The Difference Between Manual and Spray Drywall Textures

Drywall texture is an important design application that delivers enhanced warmth, appeal, and overall aesthetic to an interior. Although there are hundreds of different styles of drywall texture, all fall under one of two primary application processes: manual or spray. Continue reading to learn more about each category of drywall texture application, including what sets them apart and how to choose which style for your remodel.

Indianapolis Drywall and  Painting 317-269-7319
Indianapolis Drywall and Painting 317-269-7319

Manual Drywall Textures

When drywall texture is applied by hand, they are manual textures, or hand textures. For this type of drywall texture application, basic hand tools, like trowels and hawks, are used to achieve the desired look. Most often, a simple pan and knife are the tools chosen to apply manual drywall textures. Additional hand tools, such as specialized brushes and rollers, are used to complete the textured swirl, stomp, and swoosh motifs into the drywall mud. Sometimes, commercial paint sprayers are used to apply drywall texture, but this method is still considered manual.

Spray Drywall Textures

When drywall texture is sprayed onto a surface, they are spray textures. This method of drywall texture application requires specialized machinery that pumps drywall texture onto surfaces. Such machines are can be electric or gas-powered, but all are manufactured with powerful pumps that supply drywall mud through inner lines, and out of a special nozzle or tip. The designs in the drywall mud are created using compressed air and a sprayer gun, rather than by hand.

Common Drywall Texture Names:

➤ Skip Trowel
➤ Popcorn
➤ Smooth Wall
➤ Hawk and Trowel
➤ Crows-Foot Stomp
➤ Splatter Knockdown
➤ Orange Peel
➤ Rosebud
➤ Stomp Knockdown
➤ Santa-Fe Texture
➤ Double Skip
➤ Swirl Drywall

Indianapolis Drywall Services You Can Trust

Call Drywall by Local Builders at 317-269-7319 when you need professional drywall services in Indianapolis, Indiana. We are a licensed, bonded, and insured drywall company that provides residential and commercial drywall work at competitive prices. Call 317-269-7319 to request a free estimate, today. Call 317-269-7319 to request a free estimate, today.

Indianapolis Drywall Contractors
Indianapolis Drywall Contractors 317-269-7319

How to Paint Like a Pro

Want to know how the professionals make a painting job look so good? The answer is to combine the right techniques with the right products. Continue below to learn how to paint just like a pro!

Indianapolis Drywall Contractors
Indianapolis Drywall Contractors 317-269-7319

Painter’s Tape is Crucial

When you tape up baseboards before painting, it can seem like a pretty straightforward task. Apply the tape so that the woodwork is covered and move on; right? Well, many times, after the painting is finished and the tape is removed, you can find streaks or drops that managed to seep their way through. To avoid this, do what the pro’s do and use a putty knife to apply the painting tape on baseboards and molding. Press the knife against the tape to ensure a thorough seal. This prevents any paint from getting through.

Hole-Patching and Sanding

One of the most important steps to painting is preparation. Preparation of course includes choosing the proper paint, deciding on a color, purchasing needed supplies, and laying out protective drop canvas for flooring and furniture. But when we mentioned preparation in terms of what the professionals suggest, we mean hole-patching and sanding.  All holes and deficits should be filled in with a joint-compound patching product, smoothed down evenly, and allowed to dry completely. Once these areas of dry, you can sand away all the uneven surfaces.

It is vital to sand away any surface flaws, like spackle, joint-compound patches, nicks, nail holes, scores, scratches, chips, and more the best you can. Do this using a fine grit sandpaper and sanding pole. The fine grit will protect your walls from over-sanding, while the pole will allow you to reach all the way to the high walls and ceiling. Sand baseboards, molding, walls, and more to get an even smooth surface. Once you have an even and smooth surface, you can move forward with your painting project.

Tinted Primer

When joint compound is painted over, it can sometimes absorb all the moisture from the paint and leave a duller, discolored look. This makes all the patched areas on a wall noticeable. To avoid this problem, which professionals refer to as “flashing”, be sure to apply a primer to your walls before painting. But to paint like a professional, don’t just use any primer, use a tinted primer. Although white primer is acceptable and frequently used, professionals typically use a gray-colored primer, or a primer that is close to the color of the finishing paint. This covers patched areas and existing paint better than plain white or ivory primers. This results in a more vibrant finish and less applications.

Paint Boxing

Although you can purchase the same color in five cans, it is not guaranteed that all five cans will look exactly the same. This can be evident in a paint job when a new container is opened halfway through painting. It can result in a different color tones on a wall. To avoid this, professionals “box” their paint by pouring all cans into one large bucket to achieve one consistent color.

Paint Extenders

Ever wonder why a self-paint job looks streaky and a professional’s is always smooth and even? Well the secret is adding a paint extender or paint conditioner into your paint. Popular products, like Floetrol, are designed to slow down the drying process of the paint, allowing a more even application and finish. Not only do paint extenders hide brush strokes, they also eliminate dark lap marks from painting over semi-dried paint.   

Ceilings

When ceilings are textured or bumpy, it can be virtually impossible to paint a clean line between the wall and the ceiling. For this reason, professionals will use a screwdriver to scrape a ridge along the edge of the walls and ceiling. This creates a platform for painting a smooth straight line between ceiling and wall and prevents paint from sticking to ceiling bumps. The resulting ridge should be fine enough so that the lost texture is never noticed, but wide enough for brush bristles to fit.

Is the Job Turning Out to Be a Little Too Tough?

Call Our Indianapolis Drywall and Painting Contractors in Indianapolis!

When a painting project gets to be too much for you to take on, just call Drywall by Local Builders at 317-269-7319 for Indianapolis drywall and painting service you can afford! We are experienced drywall contractors who offer a wide range of residential and commercial services, including drywall, painting, repair, replacement, installation, new home construction, metal stud framing, custom drywall texture, grid ceilings, and much more. Call 317-269-7319 to request a free estimate, today.

Indianapolis Drywall Contractors
Indianapolis Drywall Contractors 317-269-7319