How to Texture a Ceiling

There aren’t very many of us who walk around in our homes and spend any amount of time looking up. That may explain why the ceiling is the one part of the home that is almost considered to be something of an afterthought.

It’s oftentimes not until we wake up from being passed out on the couch or lie in bed at night that we even notice that the ceiling is even there. If you think of your ceiling as an extension of your walls, then it becomes easier to understand that it can be dressed up in the same way, which can mean adding a little texture to the space above your head. There are a number of different methods that you can use to get a great looking texture on your ceiling, but if you want something that you can do on your own without having to call in the pros, then here is a method that almost anyone can pull off.

How to Texture a Ceiling

How to Texture a CeilingBefore you get started, you will have to check the ceiling for any areas that might need repair. Keep an eye out for holes and cracks, and repair those before doing anything else.

The ceiling then has to be primed before you can do any texturing. The reason this has to be done is because compound that is put on an unprimed surface will dry quickly, making it virtually impossible for you to do any kind of effective texturing.

1. I suggest that you save the time mixing your own compound and buy lightweight premixed drywall compound from your local box store. Also, make sure that you pick up the common tools for any drywall mud job, such as a wide-bladed putty knife or straight-edged trowel for spreading the compound across your ceiling.
2. Just save yourself the headache and clear the room of any furniture and be sure to protect your flooring by laying drop cloths. It’s a pain getting drywall compound out of carpet and nearly impossible getting it out of the seams of hardwood floors.
3. To get started, you can start by applying thin coats of compound to section of the ceiling, slowly working your way from one side to the other while matching your desired look-and-feel.
4. Lastly, remember, that just about any tool can make a unique drywall ceiling texture; try using different putty knifes, paintbrushes, sponges, plastic bags to create swirls or strokes across the ceiling, even fingers and pre-created stencils can give you the end result you’re looking for.

To get a really cool effect you can add some sand into the mixture, keeping in mind that the coarseness of sand that you choose will have an effect on the texture. Once that is done you are ready to start texturing, and if you want to get a little confidence before hitting the ceiling, then try doing some applications on a piece of cardboard to practice your technique. The finished result will look great, and you may end up never wanting to close your eyes to sleep again.

No matter what texture you end up with, learning how to texture a ceiling is one step closer to giving your home that unique look-and-feel.