# Need advice on using a texture gun



## cumminsdiesel (Dec 12, 2005)

I've been thinking about buying a texture gun to texture ceilings but I have never used one before. I'm just wondering how they work. Do they actually spray a texture or just spray the mud on and then you stomp it? Also how messy are they compared to just rolling the mud on?


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

Set-up and prep takes the longest amount of time, actual spraying and working the surface depending on what you are trying to do takes very little time at all. It's going to be way, way, WAY! faster than rolling and much more versitile. You'll have to spend some time doing some test boards to see the different combinations, because you have multiple variables, nozzle size, PSI, mix consistancy that will all effect the results, not to mention the differences in what the texture will do when it hits clean sheet rock and the mudded areas.


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## cumminsdiesel (Dec 12, 2005)

thanks for the reply.... so when you spray this on it will already be textured or do you have use a texture brush after you spray it.


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

It depends on what texture you want. Eggshell comes out of the gun and you are done, knock down your need to well... knock it down with a knock down knife.


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## cumminsdiesel (Dec 12, 2005)

Ok thats what I needed to know, I plan on doing a knockdown texture. I've just never used a gun before and didn't understand how it could spray a pattern but if it works it will make my life a heck of a lot easier. I have a Dewalt double tank emglo compressor I use for finish work and roofing will this be enough to power one of these or do I need to use a larger shop compressor?


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## slowsol (Aug 27, 2005)

your dewalt tank will be fine. like he said above though, you will have to practive on some board first to figure out your air pressure.


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

I use a Porter Cable pancake compressor set at about 40 PSI, Sheetrock brand wall & ceiling texture dry mix, a Spraying Mantis spray gun. I mix the texture up using a mixing drill and paddle to a pan cake batter consistancy, making sure to mix the hell out of it. Any chunks will clog your gun and even worse small ones will show up all over the wall texture.

I tape everything off just like spraying a car. I shoot all the surfaces and go clean up the gun, compressor hose and anything else. Come back and check to see if the texture has set up a bit. When it's ready I use a wide plastic knock down knife and start in the first place I sprayed and work to the last place I sprayed. 

I'm not the best at this so I often come back with a sanding pole after it all drys and go over it all really quickly and that usually makes it look great.

This is the knife I use for knock down.










A lot of other people probably like the squeegy looking knock down knife.

Keep in mind I only do remodeling so this is what works for me. Doing it on an entire house or on new construction would require doing it differently. I'm sure I have a lot to learn in regard to texturing and have a long way to go with it. It seems to be a real art to doing it well. I have hired professional texture finishers for jobs where texture matching was crucial.


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## JustaFramer (Jan 21, 2005)

For doing ceilings make sure you get the 45 pipe if the gun doesn't come with it. I have only sprayed orange peel with a gun. Not a hard texture style to match to existing. Even out of a can.


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