to add paint and add enough paint to do the whole project. It would be difficult to match the shade exactly if you only mix a small batch.

5. Mix the drywall mud thoroughly using a long handled paddle or stick.

6. Practice the texture design you have chosen on a leftover piece of drywall until you are comfortable with it.

7. Apply the drywall mud to a small area of the wall at a time, and complete a section completely before moving to another area.

8. Let the textured wall dry completely before painting, if you have not added the paint to the compound.

9. Clean the tools promptly with warm soapy water.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a flexible putty knife to apply the drywall mud to a larger "hawk" or flat surface.
• Use a wide flexible putty knife to apply the "skip" technique, which will look like Venetian plaster.
• A fine-notched trowel will help when making the swirling effect for plaster ceilings.
• Try a long handled broom with soft bristles to "dab" a ceiling and make uniform textures.
• Use a textured roller on walls for a finer texture.
• Try a coarse sponge for added texture on the walls.

Resources

• This is the absolute best site filled with tips, videos and help for drywall problems.
• Find step by step online videos here, to help with drywall.