Texture does take practice. The difficulty in knockdown is the timing for when to wipe. A 12" drywall knife is sufficient and better than a 24-36" knife on walls that aren't perfectly flat (poor framing) but you need to practice to see how soon to wipe. The humidity, air flow of the room, whether the wall was primed, dryness of the wall and thickness of your texture will all determine when to wipe. It can be anywhere from 4 minutes after you spray in a conditioned house with no primer behind the texture to 10-12 minutes in a more humid house. If you have a lot of wall to wipe down and have sprayed a ton of texture that is going to increase the humidity in a room substantially and increase wait time. It simply takes practice. Down here in the south we have our guns dialed to around 40 psi and get our mud to pancake batter consistency. Using a medium tip it will throw out much larger medium and makes a nice knockdown. Try turning your psi down when you do it, that will also help with the amount of downtime the compressor has to take to refill. Subscribed and appreciate all the videos!
There is definitely some good Knowledge in these comments. As far as finding the right time for knocking it down I find the best is when you look across the wall and you'll see that (just the tops of the texture is glossy from water. And the base of that texter goes flat from drying) In my experience I find right about then is when your knife still glides across without any sticking and your texture still maintains decent structure without getting too smooth. Love your videos by the way. Lot of good content 👍🏼
I made my first attempt at knockdown ceiling yesterday and it didn't go well. Watched this video, read all the comments, got a beefier compressor, dialed in my pressure and mud consistency and today got much better results. Thanks!
doing wall texture is just like an artist painting a picture,,,ther is no is no perfect knockdown texture..if you do it and you like it.. then its good..every wall will be different in its on way.. great job
I'm so glad you're making vids on texture. Nearly every house in my area has some kind of textured walls. I have quite a bit of experience matching texture and even doing whole houses with a hopper, and yeah, the Marshalltown is the best. Here's my two cents: 1) With knock down texture, It is important to prime the walls first. When you do patches, the raw drywall, drywall mud, and previously painted surfaces will soak up the water in the texture very differently. The painted stuff will still be too wet when the raw stuff is ready to knock down. 2) IMHO your mud is still a little too stiff. You want it pretty runny. It should pour into the hopper pretty well. If it is too stiff, it will also stack up a little in the funnel and won't feed evenly. 3) Inline regulator- I keep a regulator close to the texture hopper. My pressure is usually between 40-60psi 4) Trigger control- when your hopper is full, more mud will tend to come out, so I will pull the trigger back less when it's full, and a little more as the hopper gets lighter. 5) whenever possible, I will stand back 5-10 feet or so from the wall. It helps me get a more even pattern. (Obviously you cant do this in a small room) 6) knocking it down- I have used a knife to knock down, but now I use a squeegee. Marshalltown makes one that attaches to a pole. It takes a little practice, but I have been getting really good results from it. I do clean it off with a wet sponge after every pass. Also It is possible to knock down your texture after it has set up completely by sanding the high spots down. Not the preferred method, but it is good to know it can be done in a pinch.
Awesome info Scott! Thank you! I'm actually getting interested in the idea of using texture on a feature wall or a tray ceiling. After 10 years of making walls flat I'm getting bored of it. I want to start learning how to do some custom plaster finishes and textures. Would be a cool service to offer. Especially in my area where no one knows how to do textures.
Can you find a link to an inline regulator. Is it something that can dial down the pressure from my compressor. I know if I set my compressor to 50psi it would drop too low way too fast. Definitely my biggest problem is having my pressure go way up and down. I'm not invested enough to buy a specialized compressor for spraying texture.
@@vancouvercarpenter So, before I had a 20 gal air compressor, I used an extra 5gal tank with a regulator. This made my air supply last longer before I had to stop and wait for the compressor to catch up. Now I just have the regulator from that tank with the gauge and male and female air chucks. There is a smaller unit that is used primarily with automotive paint guns. If I didn't already have one I would probably go with something this: www.amazon.com/ATD-Tools-6753-Regulator-Control/dp/B000OUW7O8/ref=sr_1_33?keywords=paint+air+regulator&qid=1554503430&s=gateway&sr=8-33
@@vancouvercarpenter when I worked for my old boss, we built some log cabins. We would texture all the interior walls literally by hand. Swirls and streaks etc. It looked pretty cool. It wasn't for everyone. There is also a kind of heavy texture that you see in a few buildings around here where they basically blast the walls with a thick coat of mud from their texture trailer, then randomly strike it with a knife or trowel. It looks a little like stucco. In the 70's or 80's there were guys who textured with a mop type thing. they would even leave star bursts around the lights. It was kinda neat I guess.
Dont listen to everyone criticizing you, you are learning first, and helping others as you learn so they can learn also. Its great what you are doing, and you are showing us the steps to take for someone else to learn also. Technique can be taught without criticism
Its constructive criticism.. it's not a bad thing.. and I'm sure if he didnt want any advice he wouldn't ask for everyone to please leave a comment.. everyone can use tips along the way.. I'm 20yrs in the business and I still watch all his videos jst in case I may learn something plus i always read the comments cause you never no what others may have in mind.. constructive criticism is never a bad thing..
First hit the whole wall at hight pressure to give it a light orange peel then turn it down to about 40 pounds hit big splats on it the let it dry about 20 mins before you knock it down. And wipe your blade off often
Ahhh; I never do knock down until just the last few days, trying to blend into previous knock down higher up on a few walls in a bathroom. I ended up hitting it with a light orange peel, waiting until the next day, setting my compressor on 50psi with the biggest nozzle I had. I still think I hit it too soon with the knife, but so did the original texture guy so it seemed to match fairly close amazingly. Yeah I’m still not a fan of knockdown though, prefer orange peels and splatters.
This is two years old so I'm sure there's a high possibility you've figured this out by now but you need a knockdown paddle for this. As for time, it depends on the humidity of the room, you can start knocking it down about the time where you first started spraying starts to loose it sheen from the moisture in the mud. Usually about 15-20 mins is good, but you have to work quickly once you start going otherwise one side of the room will be knocked down more than the other. Just be careful as well because if you panic and rush you can push to hard or angle the knife to the side and leave lines in the knockdown.
Try regulating the pressure with the air control that came on your hopper. Also, I really try to avoid the circjlar technigue. I walked into a house I had recently textured and painted and all I could see were big circles of texture. I felt so bad I skim coated over it all, retextured, and re painted all on my own dime. The customer couldn't even see what I was talking about. But still.
Sorry, but that’s really terrible business acumen. The customer was satisfied with the job. You came back to the job site after it was complete with paint. You told the customer you did a crappy job, and then spent your own time, money, and energy to redo the entire thing, uprooting the customer in the process. And in the end, they couldn’t tell the difference, but you could. Dude it’s not your house. That’s a prime way to go out of business.
Well I’ll be damned, I learned something invaluable from you that I never knew, and I have yet to see on any other RUclips vids, from amateurs or pros alike. And even after years and years of on-and-off again handy work of all types, as well as a trained cabinetmaker mind you (and waaay before there was a RUclips, or google for that matter), even instructed by pros at times - never once was I told (or maybe i just forgot) that there’s a bow in taping knives. When you said that, all sorts of bells rang in my head - like how I often had the edges of my knife dig into the mud when simply taping, but other times not. Always thought it was my lack of skill and the wrong pressure I was applying. One thing I do remember from a pro was however, is to take a file to the sharp corners of a new knife to round them out to (hopefully) avoid digging in and getting those annoying lines. After you made the point of the convex/concave sides, I closely inspected my knives and realized that the brand stamped on the handle, was the the outside of the knife (the side that faces you when you use it). Typical of ALL kinds of products - they do this as a reminder of their name but also for the practical purpose of knowing how to use the device. THNK YOU SOOO MUCH. one thing though - and I apologize for the correction, especially after the praising, but… it’s referred to as “orange peel” not for the inside (as you said), but rather the outside of the peel, that I do know for sure. Which makes sense if you just look at the fruit. In any event, thanks again for that important detail.
JeffPDX while many knives are like that, don't take it for granted. I have a couple that aren't like that, so I now put black paint on the convex side when I first buy them.
I've been doing Drywall for 45 years here in the USA; in North Carolina! Spray left to right, not in circles, you'll get a better coat! And spray heavily to get a better knock down. It takes a little patience and practice to get what you want! Hope this helps... 👁👁
I'm going to be texturing ceiling and walls (fresh drywall) I would like to do ceiling and walls all in one go. I plan on doing knockdown on walls and more of a orange peel on the ceiling. Would I be able to spray ceiling and walls all in one go and then just knock down the walls?
Ben, kudos to your confidence in not being afraid to falter/daring to try new concepts, acceptance in knowing that there is no such thing as proverbial good writing & only good rewriting & sharing with us your lessons learned. Thank you!
This is a really good example of what beginners will run into. I had all these same issues. Most videos make it look way too easy. I'm redoing my whole bathroom because I didn't have just the right technique and it doesn't match the rest of my house. Whatever you do, DON'T paint it until you're absolutely sure the texture is right. Redoing a painted wall is a pita.
In humid areas (like Michigan) it's a bit longer wait time. In Denver and Utah (dryer climates) 5-10 minutes is usually enough, depending on room/surface temperatures and humidity. I do like the nice wide plastic or even really thin flexible metal to avoid pressing too hard. I'm not a pro, so don't follow any of MY advice...but at the end of the day, my home projects get better and better thanks to Trial, Error and Vancouver Carpenter's fantastic vids. Keep up the great work!
I will put in a couple of tips from my experience.. 1- I have used all kinds of 'tools' to knockdown, even cardboard. My tip is no matter the tool, use a LIGHT touch. 2- Don't be afraid to scrape it right back off and try again if it isn't looking right, before it dries of course. 3- 60 psi mud wet enough to pour. 4- Use the corner of a small mud knife to scrape a small clean edge (1/8 inch) in the corner where your walls meet your ceilings. This will make cutting in paint much easier and a much cleaner finished look.
We remodel homes in Florida (where EVERYTHING has knockdown walls and ceilings). I wish the people who did the texturing had created the 1/8 inch edge you mentioned. Cutting in is a bitch when the texture from the wall and the texture from the ceiling converge. It's impossible to create a straight line between the ceiling color and the wall color. If you have any suggestions on that, I'm all ears! I've tried using a flat screwdriver on the wall (doesn't make it flat enough) and I've tried creating a tiny groove in the ceiling just above the joint (can't get a straight line).
Tammy Slater-Kendrick I’m also remodelling in Florida. We typically smooth out all textured walls for a clean finish. If we keep it, I just go around corners with some sandpaper or a sand sponge and do what I can to make cutting in easier. But damn florida home owners and their textured walls!
I can't help but find it funny the idea of trying to perfect a texture that is inherently about imperfection. As always you, great content, thank you for all the tips and tricks. My place is looking good thanks to you sir!
I'm a taper with 47 years experience, a nice knockdown takes a ton of experience, don't try this or you'll pay for it on the resale of your home, I've fixed hundreds of jobs people tried and screwed up, I've done around 1500 jobs in the last 10 years and they seldom turn out exactly the same, to many variables can come into play
I'll throw in my 2 cents the way I keep it consistent is I make 4 swipes up and down between studs I count 1up 2 down 3 up 4 down then its next stud 1 up 2 down it seems to keep texture looking same I love u videos keep it up rock on
Three tips: 1. Make sure texture mud is uniform and mixed consistently 2. Timing is everything before knocking down. 3. Get the biggest knockdown blade as possible. I use a wide 36" very pliable plastic blade. Use very light pressure initially, you can always go over it again if need be. But, if you don't like it or knocked it down to flat just apply another coat. And if all else fails, just scrape off and start over. Good luck
I’ve done knock down years ago, it’s kind of tricky, and you have to get the right timing. I’ve seen bad jobs, and I’ve seen very good jobs of knock down. Anyway good job sir. I like the way you explain every detail. Leroy Chavez.
Wow my friend, what a good instructional video you are good at explaining to people how you spray texture!!!! Keep it up you sure are helping out hundreds of people that are begginers at using the hopper gun!!!!!
35 years ago, first home with crappy walls, and I was totally new to DIY home improvements. Rented a machine, and applied popcorn to the walls of the stairway. Popcorn would be the wrong term...It looked more like carmel corn clumps....and on the ceiling, too. So,....I sprayed the ceiling completely. I am so thankful that someone bought that house 10 years later.....So thankful...
I have the Marshalltown sprayer like you showed in the video. I use the second largest hole for knockdown and about half the air pressure. Allowing the handle to travel farther back increases the size of your globs of mud, which is also good for knockdown. The timing thing is difficult for everyone I think. How wet your mud is, the air temp, humidity, primed or bare drywall, etc. I would suggest a plastic knockdown blade, I use a 2 foot wide one that is very flexible, it makes it nearly impossible to push too hard.
About the only thing I do different is I have a wet rag in my other hand and keep the blade clean so I don't get goobers in the texture also light sanding after it's dry so it doesn't feel rough.
Anyone can correct me if I’m wrong, but in the south (Texas), that texture you did is called Monterrey, and looks quite similar, so the larger spread areas amongst smaller grain canals is actually a good look. It’s what I end up with when I do it. Self-taught with guidance from DIY instruction (RUclips, how-to’s, etc). Your videos on floating/feathering saved me on my last room remodel.
Monterrey is a thicker texture with deep valleys. I live in south central Texas. The way we do Monterrey texture is by applying the mud to the wall with a large blade. Then pat it to draw out large peaks. Let it dry some and knock it down.
There is The South and then there is Texas. Texas is most certainly not The South. We share some values with the South. But Texas is Texas. Rant over. I agree with CJ this is not like Monterrey.
I always prime my walls first, make sure my mud is very, very wet and I use a squeegee. I also am fortunate enough to usually have a second person helping me, so timing is a lot easier to get right.
Great video brotha man , Thank You! - If I got time on a project I wait a day after I texture and just sand down the mounds to a knockdown finish to blend in with the surrounding walls . That’s on a repair task of course.
Reduce the air pressure and the mud will come out heavier. The high pressure coming out of the gun cause the mud to mist and the texture will be smaller and fine.
A complete newbie here.....been watching your videos cause you are very good at showing how things are done. Must appreciate a pro who isn't shy on sharing what he knows. I was fixing a corner with 150 and 120 degree angles and found it hard to make the transition from drywall to wall...meaning I put in a corner tape and found it difficult to coat it and keep the corner straight....a video on this would be appreciated. I wish I could post a picture of it here so I could show you though how I did.....cause it turned out pretty good anyways.
Getting an actual knockdown knife has improved my knockdown texture. Using a drywall joint knife works however, the knockdown knife covers alot more area and has some flexibility which I found helped alot. Awesome video though!
What I like about this video is that you're learning to do it, just like I am! You have much more experience in general, but it still helps to see someone figuring it out for the first time.
the biggest tip ive learned is to use an actual knockdown blade (the big plastic fan looking ones) and wait until just after the shine is gone to start knocking down. the shine represents moisture, so if its still shiny its too wet to knock down and itll just smear into those bigger looking knockdowns
I'm sorry. But you're wrong about the Orange peel. Orange peel is the definition of a surface similiar to the outside of an orange. So, kinda smooth but still with a slight texture. Apart from that I really enjoy your videos. They are really educational. So keep em coming 👍
Yeah i was like hold on. Orange peel is not the inside but the outside. Orange peel is also the texture you get when painting walls with lets say a 1/2'' roller nap
after living at my parents from childhood to adulthood, i hate textured walls wholeheartedly. sometimes i'd accidentally hit my elbow on them and sometimes get a cut, or try to move large furniture and scrape my knuckles. i also think it looks fugly and just used as a cheap way to finish walls cause imperfections don't really matter.
Its mainly just when just tiny bits of wet are left. Every house and how fast it drys makes a lot of difference. Nobody waves the hopper in circles that I know of unless just going over something. Some drywall mud comes out like it’s greased and some fight every bit of the way. It can drive you crazy trying to get a good pattern without enough air and trying to adjust the air at the compressor that’s why the on and off limiter is you’re best friend. I used to wipe down whole houses and every one is different. I sometimes had to jump around at walls that dried faster than others.
I find once your all setup and adjusted. spraying in circles, keeping a consistent distance and moving continually at the same speed gives me the best results. And spraying ceilings you also need the 45 deg connector to the hoper. Great video on explaining.
The dudes I learned drywall from they used 2 rigid compressors, with a connector that allowed both of them to run and supply constant pressure to your Hopper. Also when mixing the mud in a bucket pay attention to the bubbles, 1 bubble is good for skims, 2 bubbles is about perfect for textures.
Also sometimes it helps to fog or orange peel it first let it dry then spray your heavier knockdown globs over it then knockdown using a rubber squeegee type knife
good job . mud should be a little thiner . extra regulator not needed just use the adjustment on the hopper . the new hoppers dispense the mud together with the air when the trigger is pulled . its not as good less control .in this video you did not spray too much mud but knocked it down a bit early still . also i use a fibergalss knock down knife , its very flexable
You actually did pretty damn good. As for timing, the moment the the mud begins to change colors indicating it's starting to set up. That's when it's ready. Grab the biggest knife you can and GENTLY begin knocking it down. Great videos btw!
It really depends on how thick your texture is. I shoot for a sour cream like consistency. Also make sure you dont use quick set mud. Use light weight compound. And like he said. Knocking down you want very light hands. Slight pressure.
Ben...great videos!!! I can tell you care about your work like myself just by the techniques you use. I don't use a hawk and trowel like you but I do the same amount of steps. But with knockdown I still struggle!! I would prime everything first to get drywall to the same consistency. Raw mud sucks the moisture out of your spray and makes it knockdown different. Use less air. I would say your air should be no lower than 30 psi but no higher than 60 psi and your spray a little on the thicker side. I think what you used looks good to me. The last thing is I've never been able to use my small compressor and have a good spray job. They just never keep up good enough for me or you can spray very little and wait alot. Keep up the great work and videos!!
I taught myself how to do this not long ago. I decided to stop using my taping knifes and a large plastic knock down knife. It pulls the texture perfectly every time. 👍
When the mud loses its glistening effect is when you knock it down. There is no specific time, due to humidity, air temp, etc.. AND USE A KNOCKDOWN KNIFE
That dial on the back is for material flow control, can set it at an automatic depth so you can pull trigger completely without blasting material out. With that said I have my first knockdown patch tomorrow too large for a spray bottle.. almost orangpeal/knockdown so Ben is my go to man he taught me how to mix mud and tape 5 years ago
I'm not a pro, but have flipped a few houses. I don't use a sprayer because I think that would take some experience. I don't want to spend 20 hours learning when I can be done in 15 doing a slower method. Plus all the equipment for my size jobs is a bit much to carry around since I also have to have tools for all the trades in a flip job. I use all purpose right out of the bucket, no thinning. I get some on my 18" trowel and press the trowel to the wall and lift off. First push/lift just kisses the wall leaving some blobs and initially jumping around the wall. I'm just trying to get some blobs of mud around maybe a 2-3' square area. Then keep repeating the punching action with the trowel picking up bigger blobs and depositing in areas that need blobs. Keep going over the area punching and watching. It takes a long time, which is what I need because I don't have the experience. The more time punching the smaller/finer the texture is. I do a whole room wall, like 12-14 feet. Then wait. Because I didn't thin the blobs are kind of doughy and very slow to dry and uniform. I think I get a pretty large window of it being perfect to knock down like 10 to 30 minutes of window time. Because it wasn't thinned it's very safe to test because with a light touch it's pretty difficult to knock down too much like it is with thinned mud. If I wait too long it is still doughy enough that I just have to press much harder and repeat - it's much more like doing a skim coat where you can just keep working it until you're happy. With the thinned downed gun stuff it looks like you really only get one shot at knock down which is a huge plus for the professional of course but a problem for non-experts. My method also means I use a like more mud which is good for me because I can hide problem too more because the knock down can smooth out joints even more. Like I said, it's more like a skim coat. Very time consuming but I'm trading time for experience by necessity. If I was going to become a professional drywaller of course I'd take the time to learn. But I'm not. You can also make a mop try tamper to apply the mud instead of the trowel. Works good especially for ceilings. As long as I do the same method everywhere it looks really great - professional, and even better than many professional jobs I've seen. One time I forgot to knock down a wall and after a day or so I just sanded down the peaks and it looked fine. With stiffer mud you're really not spreading the blobs out like with the gun, it's more like flatting the peaks. That's just how I do it.
Thank you! I haven't used my texture gun in over 8 years, I get it hooked up and I thought it was leaking, thought I'd have to take it apart and replace a seal. But you explained the issue with the air right away so I'll be spittin mud tomorrow. Thanks for all the great drywall tips!
couple things I do different 1. mix the mud with less water 2. let mud sit for 15 min ( still in bucket before you shoot.) 3. Way to much pressure (50 to 80 psi) 4. knock it down a couple minutes after finishing (5-10 min) my stuff looks great after painting.
Less water? Holy shit how much mud do you use to spray lol i mix it not much thicker than oil, makes it smoother and dont stick out too far after knocked down
Ben, I'll help any way I can. Number 1 is you don't have to turn the valve all the way on. Say you have 90° turn on the valve. You can turn it 20° - 30° to get the pressure right for what you want to do. Use your ears and your eyes to get it to the proper position consistently. If you're doing orange peel, the pressure goes way up. This will also keep your compressor from running too much and overheating. The gun with all the different size holes on a disk is the preferred tool for me, also. Orange peel gets the smallest, and knockdown is towards the largest, depending on what is already there. I have found that it's MUCH better to wait longer to knock it down than it is to hit it too soon. If you wait too long, you can wipe it off with a damp sponge (although I've never had to). Hit it too soon and... well, you know. I have to agree with another comment, though, I don't think this is a good DIY job. Also, get a proper knockdown tool. About 30" wide made of clear flexible plastic with a threaded opening that will accept a broom stick. Makes a world of difference.
The more air pressure you have the smaller the orange peel texture is, turning down the pressure will make the orange, peel bigger, you need to use the biggest orifice when you do knock down and turn the pressure down and it will glob out then knock it down in about five minutes. Trust me that’s how you get the knock down and the bigger Texter if you want to do a smaller knock down you turn the pressure up a little bit more but use the biggest orifice. I’ve been doing this for 30 years.
This was very helpful. I did one room and it came out like shit. I now know that I need to borrow bigger compressor. Also you explained how to use the rear adjustment to move the inside needle . I'm going for orange peel finish. With that said I'm hopeful that the remaining rooms will come out better.
Just free tip to help aswell. I always skim coat the wall first. Then adjust your compressor at about 45psi, make mud about like pancake batter. You did good test on a scrap piece to dial in the gun and size of splatter. If you skim the wall first it'll help with them flat spots your talking about and it'll be a more consistent good looking texture.
I shot a few walls today in a bathroom and I waited 45 minutes to 1 hour to knockdown the texture. I used all purpose joint compound thinned with water. Came out nice. 👍🏻 Although if I were in a hurry, I’d not want to wait that long..
In some cases in the past if it's not a huge job after spraying we've removed the plastic to let air in so the wait time isn't so long, but to each's own everyone finds what works for them you'll eventually find what works for you. But wrong very lightly is let as someone else stated almost just let the knife glide over it with almost no pressure we used a knife with a soft rubber piece on it worked great then sand it
Great content. Would love to see how you stomp ceilings and more specifically how you would match texture on a repair. I’ve done it over the years homeowners have always been happy with it but I’m usually not we are our own worst critics
It's very important to prime the walls or ceilings before you do a knockdown finish, if not and you go over the mud you taped with it's going to stick it's pretty difficult like that, so prime first, shoot your knock down, pull It, give it a quick sand when it's dry and then prime again
We did one in the kitchen ceiling and the blobs of mud were much larger and spaced out more. Knocked down very well. Much different than all of your attempts. I wonder if it's just the hopper gun design? I guess I need to make sure I have the large size nozzle for big blops of mud
Bruh to do a knock down first get the size you want of mud shooting out, I personally like the bigger splatter. Second let it sit for a few minutes, I wait till I see drying as soon as I see drying it's telling me it's about time to flatten it out with a mud knife. Don't press hard, in this video you pressed too hard. I'll go up down left right when flattening it down. It's not hard, you just gotta cover things you don't want to get mud on like windows and trim. Get the right thickness of the mud the runnier it is the longer it will dry and it will shrink way more. Set the nozzle to the right size mud you want big small medium, remember let it sit for a few minutes after spraying. As soon as you see it drying then lightly flatten it. You can do a whole room at once with a helper cause while you are still spraying the helper can be flattening if the mud dries before you're done spraying.
Yeah, orange peel and knockdown is so common in FL we had a hard time finding people who know how to finish a smooth wall. The ones that could do it all moved here from the north.
😂 I was doing a bit of finishing research for my work in commercial construction and I was scratching my head on use-cases since I don’t see a lot of wall textures. My grandmas house in Florida was all I could picture.
I used a Goldblatt compressor and had both kinds of hoppers. I think I used to run 60 lbs. but maybe it was 90 pounds of pressure. I will be doing this stuff again very soon so I need to get familiar with it all again. I have done a lot of knockdown and a lot of orange peel. I strain both with a paint net screen thing with the elastic. I run my orange peel so my hand webs like a duck when I pull it out and my lace a little over double thickness from that. You should have a hard time screening it if it's the right thickness for knockdown. I waited 10 to 15 minutes to knock it down in Florida. You may want to wait 5 more minutes if you question anything. Late is better with lace.
It depends on temperature and humidity and if you are spraying over a wall that is painted or over new dry wall, even on the drywall that is paper verses the drywall that has mud over it, the wall will suck the moisture out of the mud at a different rate.
Wait until just the tips of the splatters are glossy. The base of the splatter should be matte. I use a big 24 in flexible plastic knockdown tool so I don't get ridges on the sides when I swipe and don't accidentally add too much pressure. Make sure you wipe it off regularly.
Number one, you are an intelligent person. Number two, you have a lot of good content on your channel. Number three, you need a nice collared shirt with a logo.
Apparently you have never worked in a business where collars on shirts are just funneling crap inside your shirt! My dad and Grandfather were painters as well as my best friend growing up, his entire family were painters. They wore white painter pants and white T-shirts. It is the uniform of professional painters and if your good at the end of the day, you clothes should still be white. It was a badge of pride for them. If you think your a painter, try it sometime. For anyone looking for a job ad a painter, their skills or lack of there of showed up on the first day!
I'm not sure if it's just marketing talk, but mine is a "poly carbonate" blade. I've had it about 8 years and I'm not sure what could wear out on it pushing texture down. If others prefer their "foam tip" that's great, but I don't know if durability is really an issue.
Aye brother a little tip for your knock down, always wipe your knife clean after every pull should help prevent wider texture & I like to primer after it’s dry so it soaks & swell to give it that finish look your after & it’s easier to see any imperfections for touch ups. Other then that you sum it up really good & what I learn in construction is there is no wrong way really. I find every journeymen to have there own unique faster way & not wasting moves on doing things. Tricks of the trade is truly a gift through experience… have a nice day mate ❤💪🏾🕺🏽
Would putting some kind of die in the texture help you see if it's even? And instead of knocking it down , letting it dry and coming back and giving it a slight block with 180 grit give you a safer knockdown look? Without worrying about smearing it or knife marks?
it's all in your mix, if your knockdown mud is too thin it will be super hard to work with.. but if you have it the right thickness, it will be much easier to work with, sprays more consistent, & beads up real nice for knocking it
The right time to wipe it down is when it stops being shiny, and a 24 inch acrylic drag knife is great for dragging.I had a 500 gallon and a 300 gallon selfmixing rig for spraying splatter drag texture here in Texas , I have sprayed million's of gallons of drywall mud.
I use a rubber knockdown knife I never use lightweight I use topping or red dot all purpose always strain my texture it does take practice and a compressor with higher scfm output
Late to the party but air pressured distance from wall and consistency all contribute to texture. The hardest thing is to match is a knock down since you add in the variable of time to set and pressure of the wipe. I’m still learning myself and it’s been years.
We paint the ceiling first and also add some paint to the mud. Thinned down all purpose, lower pressure. I prefer a much lighter touch than the heavy handed plastic blade look. We use 6” knives and go in a circular pattern. Once it’s knocked down there’s no need to paint.
Just a DIY here with a little experience. My wife and I are in the process of removing the popcorn celling and then using a light knockdown texture. I have done research and gotten advice from a pro. It depends on what texture you want. For a light texture you want higher pressure and thinner mud. For a heaver texture you want thicker mud and lower pressure. I am not a pro it is just my understanding. We did get the plastic scraper and it works better than the steel one. Also use the scraper at a low angle with light pressure. Get a 90 degree elbow for the bottom of the hopper gun where the air hose connects. That way you can stand the hopper gun up in a corner for filling. I found that filling the hopper all the way up can kill you. 1/4 to 1/3 at most. I was able to borrow a hopper less gun for 1 room. Lots easer and more control.
I begin the knockdown as soon as the spray loses its sheen it's tricky, and usually requires two people. I also apply the texture in a back and forth pattern, using 45 psi to apply the mud.
There is so much preference that goes into what look anyone likes. I like to do an initial light pass, or light orange peel with a lighter flowing pancake batter consistency to get an initial base and work my way around the room applying that, then I continue where I started, and it seems the mud that was mixed stiffens up a little after it has sat a short amount of time, and then start layering it on a little heavier. I do stay back further with the hopper, maybe in-between 2 and 3 ft distance from the wall, and I like to minimize the larger spots to mostly pinkie fingernail size with a mix of some middle finger nail size blobs to get the look like to achieve. I wait until the high spots start to loose their shininess and then very gently knock them down with a wide knock down tool. The end result I prefer is a mix of orange peel, with a nice blending of small and medium sized plateaus. I refer to it as a discreet splatter drag, with a hint of orange peel. I never liked the large blobbed look or anything with large flat spot plateaus. But it all comes down to personal preference.
If you spray it like if you was painting going left and right you will get even coverage and doing it in circles will not get even coverage you will see spots that hasn't been hit
Im still learning knockdown just sprayed a big house.I find if you knockdown right away you can get big patterns. wait longer than 10mins you get smaller patterns . Alos use a flexible Marshalltown knockdown blade/knife . Make sure to carry rag or sponge to keep it clean. Cheers Ryan from RR Drywall Parksville
Late to the party but I wanted to say the Wall-Board brand Texture-Pro 200 does control air flow by the trigger.. Much nicer than having it flow air all the time. Works well with small job site compressors.
Using a a rubber knockdown knife works much nicer than using a steel knife...keep a towel and wipe the edge on each pass to kep unwanted lines from making there way into the scene...also if you are not spraying directly on to new drywall...all purpose mud works the best...you can also turn your compressor down to around 80 psi...start from the top or ceiling and work your way down using circles and side to side motions...you'll get it in no time...also a trick to not getting a tired shoulder is to put your left hand behind your head to take the pressure off of your right arm...when you are doing low ceilings such as in a finished basement it certainly helps...good luck!!
I find it easier to use 40-60 psi and a little bit soupier mud than you had. You’re on the right track knock it down with a bigger blade that’s super flexible with light pressure just as the wet sheen fades to that dull gray color.
This seems like the kind of job best done with two people. One spraying. The other knocking down. The reason I say this is that each job requires consistency, and the best way to make that happen is by having each person only focus on one of the two tasks. This enables them to maintain muscle memory, consistency, proficiency and speed. What are your thoughts?
It actually looks pretty good. About the only think I didn't like seeing is the circular motion when spraying. You will never get an even base to knock down. A Marshalltown knockdown knife is awesome. It will float over wetter texture with a light pressure.
![Knock-Down Ceiling Texture [Complete Guide]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5p45xhotsI/mqdefault.jpg)
Texture does take practice. The difficulty in knockdown is the timing for when to wipe. A 12" drywall knife is sufficient and better than a 24-36" knife on walls that aren't perfectly flat (poor framing) but you need to practice to see how soon to wipe.
The humidity, air flow of the room, whether the wall was primed, dryness of the wall and thickness of your texture will all determine when to wipe. It can be anywhere from 4 minutes after you spray in a conditioned house with no primer behind the texture to 10-12 minutes in a more humid house. If you have a lot of wall to wipe down and have sprayed a ton of texture that is going to increase the humidity in a room substantially and increase wait time.
It simply takes practice. Down here in the south we have our guns dialed to around 40 psi and get our mud to pancake batter consistency. Using a medium tip it will throw out much larger medium and makes a nice knockdown. Try turning your psi down when you do it, that will also help with the amount of downtime the compressor has to take to refill.
Subscribed and appreciate all the videos!
Solid response. Appreciate the details.
There is definitely some good Knowledge in these comments.
As far as finding the right time for knocking it down I find the best is when you look across the wall and you'll see that (just the tops of the texture is glossy from water.
And the base of that texter goes flat from drying)
In my experience I find right about then is when your knife still glides across without any sticking and your texture still maintains decent structure without getting too smooth.
Love your videos by the way. Lot of good content 👍🏼
I made my first attempt at knockdown ceiling yesterday and it didn't go well. Watched this video, read all the comments, got a beefier compressor, dialed in my pressure and mud consistency and today got much better results. Thanks!
doing wall texture is just like an artist painting a picture,,,ther is no is no perfect knockdown texture..if you do it and you like it.. then its good..every wall will be different in its on way.. great job
I'm so glad you're making vids on texture. Nearly every house in my area has some kind of textured walls. I have quite a bit of experience matching texture and even doing whole houses with a hopper, and yeah, the Marshalltown is the best. Here's my two cents:
1) With knock down texture, It is important to prime the walls first. When you do patches, the raw drywall, drywall mud, and previously painted surfaces will soak up the water in the texture very differently. The painted stuff will still be too wet when the raw stuff is ready to knock down.
2) IMHO your mud is still a little too stiff. You want it pretty runny. It should pour into the hopper pretty well. If it is too stiff, it will also stack up a little in the funnel and won't feed evenly.
3) Inline regulator- I keep a regulator close to the texture hopper. My pressure is usually between 40-60psi
4) Trigger control- when your hopper is full, more mud will tend to come out, so I will pull the trigger back less when it's full, and a little more as the hopper gets lighter.
5) whenever possible, I will stand back 5-10 feet or so from the wall. It helps me get a more even pattern. (Obviously you cant do this in a small room)
6) knocking it down- I have used a knife to knock down, but now I use a squeegee. Marshalltown makes one that attaches to a pole. It takes a little practice, but I have been getting really good results from it. I do clean it off with a wet sponge after every pass. Also It is possible to knock down your texture after it has set up completely by sanding the high spots down. Not the preferred method, but it is good to know it can be done in a pinch.
Awesome info Scott! Thank you! I'm actually getting interested in the idea of using texture on a feature wall or a tray ceiling. After 10 years of making walls flat I'm getting bored of it. I want to start learning how to do some custom plaster finishes and textures. Would be a cool service to offer. Especially in my area where no one knows how to do textures.
Can you find a link to an inline regulator. Is it something that can dial down the pressure from my compressor. I know if I set my compressor to 50psi it would drop too low way too fast. Definitely my biggest problem is having my pressure go way up and down. I'm not invested enough to buy a specialized compressor for spraying texture.
@@vancouvercarpenter So, before I had a 20 gal air compressor, I used an extra 5gal tank with a regulator. This made my air supply last longer before I had to stop and wait for the compressor to catch up. Now I just have the regulator from that tank with the gauge and male and female air chucks. There is a smaller unit that is used primarily with automotive paint guns. If I didn't already have one I would probably go with something this: www.amazon.com/ATD-Tools-6753-Regulator-Control/dp/B000OUW7O8/ref=sr_1_33?keywords=paint+air+regulator&qid=1554503430&s=gateway&sr=8-33
@@vancouvercarpenter when I worked for my old boss, we built some log cabins. We would texture all the interior walls literally by hand. Swirls and streaks etc. It looked pretty cool. It wasn't for everyone. There is also a kind of heavy texture that you see in a few buildings around here where they basically blast the walls with a thick coat of mud from their texture trailer, then randomly strike it with a knife or trowel. It looks a little like stucco.
In the 70's or 80's there were guys who textured with a mop type thing. they would even leave star bursts around the lights. It was kinda neat I guess.
Awesome
Dont listen to everyone criticizing you, you are learning first, and helping others as you learn so they can learn also. Its great what you are doing, and you are showing us the steps to take for someone else to learn also. Technique can be taught without criticism
Who Cares -Actually listen to the criticisms especially when learning. But weed out the know it alls that have never done it.
Its constructive criticism.. it's not a bad thing.. and I'm sure if he didnt want any advice he wouldn't ask for everyone to please leave a comment.. everyone can use tips along the way.. I'm 20yrs in the business and I still watch all his videos jst in case I may learn something plus i always read the comments cause you never no what others may have in mind.. constructive criticism is never a bad thing..
It will only help to hear from peeps who have done a ton of this....
First hit the whole wall at hight pressure to give it a light orange peel then turn it down to about 40 pounds hit big splats on it the let it dry about 20 mins before you knock it down. And wipe your blade off often
Ahhh; I never do knock down until just the last few days, trying to blend into previous knock down higher up on a few walls in a bathroom. I ended up hitting it with a light orange peel, waiting until the next day, setting my compressor on 50psi with the biggest nozzle I had. I still think I hit it too soon with the knife, but so did the original texture guy so it seemed to match fairly close amazingly. Yeah I’m still not a fan of knockdown though, prefer orange peels and splatters.
This is two years old so I'm sure there's a high possibility you've figured this out by now but you need a knockdown paddle for this. As for time, it depends on the humidity of the room, you can start knocking it down about the time where you first started spraying starts to loose it sheen from the moisture in the mud. Usually about 15-20 mins is good, but you have to work quickly once you start going otherwise one side of the room will be knocked down more than the other. Just be careful as well because if you panic and rush you can push to hard or angle the knife to the side and leave lines in the knockdown.
Try regulating the pressure with the air control that came on your hopper. Also, I really try to avoid the circjlar technigue. I walked into a house I had recently textured and painted and all I could see were big circles of texture. I felt so bad I skim coated over it all, retextured, and re painted all on my own dime. The customer couldn't even see what I was talking about. But still.
Not alot of guys would do that. Good on you for being a craftsman and fixing something your not happy with.
Haha ur crazy 😂
You are just like me, ha!! I can't live with myself without fixing stuff like that.
Agreed. Really cool that you fixed it. Shows pride in your work!
Sorry, but that’s really terrible business acumen. The customer was satisfied with the job. You came back to the job site after it was complete with paint. You told the customer you did a crappy job, and then spent your own time, money, and energy to redo the entire thing, uprooting the customer in the process. And in the end, they couldn’t tell the difference, but you could.
Dude it’s not your house.
That’s a prime way to go out of business.
Well I’ll be damned, I learned something invaluable from you that I never knew, and I have yet to see on any other RUclips vids, from amateurs or pros alike. And even after years and years of on-and-off again handy work of all types, as well as a trained cabinetmaker mind you (and waaay before there was a RUclips, or google for that matter), even instructed by pros at times - never once was I told (or maybe i just forgot) that there’s a bow in taping knives. When you said that, all sorts of bells rang in my head - like how I often had the edges of my knife dig into the mud when simply taping, but other times not. Always thought it was my lack of skill and the wrong pressure I was applying. One thing I do remember from a pro was however, is to take a file to the sharp corners of a new knife to round them out to (hopefully) avoid digging in and getting those annoying lines. After you made the point of the convex/concave sides, I closely inspected my knives and realized that the brand stamped on the handle, was the the outside of the knife (the side that faces you when you use it). Typical of ALL kinds of products - they do this as a reminder of their name but also for the practical purpose of knowing how to use the device. THNK YOU SOOO MUCH. one thing though - and I apologize for the correction, especially after the praising, but… it’s referred to as “orange peel” not for the inside (as you said), but rather the outside of the peel, that I do know for sure. Which makes sense if you just look at the fruit. In any event, thanks again for that important detail.
JeffPDX while many knives are like that, don't take it for granted. I have a couple that aren't like that, so I now put black paint on the convex side when I first buy them.
I've been doing Drywall for 45 years here in the USA; in North Carolina! Spray left to right, not in circles, you'll get a better coat! And spray heavily to get a better knock down. It takes a little patience and practice to get what you want! Hope this helps... 👁👁
I'm going to be texturing ceiling and walls (fresh drywall) I would like to do ceiling and walls all in one go. I plan on doing knockdown on walls and more of a orange peel on the ceiling. Would I be able to spray ceiling and walls all in one go and then just knock down the walls?
How do you do large rooms? I have about 800 ft2. Do you make it as a hole piece or divide by two-three areas?
Ben, kudos to your confidence in not being afraid to falter/daring to try new concepts, acceptance in knowing that there is no such thing as proverbial good writing & only good rewriting & sharing with us your lessons learned. Thank you!
This is a really good example of what beginners will run into. I had all these same issues. Most videos make it look way too easy. I'm redoing my whole bathroom because I didn't have just the right technique and it doesn't match the rest of my house. Whatever you do, DON'T paint it until you're absolutely sure the texture is right. Redoing a painted wall is a pita.
In humid areas (like Michigan) it's a bit longer wait time. In Denver and Utah (dryer climates) 5-10 minutes is usually enough, depending on room/surface temperatures and humidity. I do like the nice wide plastic or even really thin flexible metal to avoid pressing too hard. I'm not a pro, so don't follow any of MY advice...but at the end of the day, my home projects get better and better thanks to Trial, Error and Vancouver Carpenter's fantastic vids. Keep up the great work!
I will put in a couple of tips from my experience..
1- I have used all kinds of 'tools' to knockdown, even cardboard. My tip is no matter the tool, use a LIGHT touch.
2- Don't be afraid to scrape it right back off and try again if it isn't looking right, before it dries of course.
3- 60 psi mud wet enough to pour.
4- Use the corner of a small mud knife to scrape a small clean edge (1/8 inch) in the corner where your walls meet your ceilings. This will make cutting in paint much easier and a much cleaner finished look.
I have used 1/4" masking tape at the ceiling to wall joint and peel it as soon as the knock down is done. Leaves a nice sharp edge for painting.
We remodel homes in Florida (where EVERYTHING has knockdown walls and ceilings). I wish the people who did the texturing had created the 1/8 inch edge you mentioned. Cutting in is a bitch when the texture from the wall and the texture from the ceiling converge. It's impossible to create a straight line between the ceiling color and the wall color. If you have any suggestions on that, I'm all ears! I've tried using a flat screwdriver on the wall (doesn't make it flat enough) and I've tried creating a tiny groove in the ceiling just above the joint (can't get a straight line).
Tammy Slater-Kendrick I’m also remodelling in Florida. We typically smooth out all textured walls for a clean finish. If we keep it, I just go around corners with some sandpaper or a sand sponge and do what I can to make cutting in easier. But damn florida home owners and their textured walls!
How would you spray knockdown so it's a little smaller, or finer not sure on the terminology, so the flat surfaces are smaller and not so big?
@@mvpthug If you use the smaller tips for the texture hopper, the balls of mud will come out smaller. Higher pressure also helps.
I can't help but find it funny the idea of trying to perfect a texture that is inherently about imperfection.
As always you, great content, thank you for all the tips and tricks. My place is looking good thanks to you sir!
I'm a taper with 47 years experience, a nice knockdown takes a ton of experience, don't try this or you'll pay for it on the resale of your home, I've fixed hundreds of jobs people tried and screwed up, I've done around 1500 jobs in the last 10 years and they seldom turn out exactly the same, to many variables can come into play
Thanks, Ben. You confirmed that texture is not something I will be using on my drywall.
I'll throw in my 2 cents the way I keep it consistent is I make 4 swipes up and down between studs I count 1up 2 down 3 up 4 down then its next stud 1 up 2 down it seems to keep texture looking same I love u videos keep it up rock on
Three tips:
1. Make sure texture mud is uniform and mixed consistently
2. Timing is everything before knocking down.
3. Get the biggest knockdown blade as possible. I use a wide 36" very pliable plastic blade. Use very light pressure initially, you can always go over it again if need be. But, if you don't like it or knocked it down to flat just apply another coat. And if all else fails, just scrape off and start over.
Good luck
Michael Pedde looser. You didn't give the time. #fuckthisdude
Doug DeGrave #fuckthisotherone
I’ve done knock down years ago, it’s kind of tricky, and you have to get the right timing. I’ve seen bad jobs, and I’ve seen very good jobs of knock down. Anyway good job sir. I like the way you explain every detail. Leroy Chavez.
Wow my friend, what a good instructional video you are good at explaining to people how you spray texture!!!! Keep it up you sure are helping out hundreds of people that are begginers at using the hopper gun!!!!!
35 years ago, first home with crappy walls, and I was totally new to DIY home improvements. Rented a machine, and applied popcorn to the walls of the stairway. Popcorn would be the wrong term...It looked more like carmel corn clumps....and on the ceiling, too. So,....I sprayed the ceiling completely. I am so thankful that someone bought that house 10 years later.....So thankful...
popcorn is easy to take down as long as you dont paint it
I have the Marshalltown sprayer like you showed in the video. I use the second largest hole for knockdown and about half the air pressure. Allowing the handle to travel farther back increases the size of your globs of mud, which is also good for knockdown. The timing thing is difficult for everyone I think. How wet your mud is, the air temp, humidity, primed or bare drywall, etc. I would suggest a plastic knockdown blade, I use a 2 foot wide one that is very flexible, it makes it nearly impossible to push too hard.
About the only thing I do different is I have a wet rag in my other hand and keep the blade clean so I don't get goobers in the texture also light sanding after it's dry so it doesn't feel rough.
Anyone can correct me if I’m wrong, but in the south (Texas), that texture you did is called Monterrey, and looks quite similar, so the larger spread areas amongst smaller grain canals is actually a good look. It’s what I end up with when I do it. Self-taught with guidance from DIY instruction (RUclips, how-to’s, etc).
Your videos on floating/feathering saved me on my last room remodel.
Monterrey is a thicker texture with deep valleys. I live in south central Texas. The way we do Monterrey texture is by applying the mud to the wall with a large blade. Then pat it to draw out large peaks. Let it dry some and knock it down.
There is The South and then there is Texas. Texas is most certainly not The South. We share some values with the South. But Texas is Texas.
Rant over.
I agree with CJ this is not like Monterrey.
Thanks, Ben. What I got from this is I'll do the repair portion and sub out the finish.
I always prime my walls first, make sure my mud is very, very wet and I use a squeegee. I also am fortunate enough to usually have a second person helping me, so timing is a lot easier to get right.
“You are a perfectionist” thought I had a bad ocd problem, but I like your word better thanks man
Great videos...I have learned a ton and common sense approaches to home repair / maint from you and others. Please keep them coming.
Great video brotha man , Thank You! - If I got time on a project I wait a day after I texture and just sand down the mounds to a knockdown finish to blend in with the surrounding walls . That’s on a repair task of course.
Great tip!
Reduce the air pressure and the mud will come out heavier. The high pressure coming out of the gun cause the mud to mist and the texture will be smaller and fine.
A complete newbie here.....been watching your videos cause you are very good at showing how things are done. Must appreciate a pro who isn't shy on sharing what he knows. I was fixing a corner with 150 and 120 degree angles and found it hard to make the transition from drywall to wall...meaning I put in a corner tape and found it difficult to coat it and keep the corner straight....a video on this would be appreciated. I wish I could post a picture of it here so I could show you though how I did.....cause it turned out pretty good anyways.
Best video demo and explanation I've seen so far on this product.
Getting an actual knockdown knife has improved my knockdown texture. Using a drywall joint knife works however, the knockdown knife covers alot more area and has some flexibility which I found helped alot. Awesome video though!
What I like about this video is that you're learning to do it, just like I am! You have much more experience in general, but it still helps to see someone figuring it out for the first time.
the biggest tip ive learned is to use an actual knockdown blade (the big plastic fan looking ones) and wait until just after the shine is gone to start knocking down. the shine represents moisture, so if its still shiny its too wet to knock down and itll just smear into those bigger looking knockdowns
I'm sorry. But you're wrong about the Orange peel. Orange peel is the definition of a surface similiar to the outside of an orange. So, kinda smooth but still with a slight texture. Apart from that I really enjoy your videos. They are really educational. So keep em coming 👍
Yeah i was like hold on. Orange peel is not the inside but the outside. Orange peel is also the texture you get when painting walls with lets say a 1/2'' roller nap
It’s also when you spray too close to a house or door.
at least for in my area, orange peel is amateurish both in paint and drywall and should be avoided.
I was wondering about that. The oranges I been eating have the texture on the outside .
He's Canadian. Up there the meaning of outside and insider are reversed.
after living at my parents from childhood to adulthood, i hate textured walls wholeheartedly. sometimes i'd accidentally hit my elbow on them and sometimes get a cut, or try to move large furniture and scrape my knuckles. i also think it looks fugly and just used as a cheap way to finish walls cause imperfections don't really matter.
Its mainly just when just tiny bits of wet are left. Every house and how fast it drys makes a lot of difference. Nobody waves the hopper in circles that I know of unless just going over something. Some drywall mud comes out like it’s greased and some fight every bit of the way. It can drive you crazy trying to get a good pattern without enough air and trying to adjust the air at the compressor that’s why the on and off limiter is you’re best friend. I used to wipe down whole houses and every one is different. I sometimes had to jump around at walls that dried faster than others.
I find once your all setup and adjusted. spraying in circles, keeping a consistent distance and moving continually at the same speed gives me the best results. And spraying ceilings you also need the 45 deg connector to the hoper. Great video on explaining.
The dudes I learned drywall from they used 2 rigid compressors, with a connector that allowed both of them to run and supply constant pressure to your Hopper. Also when mixing the mud in a bucket pay attention to the bubbles, 1 bubble is good for skims, 2 bubbles is about perfect for textures.
Also sometimes it helps to fog or orange peel it first let it dry then spray your heavier knockdown globs over it then knockdown using a rubber squeegee type knife
good job . mud should be a little thiner . extra regulator not needed just use the adjustment on the hopper . the new hoppers dispense the mud together with the air when the trigger is pulled . its not as good less control .in this video you did not spray too much mud but knocked it down a bit early still . also i use a fibergalss knock down knife , its very flexable
Just started doing texture and your videos really have helped me a lot learning and the little tips you learn that you share are great thanks!!!
You actually did pretty damn good. As for timing, the moment the the mud begins to change colors indicating it's starting to set up. That's when it's ready. Grab the biggest knife you can and GENTLY begin knocking it down.
Great videos btw!
I find if I kick my line pressure down to about 45 psi works perfect for me! All purpose mud works great things down to pancake batter!
It really depends on how thick your texture is. I shoot for a sour cream like consistency. Also make sure you dont use quick set mud. Use light weight compound. And like he said. Knocking down you want very light hands. Slight pressure.
Ben...great videos!!! I can tell you care about your work like myself just by the techniques you use. I don't use a hawk and trowel like you but I do the same amount of steps. But with knockdown I still struggle!! I would prime everything first to get drywall to the same consistency. Raw mud sucks the moisture out of your spray and makes it knockdown different. Use less air. I would say your air should be no lower than 30 psi but no higher than 60 psi and your spray a little on the thicker side. I think what you used looks good to me. The last thing is I've never been able to use my small compressor and have a good spray job. They just never keep up good enough for me or you can spray very little and wait alot. Keep up the great work and videos!!
Thanks Justin!
I taught myself how to do this not long ago. I decided to stop using my taping knifes and a large plastic knock down knife. It pulls the texture perfectly every time. 👍
When the mud loses its glistening effect is when you knock it down. There is no specific time, due to humidity, air temp, etc.. AND USE A KNOCKDOWN KNIFE
Finally a answer to my question after 4 other vids, Thankyou from Wyoming!
That dial on the back is for material flow control, can set it at an automatic depth so you can pull trigger completely without blasting material out. With that said I have my first knockdown patch tomorrow too large for a spray bottle.. almost orangpeal/knockdown so Ben is my go to man he taught me how to mix mud and tape 5 years ago
I'm not a pro, but have flipped a few houses. I don't use a sprayer because I think that would take some experience. I don't want to spend 20 hours learning when I can be done in 15 doing a slower method. Plus all the equipment for my size jobs is a bit much to carry around since I also have to have tools for all the trades in a flip job.
I use all purpose right out of the bucket, no thinning. I get some on my 18" trowel and press the trowel to the wall and lift off. First push/lift just kisses the wall leaving some blobs and initially jumping around the wall. I'm just trying to get some blobs of mud around maybe a 2-3' square area. Then keep repeating the punching action with the trowel picking up bigger blobs and depositing in areas that need blobs. Keep going over the area punching and watching. It takes a long time, which is what I need because I don't have the experience. The more time punching the smaller/finer the texture is. I do a whole room wall, like 12-14 feet. Then wait. Because I didn't thin the blobs are kind of doughy and very slow to dry and uniform. I think I get a pretty large window of it being perfect to knock down like 10 to 30 minutes of window time. Because it wasn't thinned it's very safe to test because with a light touch it's pretty difficult to knock down too much like it is with thinned mud. If I wait too long it is still doughy enough that I just have to press much harder and repeat - it's much more like doing a skim coat where you can just keep working it until you're happy. With the thinned downed gun stuff it looks like you really only get one shot at knock down which is a huge plus for the professional of course but a problem for non-experts. My method also means I use a like more mud which is good for me because I can hide problem too more because the knock down can smooth out joints even more. Like I said, it's more like a skim coat.
Very time consuming but I'm trading time for experience by necessity. If I was going to become a professional drywaller of course I'd take the time to learn. But I'm not.
You can also make a mop try tamper to apply the mud instead of the trowel. Works good especially for ceilings.
As long as I do the same method everywhere it looks really great - professional, and even better than many professional jobs I've seen.
One time I forgot to knock down a wall and after a day or so I just sanded down the peaks and it looked fine. With stiffer mud you're really not spreading the blobs out like with the gun, it's more like flatting the peaks.
That's just how I do it.
Nice and explanation, gonna give it a try
Try spraying in lines. Side to side and the up and down to make the texture even
Thank you! I haven't used my texture gun in over 8 years, I get it hooked up and I thought it was leaking, thought I'd have to take it apart and replace a seal. But you explained the issue with the air right away so I'll be spittin mud tomorrow. Thanks for all the great drywall tips!
couple things I do different
1. mix the mud with less water
2. let mud sit for 15 min ( still in bucket before you shoot.)
3. Way to much pressure (50 to 80 psi)
4. knock it down a couple minutes after finishing (5-10 min)
my stuff looks great after painting.
Less water? Holy shit how much mud do you use to spray lol i mix it not much thicker than oil, makes it smoother and dont stick out too far after knocked down
Less water? Haha. It would not even feed in the gun. It needs to be pourable.
@@SOLDOZER gotta wonder if some people really know what they talking about or not lol
Ben, I'll help any way I can. Number 1 is you don't have to turn the valve all the way on. Say you have 90° turn on the valve. You can turn it 20° - 30° to get the pressure right for what you want to do. Use your ears and your eyes to get it to the proper position consistently. If you're doing orange peel, the pressure goes way up. This will also keep your compressor from running too much and overheating. The gun with all the different size holes on a disk is the preferred tool for me, also. Orange peel gets the smallest, and knockdown is towards the largest, depending on what is already there. I have found that it's MUCH better to wait longer to knock it down than it is to hit it too soon. If you wait too long, you can wipe it off with a damp sponge (although I've never had to). Hit it too soon and... well, you know.
I have to agree with another comment, though, I don't think this is a good DIY job. Also, get a proper knockdown tool. About 30" wide made of clear flexible plastic with a threaded opening that will accept a broom stick. Makes a world of difference.
The more air pressure you have the smaller the orange peel texture is, turning down the pressure will make the orange, peel bigger, you need to use the biggest orifice when you do knock down and turn the pressure down and it will glob out then knock it down in about five minutes. Trust me that’s how you get the knock down and the bigger Texter if you want to do a smaller knock down you turn the pressure up a little bit more but use the biggest orifice. I’ve been doing this for 30 years.
This was very helpful. I did one room and it came out like shit. I now know that I need to borrow bigger compressor. Also you explained how to use the rear adjustment to move the inside needle . I'm going for orange peel finish. With that said I'm hopeful that the remaining rooms will come out better.
lexan knockdown knife makes a world of difference
I hear foam tips is the next big thing. Plastic is only a stop gap in most high end tool manufacturing.
Just free tip to help aswell. I always skim coat the wall first. Then adjust your compressor at about 45psi, make mud about like pancake batter. You did good test on a scrap piece to dial in the gun and size of splatter. If you skim the wall first it'll help with them flat spots your talking about and it'll be a more consistent good looking texture.
I shot a few walls today in a bathroom and I waited 45 minutes to 1 hour to knockdown the texture. I used all purpose joint compound thinned with water. Came out nice. 👍🏻 Although if I were in a hurry, I’d not want to wait that long..
In some cases in the past if it's not a huge job after spraying we've removed the plastic to let air in so the wait time isn't so long, but to each's own everyone finds what works for them you'll eventually find what works for you. But wrong very lightly is let as someone else stated almost just let the knife glide over it with almost no pressure we used a knife with a soft rubber piece on it worked great then sand it
Great content. Would love to see how you stomp ceilings and more specifically how you would match texture on a repair. I’ve done it over the years homeowners have always been happy with it but I’m usually not we are our own worst critics
I will get to more textures. As you can see. I'm a novice at it. There is a lot more experience in the viewership thankfully.
The only good thing about knockdown texture is that it's easy to skim over it.
It's very important to prime the walls or ceilings before you do a knockdown finish, if not and you go over the mud you taped with it's going to stick it's pretty difficult like that, so prime first, shoot your knock down, pull It, give it a quick sand when it's dry and then prime again
Best answer yet.
Thank you for your videos! You have the best advice when it comes to drywall and texture.
We did one in the kitchen ceiling and the blobs of mud were much larger and spaced out more. Knocked down very well. Much different than all of your attempts. I wonder if it's just the hopper gun design? I guess I need to make sure I have the large size nozzle for big blops of mud
Bruh to do a knock down first get the size you want of mud shooting out, I personally like the bigger splatter. Second let it sit for a few minutes, I wait till I see drying as soon as I see drying it's telling me it's about time to flatten it out with a mud knife. Don't press hard, in this video you pressed too hard. I'll go up down left right when flattening it down. It's not hard, you just gotta cover things you don't want to get mud on like windows and trim. Get the right thickness of the mud the runnier it is the longer it will dry and it will shrink way more. Set the nozzle to the right size mud you want big small medium, remember let it sit for a few minutes after spraying. As soon as you see it drying then lightly flatten it. You can do a whole room at once with a helper cause while you are still spraying the helper can be flattening if the mud dries before you're done spraying.
Use rubber or plastic knockdown knife and wipe the blade frequently
Others have said it but a lexan knock down knife is the way to go. The 10” blade takes a deft touch to do it right.
Come to north Florida. Welcome to the land of knockdown, popcorn ceiling, and orange peel everywhere
One reason for spray textures is that it can cover up mistakes in the drywall.
Good.
I'm getting better at skimming walls and they're way more preferable to those who are self conscious about being able to clean their ways
Yeah, orange peel and knockdown is so common in FL we had a hard time finding people who know how to finish a smooth wall. The ones that could do it all moved here from the north.
@@christinebradstreet I’ll move to FL to take over, smooth walls is the norm unless a customer want to match existing texture
😂 I was doing a bit of finishing research for my work in commercial construction and I was scratching my head on use-cases since I don’t see a lot of wall textures. My grandmas house in Florida was all I could picture.
Am I the only one that loved the first result he showed at 2:26?
That just seemed great to me.
I saw one carpenter who didnt knock it down with a blade, he let it fully dry, and then sanded it with a sanding block to "knock it down" Looked good.
Interesting..
I used a Goldblatt compressor and had both kinds of hoppers. I think I used to run 60 lbs. but maybe it was 90 pounds of pressure. I will be doing this stuff again very soon so I need to get familiar with it all again. I have done a lot of knockdown and a lot of orange peel. I strain both with a paint net screen thing with the elastic. I run my orange peel so my hand webs like a duck when I pull it out and my lace a little over double thickness from that. You should have a hard time screening it if it's the right thickness for knockdown. I waited 10 to 15 minutes to knock it down in Florida. You may want to wait 5 more minutes if you question anything. Late is better with lace.
It depends on temperature and humidity and if you are spraying over a wall that is painted or over new dry wall, even on the drywall that is paper verses the drywall that has mud over it, the wall will suck the moisture out of the mud at a different rate.
Wait until just the tips of the splatters are glossy. The base of the splatter should be matte. I use a big 24 in flexible plastic knockdown tool so I don't get ridges on the sides when I swipe and don't accidentally add too much pressure. Make sure you wipe it off regularly.
Number one, you are an intelligent person. Number two, you have a lot of good content on your channel. Number three, you need a nice collared shirt with a logo.
Fuck collars, no one needs to wear anything but a good attitude.
Apparently you have never worked in a business where collars on shirts are just funneling crap inside your shirt! My dad and Grandfather were painters as well as my best friend growing up, his entire family were painters. They wore white painter pants and white T-shirts. It is the uniform of professional painters and if your good at the end of the day, you clothes should still be white. It was a badge of pride for them. If you think your a painter, try it sometime. For anyone looking for a job ad a painter, their skills or lack of there of showed up on the first day!
Thank you for doing some knockdown videos!!! I don’t like it but it’s what I got.
They have plastic very flexible knockdown blade much easier than a stiff knife
Foam tip my dawg, plastic is may work but is cheap and not durable.
I'm not sure if it's just marketing talk, but mine is a "poly carbonate" blade. I've had it about 8 years and I'm not sure what could wear out on it pushing texture down. If others prefer their "foam tip" that's great, but I don't know if durability is really an issue.
@@EricHamm do you mean rubber tip magic trowel? I have never seen a foam tip and sounds interesting
ive also seen a rubber window squeegee work well
@@omma-llama7860
I've never seen a rubber window.....lol!
Aye brother a little tip for your knock down, always wipe your knife clean after every pull should help prevent wider texture & I like to primer after it’s dry so it soaks & swell to give it that finish look your after & it’s easier to see any imperfections for touch ups. Other then that you sum it up really good & what I learn in construction is there is no wrong way really. I find every journeymen to have there own unique faster way & not wasting moves on doing things. Tricks of the trade is truly a gift through experience… have a nice day mate ❤💪🏾🕺🏽
Would putting some kind of die in the texture help you see if it's even? And instead of knocking it down , letting it dry and coming back and giving it a slight block with 180 grit give you a safer knockdown look? Without worrying about smearing it or knife marks?
it's all in your mix, if your knockdown mud is too thin it will be super hard to work with.. but if you have it the right thickness, it will be much easier to work with, sprays more consistent, & beads up real nice for knocking it
The right time to wipe it down is when it stops being shiny, and a 24 inch acrylic drag knife is great for dragging.I had a 500 gallon and a 300 gallon selfmixing rig for spraying splatter drag texture here in Texas , I have sprayed million's of gallons of drywall mud.
I use a rubber knockdown knife I never use lightweight I use topping or red dot all purpose always strain my texture it does take practice and a compressor with higher scfm output
Finally found the answer I was looking for. . Compressor size and output. 120 psi will do. Thanks
Late to the party but air pressured distance from wall and consistency all contribute to texture. The hardest thing is to match is a knock down since you add in the variable of time to set and pressure of the wipe. I’m still learning myself and it’s been years.
We paint the ceiling first and also add some paint to the mud. Thinned down all purpose, lower pressure. I prefer a much lighter touch than the heavy handed plastic blade look. We use 6” knives and go in a circular pattern. Once it’s knocked down there’s no need to paint.
Just a DIY here with a little experience. My wife and I are in the process of removing the popcorn celling and then using a light knockdown texture. I have done research and gotten advice from a pro. It depends on what texture you want. For a light texture you want higher pressure and thinner mud. For a heaver texture you want thicker mud and lower pressure. I am not a pro it is just my understanding. We did get the plastic scraper and it works better than the steel one. Also use the scraper at a low angle with light pressure. Get a 90 degree elbow for the bottom of the hopper gun where the air hose connects. That way you can stand the hopper gun up in a corner for filling. I found that filling the hopper all the way up can kill you. 1/4 to 1/3 at most. I was able to borrow a hopper less gun for 1 room. Lots easer and more control.
And 1 more thing, light texture smaller tip, heavier texture bigger tip.
I actually like the look of your first attempt
I begin the knockdown as soon as the spray loses its sheen
it's tricky, and usually requires two people. I also apply the texture in a back and forth pattern, using 45 psi to apply the mud.
My Wallboard hopper I've had for years only releases air when you pull the trigger. Which is much easier on your compressor.
Orange yah glad we don’t do that to walls up here. Ugh. Thanks Ben
There is so much preference that goes into what look anyone likes. I like to do an initial light pass, or light orange peel with a lighter flowing pancake batter consistency to get an initial base and work my way around the room applying that, then I continue where I started, and it seems the mud that was mixed stiffens up a little after it has sat a short amount of time, and then start layering it on a little heavier. I do stay back further with the hopper, maybe in-between 2 and 3 ft distance from the wall, and I like to minimize the larger spots to mostly pinkie fingernail size with a mix of some middle finger nail size blobs to get the look like to achieve. I wait until the high spots start to loose their shininess and then very gently knock them down with a wide knock down tool. The end result I prefer is a mix of orange peel, with a nice blending of small and medium sized plateaus. I refer to it as a discreet splatter drag, with a hint of orange peel. I never liked the large blobbed look or anything with large flat spot plateaus. But it all comes down to personal preference.
If you spray it like if you was painting going left and right you will get even coverage and doing it in circles will not get even coverage you will see spots that hasn't been hit
Im still learning knockdown just sprayed a big house.I find if you knockdown right away you can get big patterns. wait longer than 10mins you get smaller patterns . Alos use a flexible Marshalltown knockdown blade/knife . Make sure to carry rag or sponge to keep it clean. Cheers Ryan from RR Drywall Parksville
Late to the party but I wanted to say the Wall-Board brand Texture-Pro 200 does control air flow by the trigger.. Much nicer than having it flow air all the time. Works well with small job site compressors.
Using a a rubber knockdown knife works much nicer than using a steel knife...keep a towel and wipe the edge on each pass to kep unwanted lines from making there way into the scene...also if you are not spraying directly on to new drywall...all purpose mud works the best...you can also turn your compressor down to around 80 psi...start from the top or ceiling and work your way down using circles and side to side motions...you'll get it in no time...also a trick to not getting a tired shoulder is to put your left hand behind your head to take the pressure off of your right arm...when you are doing low ceilings such as in a finished basement it certainly helps...good luck!!
I find it easier to use 40-60 psi and a little bit soupier mud than you had. You’re on the right track knock it down with a bigger blade that’s super flexible with light pressure just as the wet sheen fades to that dull gray color.
Oh a I use the largest tip of the three sizes.
This seems like the kind of job best done with two people. One spraying. The other knocking down. The reason I say this is that each job requires consistency, and the best way to make that happen is by having each person only focus on one of the two tasks. This enables them to maintain muscle memory, consistency, proficiency and speed. What are your thoughts?
Low pressure when spraying , top to bottom unless using a pole gun then stand back let her fly.
It actually looks pretty good. About the only think I didn't like seeing is the circular motion when spraying. You will never get an even base to knock down. A Marshalltown knockdown knife is awesome. It will float over wetter texture with a light pressure.