Textured ceilings add instant adornment to any room.
Adding texture to a ceiling provides further depth to the design of the room. The texture catches the light in different ways throughout the day, which can make a room look more attractive than one with a plain, flat ceiling design. Several texturing choices are available depending on the look you want and the time you are willing to invest in the project.
Drywall Textures
Most ceiling textures are added during construction using drywall mud. Drywall texturing requires no special paints or compounds to provide the final design. A thicker coating of mud, applied after the initial thin coating has dried, provides the canvas for texturing. Texture styles range from symmetrical patterns to random designs etched into the wet mud. Once dried, these methods provide a permanent texture on the ceiling that can only be removed by adding a fresh coating of mud.
Paint Textures
Painted textures, sometimes called faux texturing, use paint to create a textured appearance on otherwise smooth ceilings. Texture paints contain a sand or other agent that gives the ceiling a visible and tactile texture. You can achieve particularly fine textures using paint since the paint is combined with texture so there are no coverage issues later. Thick texturing paint goes on smooth and a variety of tools are used to add different textures, similar to texturing drywall.
Paint and Drywall Tools
Texturing tools for drywall mud depend on the type of texture desired. Stiff texturing brushes are used for slapbrush and stomped styles. Drywall rollers, trowels and combs create other textures of varying designs and symmetry. Similar tools are used to texture paint, especially for symmetrical combed designs. Sponges, rags and plastic sheeting also provide tools for creating nearly any painted texture imaginable. The texture tools are used when the mud or paint is still wet and the texture becomes hard and permanent after drying.
Spray-On Texture
Spray-on products provide another option for adding texture after the ceiling is constructed. Popcorn ceilings require a texturing compound specifically made for popcorn applications and a compressor sprayer. Spray the compound onto the ceiling in multiple thin coats until the ceiling achieves the desired appearance. Perlite and sand texture compounds also come in spray-on varieties that require a compressor sprayer. Spray-on applications provide a quick option for adding texture to large areas, but they do not adhere to the ceiling as well as drywall and painted on varieties.
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