How to Texture Walls for Paint

Textured walls add interest to your home, and can give an otherwise flat and boring wall an artistic effect. Wall texture can also disguise flaws and irregularities. While you can use textured paint to do this, texturing the wall first and painting it later is just as easy to do, and allows you to get much more creative with the textures you use. With nothing but drywall joint compound and a few simple household items, you can create a textured wall.

• 1

  Decide what items you want to use to create your textured wall. A small broom, a wide-toothed comb, or large sponges can all give a distinctive pattern and texture to a soft surface. Any object hard enough to make an indentation in wet drywall paint compound can work as a texturing tool.

• 2

  Apply a thick coat of drywall paint compound to the entire wall, using a trowel. The layer should be at least 1/8-inch thick for best results.

• 3

  Create your texture immediately, before the surface dries, using the item or items you selected previously. A texture is simply a series of indentations in a surface, so you can use your objects in any way you like to create it. Press objects directly into the wall for one type of pattern, or drag them along the length of the wall to create long stripes. Try combinations of both techniques, or dragging in several directions, for different effects. Form a regular pattern by using orderly rows or repeating series of indentations. If you prefer a more random texture, mix it up with different types of indentations in many different combinations.