textured walls 101

Greater Albuquerque Association of REALTORS

IF YOU’RE LIKE ME, YOU SPEND A “LITTLE TIME” LOOKING AT HOME DESIGN

IDEAS on HGTV, DIY, Pinterest, Houzz and more. And, you may have noticed that all the latest designs nationwide frequently use textured walls.

Get to know the most common textures so you can sound like a pro when you go to your favorite home improvement store for supplies – or when you hire a pro if DIY textured walls are not your thing.

To learn more about how you can replicate these techniques, go DryWallSchool.com for indepth DIY tutorials and videos.

knock-down

One of the most common textures is called knock-down. It may also be referred to as skip trowel, California knock-down or drywall knock-down.

swirl

This common texture is also called Sand Swirl and Perlite Swirl. This technique looks like a plaster Kal-Koat.

perlite

This texture is also called sand texture. It can be sprayed on, put on with a brush or paint roller, or applied with a hopper gun.

popcorn

Also called cottage cheese or acoustic, this texture is normally used as a ceiling texture and in commercial applications. The latest trends are to remove rather than apply popcorn ceilings. If you need to repair or remove popcorn ceilings, you may want to consult a professional. Some popcorn ceiling material was known to contain asbestos well into the 80’s.

crowsfeet

This texture is also called slap brush, panda paw and stomped texture.

spanish texture

This texture is also known as Spanish knife or drywall texture.

orange peel

This texture is also called eggshell and splatter. Since the 80’s this texture has come to replace the popcorn texture since it is easier to clean and to paint.

While texturing an entire wall or ceiling can be complicated and require specialized tools, patching a small or large hole is relatively easy and typically only requires a few special mud knives or rollers.