# orange peel finish



## scottstef (Dec 15, 2005)

does anyone have a decent article or directions for creating an orange peel finish on drywall? i have a rental that is somewhat rough and i want to try an orange peel finish on it to make the prep a little easier.

thanks.


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## Brushslingers (Jul 28, 2006)

Google on "knock down texture" instead, if your trying to cover up... a mess.


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## AtlanticWBConst (Mar 29, 2006)

scottstef said:


> does anyone have a decent article or directions for creating an orange peel finish on drywall? i have a rental that is somewhat rough and i want to try an orange peel finish on it to make the prep a little easier.
> 
> thanks.


About 5 years ago, we picked up work at a chain of luxury apartment complexes. We do the work that their maintenance guys can’t. All their interior walls were the orange peel Texture. We had never done this before since it isn’t popular in New England. We talked to everyone we had come to know in the drywall business in the past 20 years. We talked to multiple drywall suppliers. All we got were raised eyebrows and shrugging shoulders with :blink: …. No one knew how to do it.

We ended up figuring it out on our own. This is what you will need:

1.) A texture sprayer.(like a popcorn sprayer)
2.) A hopper
3.) A nozzle with an adjustable tip. You will need to adjust the sprayer head to a smaller hole. (*Smaller than you would use to spray on popcorn ceiling)
4.) Ready mix joint compound and a spare empty bucket.
5.) Clean water.
6.) Test areas or surfaces or scrap sheetrock remnants.

Take some of the compound out and place it into the clean bucket. Add water and mix up to the point when the mixture has the consistency of loose pancake batter. You want it loose and liquid, but not overly liquid.

Set up your sprayer and add to the hopper (about ½ filled in hopper)
Do some test sprays to determine the best nozzle hole size. 
The spraying technique is the same as if you were spraying a popcorn ceiling.

Keys: Keep that nozzle clean, if the pattern starts looking funny, then check to see if it got clogged. If you mix up a batch of it, and it has sat for a little while (1 hour+), remix before adding to the hopper and using it.

Good Luck!


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## maj (Mar 13, 2006)

And use the green all-purpose mud. Not the blue light-weight.


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## Gillegit (Jul 22, 2011)

*Textures and Spraying*

There is a premixed texture mud called FASTEX by BEADEX. Thin this product down using a 5 gallon bucket and a drill and paddle. Use the smallest tip on your Hopper Gun and use a lot of air, practice on a scrap piece. The mix should be a little thicker than pancake batter. 

Another solution may be a SKIP TROWEL TEXTURE.

Note:
TAPING and ALL-PURPOSE COMPOUNDS have glue in them to help with the proper taping process. ALL-PURPOSE is used on smooth wall finishes because it is more durable than TOPPING COMPOUND.


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