Skip Trowel: Need to learn how to texture!

[Freefallin2000]

Hey all-

Moving into our new place Feb 8th. My garage is going to be unfinished and I need to get the walls textured. I am going to use skip trowel. The walls appear to be "taped", not exactly sure what that means exactly. Anyhow, my builder said I just need to get some fast dry mud for tape joints and some slow dry mud.

I have never textured walls before so I really need some advice here. I have searched a couple of how to's on the net and here, but I would really appreciate if someone could give me EVERYTHING I will need to complete a 20x20 garage (3 walls and ceiling).

This is very important to me so I would seriously appreciate any guidance and or help.

Sean

 

[ishiboo]

Hey all-

Moving into our new place Feb 8th. My garage is going to be unfinished and I need to get the walls textured. I am going to use skip trowel. The walls appear to be "taped", not exactly sure what that means exactly. Anyhow, my builder said I just need to get some fast dry mud for tape joints and some slow dry mud.

I have never textured walls before so I really need some advice here. I have searched a couple of how to's on the net and here, but I would really appreciate if someone could give me EVERYTHING I will need to complete a 20x20 garage (3 walls and ceiling).

This is very important to me so I would seriously appreciate any guidance and or help.

Sean

I'd consider a texture gun, I just did some splatter in the hallway and had to match the bathroom, it was easy for me to match even as a novice and looks great.

 

[danho]

Skip troweling is actually very easy to do as opposed to a spray texture, but it is more time consuming. For your size garage I would get 3 boxes of mud, a 5 gallon bucket and a bag of silica sand. Put the box of mud in the bucket and add about a bug gulp cup of the sand. Mix with a drill and paddle, adding water until it is the thickness of pancake batter. A 12" to 14" knife and a tray will allow you to get creative with putting it on the walls. You will probably need 6 boxes of mud but the bag of sand will be more that enough for your space.

 

[Freefallin2000]

OK, thanks so much for the tips Danho. What do you think that will run me cost wise? How many hours would it take 2 people doing it?

 

[ddawg16]

I wouldn't bother......it's a garage....

After I taped and mudded my garage walls....I put one good coat of primer and then rolled on a good coat of Exterior semi-gloss using a long nap roller....it gave it enough texture that few if any 'blemmishes' are visible....

Besides....within a short time....there will be little to no exposed wall anyway....it will all be covered with shelves, cabinets and man stuff...

 

[tcianci]

Your decision to finish your drywall with a skip trowel texture will give you really great looking walls at very low cost with minimal skill required.
I would start by taping the joints and corners with Durabond 45. This is a site mixed setting type joint compound. Use just enough to bury the tape. Once the Durabond 45 is set but not necessarily dry, you can begin troweling on some regular bucket mud. The trick to obtaining a nice finish is to apply it with a trowel (like a plasterers trowel) not a joint knife. The whole finish is dependent on your hand and wrist motion. This finish is very difficult to obtain with a joint knife since the knife is usually just dragged on the board to smooth the compound. You will be moving your arm and wrist in random motions to get a finish that is nearly smooth but will show lines and swirls. Practice on scrap board, you will develop a texture that suits you. It is important that you do the skip trowel work with regular bucket mud, as this product dries slowly and that will allow you to keep a soft, wet edge to work into. This is key to making the surface look uniform. If your compound starts to dry as you move along the job, the wetter compound will tend to pile up over the dry stuff and you will be able to detect the overlap.

 

[Freefallin2000]

Well, if I could prime the walls and paint over without them looking terrible, I would definitely go for that instead. Any more thoughts here?

Tciani, how much am I looking for everything you stated?

 

[csp]

Soooo easy to spray texture and give it a knock down texture.

Thin pre-mix drywall mud to a pancake batter thickness. Spray on so that you get 1/4" to 3/4" "blobs". Spray one wall starting at one side and move to the other side. Once the wall is sprayed you knock down, or flatten, the blobs with a knock down blade. Start at the same end your spraying started at and work to the other side. Do it one wall at a time. It really isn't difficult or time consuming.

Pics I found of the knife via Google images:

 

[mobetta]

there is also the "magic trowel". works pretty good for that type finish.

 

[tommyxgun]

we used just a basic trowel and drywall putty. knocked out our entire bathroom in 2hrs. looks awesome! painted it gray. almost looks like wet concrete.

 

[Lotek]

Paint, workbenches, shelves and pegboard, if I am not mistaken, that is in the Man Laws.

 

[Freefallin2000]

I am still a bit confused as to what I need...fast and slow dry mud and how much for skip trowel?

 

[V-10 Killer]

Soooo easy to spray texture and give it a knock down texture.

Thin pre-mix drywall mud to a pancake batter thickness. Spray on so that you get 1/4" to 3/4" "blobs". Spray one wall starting at one side and move to the other side. Once the wall is sprayed you knock down, or flatten, the blobs with a knock down blade. Start at the same end your spraying started at and work to the other side. Do it one wall at a time. It really isn't difficult or time consuming.

Pics I found of the knife via Google images:

I agree.
I had my finisher do a skip trowl pattern in my garage and I love it. Hides imperfections great, and is cleanable with a clean broom or duster unlike that popcorn **** many people get stuck with.
However for the do-it-yourselfer, the knockdown method might be better for you.

 

[Zeke]

Here's one way to do it:

 

[b737mechanic]

When I was researching it I found a lot of skip toweling videos on Youtube.