How to Apply Knockdown Texture to Mobile Home Walls

Because mobile home walls are typically fabricated with different finish materials than those in a standard house, there is some initial preparation work to be done to the walls to make them receptive to the knockdown texture. By spending a little extra time preparing the walls, your knockdown texture project will be easier to apply and will enhance your mobile home’s walls.

1. Apply the joint compound, using a three-inch putty knife, to any recessed paneling lines. Fill in the recessed lines with the joint compound and then scrape off the excess. Allow the joint compound to dry.

2. Remove the seam strips, if any, that are fastened over each wall paneling seam. Fill in any gaps below the seam strip with the joint compound, using the putty knife and scraping off any excess.

3. Run your hand over the wall and make sure there aren’t any nails, screws or other protrusions. Remove or correct any protruding nails, screws or hardware.

4. Lay a sheet or tarp on the floor at the base of the wall to protect the flooring and carpeting from joint compound spatters. Tape sections of newspaper along the edge of the ceiling where it meets the wall. Tape windows, outlets and anything else that you don’t want covered with joint compound.

5. Dump the joint compound into a larger bucket. Mix water, a cup at a time, into the joint compound using a mixing paddle attached to a power drill. The joint compound needs to be thin enough to pass through the sprayer, but still thick enough to stick on the wall without sliding-about the consistency of pancake batter.

6. Fill the hopper with the thinned joint compound and attach the sprayer, air hose and compressor.

7. Spray the wall evenly, working in a back-and-forth pattern, until the entire wall is covered with the thinned joint compound. Allow 10 to 20 minutes for the joint compound to partially dry, depending on the temperature and humidity in your area.

8. Smooth over the tops of the joint compound spatters with the knockdown blade or drywall knife using very light pressure. Try to touch only the tips of the splatter and don’t press too hard or you will flatten out the texture pattern.

9. Clean up the tools and splatters with water. Allow the wall to dry for at least a day.

10. Apply primer to the wall and let it dry. Finish the wall by painting it or applying a faux finish.

Check out this related video from Homesteady on Youtube.