Knockdown texture is a decorative paint technique where the paint is applied to a surface and then dragged across with a bristle brush or a trowel, leaving paint only in the indented areas.
It is a faux finish that is created with a trowel, a paintbrush, and a bucket of mortar.
Knockdown texture can be applied to any painted surface, but it is most commonly used on walls to create a textured effect. It is a very popular finish for painting plaster walls and is also used as a painting technique for faux finishes on furniture.
The process of creating knockdown texture is simple but does require some practice to get the hang of it. It is a way to cover up an existing texture, such as wood grain, with a new surface.
The process for knockdown texture is usually called knockdown, and it involves first scraping off the top layer of an existing surface with a power sander to expose the underlying surface.
Then, the wood is sanded with fine-grit sandpaper and the surface is sealed. Knockdown texture is usually applied to a dry surface for more even coverage.
Contents
Types Of Knockdown Texture
Stomp Texture
This knockdown texture is a classic trompe l’oeil painting technique that is often found in decorative arts and architecture. This textured, three-dimensional effect is achieved by repeating a design element on a surface, then distressing the surface to make the design element recede into the background.
The knockdown texture is commonly seen in stenciled brick walls, painted old furniture, and wooden flooring. It also can be seen in stamped metal, faux marble, and ceramic tile.
I have been seeing a lot of people talk about this new STOMP technique to create a textured paint look on walls. The technique is pretty easy to do and it’s also really fun.
Stomping will result in a roughed surface than splatter and also a painting roller is required for getting such surfaces. As an additional tool called painting roller and stomping is involved in this texture, it takes a bit more time than splatter texture.
See also: Alaska White Granite
Mud Trowel Texture
Mud Trowel Texture is a very popular, in-demand, and sought-after texture. It is a very dirty, grimy, and gritty type of texture that is applied to the ceilings and walls of the buildings.
It has a lot of variations, but the most popular is the muddy, dirty, and gritty type. Also, It has very high resolution which makes it more suitable in our hall rooms.
We can mud trowel texture by using 18 inches or more broader drywall trowel blades for easily applying the mixture. It provides the most subtle and smooth appearance among all the above knockdown textures.
It requires more time than the splatter and stomping texture as many tools and intermediate processes are to be performed for getting mud trowel texture.
Splatter Texture
It is the most popular among all the knockdown textures available in the market. It is just like a plaster and many people call it “splatter texture”.
Texture is a key element in painting and drawing. It’s what brings your work to life. The key to texturing is understanding where the energy from the texture should be directed to.
If you are looking for a more aggressive texture, it is advised to use a hard texture material like plaster. If you are looking for a gentler texture, you can use a softer material like plaster.
There are more types of texture than just plaster and so it is good to experiment to see what you like best. With the texture pack, the modder has created a splatter effect for walls, windows, objects, and more. This effect is in the form of dirty blood splatter.
The splatter does not cover the entire surface but is rather applied in a more detailed fashion, which I find to be quite nice. We can get splatter or plaster texture by using a machine called a drywall hopper gun.
See also: Parquet Flooring
How To Apply Knockdown Texture
This includes a lot of tools, materials, and procedures for the perfect finish of knockdown texture. Firstly we will discuss the tools and required materials:
Drywall Hopper Gun
It is an electrical machine used to spray the contained mixture or compound over the surface of a wall or ceiling. Earlier there was a tradition of using a painting brush to spread the mixture over the wall. But by using this device we can finish our work quickly and it gives us an asymmetric look.
Primer
It is used before applying the selected texture for making a smooth and sticky surface. It must be used two times and should be given a proper time to dry itself.
Read More: Valle Nevado Granite
18-inch Knockdown Knife
The function of an 18-inch knockdown knife is to make the surfaces of the wall and ceiling flat, and smooth for getting a fascinating knocked-down appearance.
It has a movable blade that erases all the irregularities produced before texturing the walls and ceilings.
Raw Compound
The commonly used raw material or compound is mud with many different contents mixed. After preparing the compound, it is then injected into the hopper gun for spraying. There are also many high-quality raw materials used other than mud for making the raw compound.
Big Gallons
The compounds prepared are always in powdered form and are kept in a gallon. The gallon is used for mixing the compounds with water.
Sandpapers
Most of the raw compounds for texturing are delicate and lightweight so we must use soft sandpapers for rubbing over the walls and ceilings. Sandpaper removes extra uneven primer from the surfaces.
Masking Tape
It is used for masking the cut surfaces when some undesirable cuts are there.
Compressor Machine
It is a high-powered machine that is used for transferring the raw compound from the hopper to a thin tube for even distribution of mixture over the ceilings.
This reduces the human hard work of manual pumping.
Clothes/Rags
Clothes or rags are used for cleaning dry surfaces or eliminating dust particles by rubbing thoroughly with clothes.
Paints
Forgiving the texture a pleasant and beautiful look we must select matching paint colors. They will provide different designs and shades to the textured wall and ceilings. Now the rest procedures are given below:
Steps:
1. Protection Against Harmful Contents
Protecting ourselves is the first and foremost concern before doing any kind of work. So we must have complete knowledge about that work because a little mistake can result in major damage or wounds.
Read More: Types of Drywall Texture
Before doing the texture or painting we must pre-planned with the following things:
- Ensure complete knowledge of the tools and machines we are using.
- Must wear safety clothes that cover each and every part of our body.
- Safety goggles and gloves should also be worn that prevent our hands and eyes from dusty particles and spreading paints.
- We should cover all other appliances, furniture, beds, etc with clothes or something else so that they will be protected from dust.
2. Making The Raw Mixture
- We must prepare the mixture in the proper ratio by mixing the powder contents with water. First, take the required volume of water in a bucket and then pour the compound into it.
- Ensure that the bucket does not contain any types of stones, sand, bricks particles, etc. This will spoil the mixture and the compound made.
- Now take the compound and pour it into the water slowly and we must be at some distance away.
- After mixing the mixture or mud with water, leave the bucket for some time for proper mixing.
3. Transferring The Mixture Into Hopper Gun
- The second step is to load the hopper gun with the prepared mixture. Before loading, we must ensure that the hopper gun is neat and clean from the inside.
- The nozzle of the hopper should be cleaned and the trigger button should be working properly.
- The type of texture pattern largely depends on the type of nozzle and the quality of materials we have.
- Then we must test the hopper roughly on any smooth surface before actually applying it to the desired wall or ceiling.
4. Applying The Mixture On Wall Or Ceiling
- Now hold the hopper tightly in our hands and start spraying the mixture over the wall or ceiling.
- Properly spray the mixture on every part and side of the wall. Unevenly spraying may result in a frightening look and pattern of the wall.
- Also, there are different sizes of hoppers available in the market such as small, medium, large, very large, and many more. We should buy or borrow them according to our requirements.
- After spraying, let the wall or ceiling for 2-3 hours for drying. Do not touch the spraying surface until or unless it is completely dried.
Read More: Laminate Countertops
Advantages Of Knockdown Texture
- Knockdown texture adds a natural effect and different shades and patterns to our walls. The texture consists of a water-based acrylic sealant that is applied in a feathery pattern that simulates a hand-painted finish.
- The sealant is applied to the wall surface gently with a natural-bristle paintbrush or spraying machine-like compressor-hopper, which allows the texture to be applied with a painterly effect.
- The sealant is then brushed in a downward motion with a dry brush to dry the sealant and create the desired texture.
- The sealant is applied with a liberal hand, which allows the sealant to flow and create a more natural and unique look.
- Knockdown texture is also frequently applied to walls of a room, in order to make the room appear as though it has been recently painted.
- This texture is commonly used in order for a new paint job to look as though it was done years ago.
Conclusion
Knockdown texture is a surface finish made by beating or ‘knocking down’ the surface of a rigid material for getting different patterns and designs over the wall and ceilings. Knockdown texture is typically known for its rough-textured surface and is often used on interior and exterior walls.
The texture is created by using a special tool (knocker) or tapping the material with a mallet to create a pebble-like surface. The tool is typically used on surfaces that have been primed or painted and are then ready for a textured finish.
To add a knockdown texture to a surface, the surface is first sanded down using rough sandpaper and then spraying the prepared mixture over walls or ceilings. This allows the surface to absorb the texture better.
