Different Drywall Textures
Drywall textures fall into two groups, depending on how they are applied to the wall. Textures created either manually or with different hand tools are known as hand textures, where textures created through the application of a spraying machine are called spray textures. Hand textures are created with a knife, hawk or trowel, and even a roller. Spray textures are created with the use of a hose and air compressor. Does this Spark an idea?
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Skip Trowel
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The skip trowel texture is created by first applying a thin layer of drywall compound over the drywall surface. A curved knife, roughly 18 inches long, is then run over the surface which touches some parts of the wet compound and not others. This creates a textured look. Similar textures are hawk and trowel textures, as well as Santa Fe or Spanish knife texture -- the difference between these textures is the percent of the surface covered by the drywall compound.
Swirl Texture
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The swirl texture has been extensively used in the midwest region of the United States for several decades, and consists of a pattern of half circles. A thin layer of compound is applied to the drywall surface using a paint roller with a heavy nap, or paint sprayer on larger areas. A medium bristle brush is then used to create the swirl patterns.
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Orange Peel
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Orange peel texture has the same look and feel of the outer skin of an orange fruit. Thinned compound is sucked through a long hose and out through the spray nozzle onto the drywall surface. A high pressure air line is run parallel with the spray nozzle and hose, creating a mixture of air and compound that meets the drywall surface in the form of thousands of small droplets. When dried, the droplets resemble the texture of orange peel.
Splatter Knockdown
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Splatter knockdown, like its name, looks like splattered patterns of drywall compound on the drywall surface. It is very popular in the southern United States, and is used extensively in public buildings and hotels. The thinned compound is pumped through a hose and out of a gun applicator. A compressed air supply is attached to the gun, and the mixture of the two is splattered against the drywall surface, producing small globs of compound. The compound is left to dry for a few minutes, then a trowel is used to "knock down" the tops of the globs.
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References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
