Knockdown texture
Encyclopedia
Knockdown Texture is a drywall
finishing style. It is a mottled texture, more intense than a simple flat finish, but less intense than orange peel, or popcorn
, texture.
Knockdown texture is created by watering down joint compound
to a soupy consistency. A trowel
is then used to apply the joint compound. The joint compound will begin to form stalactite
s as it dries. The trowel is then run over the surface of the drywall, knocking off the stalactites and leaving the mottled finish.
A much more common, and faster technique is to apply the texture mud (which is slightly different from joint compound, in that it has less shrinkage upon drying) with a texture machine – a compressor which sprays mud instead of paint. This applies what is referred to as a splatter coat. The use of a compressor allows this to be applied to walls as well as ceilings. When knocking this down, the mud is allowed to dry for a short period, then skimmed with a knockdown knife – a large, usually plastic (to reduce noticeable edges) knife.
Drywall
Drywall, also known as plasterboard, wallboard or gypsum board is a panel made of gypsum plaster pressed between two thick sheets of paper...
finishing style. It is a mottled texture, more intense than a simple flat finish, but less intense than orange peel, or popcorn
Popcorn ceiling
A popcorn ceiling, also known as an acoustic ceiling, is a term for a spray-on or paint-on ceiling treatment used from the late 1950s into the 1980s in residential construction. Cheaper than painting, it could be quickly and easily sprayed on in new construction and was also useful in masking...
, texture.
Joint compound
Joint compound is a white substance similar to plaster used to seal joints between sheets of drywall, primarily in building construction. It is often referred to simply as mud.-Ready-mix lightweight joint compound:...
to a soupy consistency. A trowel
Trowel
A trowel is one of several similar hand tools used for digging, smoothing, or otherwise moving around small amounts of viscous or particulate material.-Hand tools:...
is then used to apply the joint compound. The joint compound will begin to form stalactite
Stalactite
A stalactite , "to drip", and meaning "that which drips") is a type of speleothem that hangs from the ceiling of limestone caves. It is a type of dripstone...
s as it dries. The trowel is then run over the surface of the drywall, knocking off the stalactites and leaving the mottled finish.
A much more common, and faster technique is to apply the texture mud (which is slightly different from joint compound, in that it has less shrinkage upon drying) with a texture machine – a compressor which sprays mud instead of paint. This applies what is referred to as a splatter coat. The use of a compressor allows this to be applied to walls as well as ceilings. When knocking this down, the mud is allowed to dry for a short period, then skimmed with a knockdown knife – a large, usually plastic (to reduce noticeable edges) knife.