How to Change Texture on Painted Walls

Walls can have a variety of textures, from the perfectly smooth look of plaster, to a highly textured appearance that looks like orange peel. No matter what the texture of your painted walls, you can change it by using wall texture spray. The spray can be applied directly to your walls. Once dry, the texture will look as good as any professionally applied texture job. The one drawback is that texture spray comes in only one color -- white -- but a simple coat of paint will finish the job.

• 1

  Sand the entire wall with medium grit sandpaper to create some roughness on the surface. This will help the spray texture adhere to the walls.

• 2

  Apply wall texture spray in your choice of finishes. Spray the texture with a steady back-and-forth motion, slightly overlapping each pass of the spray can. Let the spray dry.

• 3

  Rub the walls lightly with medium grit sandpaper. This will alter the texture slightly. Sand as much or as little as you like, to create the textured appearance you want. Apply more texture if needed, and let the spray dry completely.

• 4

  Apply primer to the walls with a paint roller. Let the first coat dry to the touch, then apply a second coat. Let the primer dry four hours.

• 5

  Paint the walls with interior latex paint. Use a 1/4-inch nap roller to maintain the texture of the walls. A smooth roller would fill in some of the texture. Apply two coats of paint, allowing the first coat to dry before applying the second.