Page 287 - 2018 National Home Improvement

2018 National Home Improvement Estimator, All Rights Reserved Page 233

Spatter finish is done with a compressor-operated spatter gun that shoots globules of thinned drywall
mud on the ceiling at random. Scrape overspray off the walls. Other mixes are available to create
different effects. You can get nearly the same spatter effect by dipping a stiff-bristle brush in thinned
drywall mud and slinging mud on the ceiling with a snap of the wrist. This takes practice. Don’t count on
getting this right on the first attempt. Control the size of the spatters by making the mix thinner or
thicker. Obviously, this is messy work. But it’s an effective technique when you have to match only a
few square feet of spatter-finished ceiling. For minor patching, you can also buy spatter finish in an
aerosol can.

Knockdown finish uses the same technique – spatter blown or snapped on the ceiling. But the mix
should be stiffer so spatters are between the size of a pea and a grape. Let the globules dry for a few
minutes. Then knock the tops off with a masonry trowel. Work the trowel in all directions to avoid
creating an obvious grain in the texture.

Skip trowel or imperial texture is like a knockdown finish, only more so. Apply mud to the ceiling or wall
in a random pattern. Then smooth out what’s there, leaving irregular patterns of texture in some areas
and no texture in others. When done, it should look like Spanish stucco.