I need some tips on creating a skip trowel texture - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

saucedo80 · 01-25-2006, 10:50 PM

Hello I am a painting contractor just begining to do texturing as well. I need some tips on how to create a satisfactory skip trowel texture. Any tips would be appreciated

Glasshousebltr · 01-26-2006, 01:02 AM

Find a topless dancer and have her play bumper thumper while the walls are still wet.

.......Then post the pics here.

Bob

KingOfDrywall · 01-26-2006, 01:50 PM

Here is a simple method. I'm assuming first that it is new drywall correct?
Ok....get a few buckets of plus 3.....add about 2-3 cups of wter and mix it for a good 1-2 minutes onn high speed. Get a paint roller (with a large nap on it) and roll product on the walls. It should be going on pretty thick. Just get the product on a wall as fast as possible (I usually have 2 guys rolling in front of me) With a 10" knife, just glide it across from left to right very lightly just to somewhat flatten the area that was mudded (doesnt have to be perfect at all)now quikly go back in a random pattern "skipping"that 10" knife lightly. DO NOT stand knife up as it will remove too much mud. kinda lay it down as you skip. Do small arches,crosses etc....just mix it up and try to keep the consistency even and it should come out ok. Best of luck hope I helped.

rkaitz · 12-11-2009, 05:42 PM

I have tried skim caoting witha roller, but even though I have tried this with varied amounts of presure and different vicosities of mud it only will roll for a short distance. It will slide at that point. Am I a "tard"? I have also tried to change the nap thickness as well.

AARC Drywall · 12-12-2009, 10:10 AM

go on to ebay an purchase the cd on texturing...
or better yet get the tex machine and a sheet of drywall and practice.

to start you can use a compressor about 50 psi and get a tex gun...mix (we use) kal tex to the manufacture spec
then practice..when ready just skim across the texture. if its to wet you will get ribs as you finish your stroke.

**genecarp** · 12-12-2009, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkaitz

I have tried skim caoting witha roller, but even though I have tried this with varied amounts of presure and different vicosities of mud it only will roll for a short distance. It will slide at that point. Am I a "tard"? I have also tried to change the nap thickness as well.

Get a high end roller, it cant be an old paint roller. GMOD

Capt-Sheetrock · 12-12-2009, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by genecarp

Get a high end roller, it cant be an old paint roller. GMOD

Dern, I wish ya hadn't said that, i was gonna say, I find they roll better with a cheap roller than a exspensive one. Oh yeah, and thin the mud out

**genecarp** · 12-12-2009, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Capt-Sheetrock

Dern, I wish ya hadn't said that, i was gonna say, I find they roll better with a cheap roller than a exspensive one. Oh yeah, and thin the mud out

Capt, i guess what i was thinking, when he said the roller would start to slide instead of roll, i pictured an old roller with paint residue built up on the shaft, sometimes they get a little stiff in the role dept. I am sure a cheap one, if it was not bent and was clean, would do the job, GMOD

Damonceles · 12-16-2009, 09:24 PM

we always use a 20oz dipper cup 2.5-3 cups water about a half-3.4 cup of fine sand per box of heavy mud. then get a small amount on a 12-14 and slide it against the wall steadly leting the sand in the mud make it skip dif spots. takes practice for sure and no 2 people do it the same from my exp
some people make tiger stripes others are a speckly knock down looking stuff i do a swirly seashell looking thing and make these spiral vortexs

Damonceles · 12-16-2009, 09:25 PM

sry 1/2-3/4 cup sand kindav unclear when i reread it

Sir Mixalot · 12-16-2009, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Damonceles

we always use a 20oz dipper cup 2.5-3 cups water about a half-3.4 cup of fine sand per box of heavy mud. then get a small amount on a 12-14 and slide it against the wall steadly leting the sand in the mud make it skip dif spots. takes practice for sure and no 2 people do it the same from my exp
some people make tiger stripes others are a speckly knock down looking stuff i do a swirly seashell looking thing and make these spiral vortexs

That's how we do it here. But, "skip trowel" is a regional thing. It can be different texture depending on where you are located around the country.
Here's ours:

rkaitz · 12-17-2009, 04:34 AM

Sir Mixalot...That is exacly the same texture in the oicture that I need to match, Guess I better practice the method. So if I buy a box of topping.....what screen size of sand is it? And how much water?
Thanks,
Rick

Sir Mixalot · 12-17-2009, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkaitz

Sir Mixalot...That is exacly the same texture in the oicture that I need to match, Guess I better practice the method. So if I buy a box of topping.....what screen size of sand is it? And how much water?
Thanks,
Rick

Around two cups of sand and roughly 2 cups of water.
I should mention I use a hawk and knife to achieve this texture.